The film " Lincoln," directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Daniel Day-Lewis, tells the story of he 16th president's tumultuous final  months in office. Abraham Lincoln, perhaps more than any other president, continues to occupy the public imagination.

Research on the topic of Lincoln's food preferences seems divided.  While some sources state that Lincoln was mad about Mary Todd Lincoln's cakes, others claim that he was rather indifferent on the topic of food altogether. Despite all of his accomplishments and accolades, he sounds to us like a challenging dinner party guest. Which begs the question:

We're throwing a dinner party menu of America's most iconic state dishes inspired by this iconic insomniac.

To start, how about something casual and unexpectedly delicious to make the president feel at ease? Since Abraham was fond of fried foods (was there any other way of cooking in the 1800s?) we'll start with crispy strips of American beef sliced into strips, deep fried,  and served with tangy BBQ sauce.

Get the Recipe: Idaho-Style Finger Steaks

Lincoln's favorite holiday is rumored to be Thanksgiving, and he was quite fond of classic roasted Thanksgiving turkey. Since he was a Kentucky native, we've picked a heartier, fattier take on turkey for honest Abe, since we feel he could use the extra calories.

Get the Recipe: Kentucky Hot Browns Recipe

Lincoln is rumored to often have forgotten breakfast completely, though he did enjoy strong coffee. We think he'd appreciate the classic American Election Cake for dessert, which pairs perfectly with a cup of steaming espresso. Though Abe wasn't known as a big drinker, with 1/3 cup of American whiskey, this cake would provide the president with the perfect opportunity to de-stress and let his hair down (what is under that top hat?).

Get the Recipe: American Election Cake

Another dessert for Abe seems appropriate since Mary Todd's household apparently went through quite a lot of sugar. Lincoln is rumored to be extremely fond of  apples — apple pie in particular — so we picked this all-American version with Vermont cheddar cheese.

Get The Recipe: Cheddar Cheese Apple Pie

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