martha jefferson randolph

Martha "Patsy" and Molasses Ginger Cookies
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Martha Jefferson Randolph*

President Thomas Jefferson*

​Martha Randolph (daughter) and
​President Thomas Jefferson
Acting First Lady 1801 - 1809
Quotes from Patsy

• ...the English are really a wonderful people, it is impossible to contemplate their works in every quarter of the globe without admiration.

Factoids -

• Martha “Patsy” Jefferson was the daughter of Martha and Thomas Jefferson.  She took over hosting duties as acting First Lady when her widowed father, Thomas, became President.
• Patsy gave birth to the first child born in the White House.

Bio -

• ​Martha, as a teenager, lived in Paris, while her father, Thomas, served as U.S. Minister to France.  Her friends described her as smart, fun, and not lacking for male admirers.  While in France, she studied art, music, and languages.
• Thomas Jefferson’s wife, Martha Wayles Jefferson, died 19 years before he became President.  Although he was skilled at hosting White House events on his own, his daughter, Margaret (Patsy), often helped with hosting duties. 
• Patsy spent a lot of time both at Monticellos, the family’s estate, and the White House.  Patsy had 11 children, but was often  separated from her husband, who suffered from mental illness.  Her father, Thomas, helped Patsy raise his grandchildren.  Likewise, Patsy, known as an intellectual, often aided her father with political matters.
• President Thomas Jefferson loved food.  His love of ice cream, macaroni and cheese, and tomatoes made these foods popular to America, even today.  He loved the “sipping chocolates” (hot chocolate) in France and brought it to popularity in Washington.
• Thomas had two favorite cookies, coconut macaroons and molasses ginger cakes.  He enjoyed eating soft molasses ginger cakes at Christmas.  They are similar modern gingerbread cookies.  If you visit Colonial Williamsburg, you can purchase them at the Raleigh Tavern Bakery!

Or you can make them at home -

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Molasses Ginger Cakes

​Ingredients:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 & 1/2 tsps baking soda
2 tsps ground ginger
3/4 cup softened butter
1/3 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (unsifted)

Steps:

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together: flour, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
2. In another mixing bowl, beat together on high speed:  softened butter and white and brown sugar until creamy.  Mix in molasses and vanilla.
3. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating on low speed until the dough is just a little sticky.
4. Cover dough and put in refrigerator for one hour or more.
5. Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare cookie sheets by greasing or lining with parchment paper.
   
6. Bring dough to room temperature.  With clean hands, roll tablespoon-sized chunks of dough into balls.  Space 2-3 inches apart on cookie sheet. 
   
7. Bake at 350-degrees for 12 minutes.  Cookies should look “cracked” on top.  If they aren’t, bang the cookie sheet on the counter a few times and return to the oven for a minute. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes, then on a rack.
   

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Portrait Credits*
Martha Jefferson Randolph (daughter) - Oil on Canvas, Thomas Sully, Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello - Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; Engraving - Smithsonian Institution, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Thomas Jefferson - Charles Willson Peale, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons