Berks County Bar Association The Berks Barrister Winter 2020-21 - 18

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Book Review

Table for 9
By CLARE CUSHMAN

Reviewed by Donald F. Smith, Jr., Esquire

T

he book explores my
personal trifecta-history,
food and drink.

Table for 9 is a 194-page book
published by the Supreme Court
Historical Society. Author Clare
Cushman, Director of Publications
for the Society, has done a very
good job of sharing historical bites
about the Court, as well as about
certain Justices and their spouses,
while being seasoned with 43
of their favorite food and drink
recipes.
It begins with tales of our greatest Chief Justice, John
Marshall. He is the one who established the power of the High
Court as a co-equal branch of government, and he did so, in
large part, by achieving unanimity among the Justices in deciding
cases. His strategy, along with the power of his intellect, included
arranging for the Justices to lodge together in a Washington, D.C.
boardinghouse during the Court term.
There they dined together while enjoying a favorite beverage,
Madeira, which the author describes as " a brandy-spiked wine
imported from the Portuguese island of Madeira off the coast
of Morocco. The shaking and sauna-like conditions in the
ship's hold gave it a complex caramel flavor. " In such a convivial
atmosphere, deliberations went well.
As a young lawyer in Richmond, Marshall was a founding
member of the Quoit Club. Every other Saturday from May until
October the members met to play quoits-a ring toss game-and
to eat roasted pig together with Quoit Club Punch, consisting of
the juice and peels of 14 lemons, white sugar and a bottle each
of dark Jamaican rum, Madeira and cognac. May I suggest it be
18 | Berks Barrister

served at the next Legal Spirits Happy
Hour-with lots of ice?
The 15-chapter book includes more
than 100 photographs, many behindthe-scene glimpses, as well as amusing
anecdotes. The only thing dry between
its covers is the recipe for a martini.
The book's historical aspects focus on
the culinary exploits of the Justices off
the bench, the contributions of their
spouses and dining-time shared with
colleagues and law clerks. Always
interesting, and usually humorous.
For example, the chapter titled
" Luncheon at the Court " has a chart listing 15 Justices who " were
creatures of habit and liked to eat the same foods consistently for
lunch... " The most interesting luncheon habit might have been
that of Chief Justice William Rehnquist: " cheeseburger, coleslaw,
no fries, and Miller Lite beer, which he always called 'Miller's
Lite.' "
Martin Luther, who enjoyed a brew or two at meal time,
would have approved of his fellow Lutheran's choice of beverage.
The book notes Rehnquist was " a dedicated choir singer at his
Lutheran church... " In fact, the chapter on " Holiday Traditions "
features a picture of Rehnquist and his wife leading the Supreme
Court staff in singing carols at the Court's Annual Christmas
Recess Party.
That chapter also includes one of the more interesting and
amusing anecdotes in the book. Justice Stephen Field's wife
submitted a recipe to an 1890 celebrity cookbook. It provided
this instruction on how to prepare a turkey for Christmas dinner:
" The turkey should be cooped up and fed well some time before
Christmas. Three days before it is slaughtered it should have an
English walnut forced down its throat three times a day, and a
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Berks County Bar Association The Berks Barrister Winter 2020-21

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Berks County Bar Association The Berks Barrister Winter 2020-21
