I have a patron who is researching Valentino Melah (b. ca. 1807, Italy),
who was the White House steward/chef for at least part of President
Grant's term of office. Grant, of course, has no presidential library. 

I've checked NUCMC, and also know that Julia Dent Grant's memoirs were
published in 1975, and will refer the patron to them and the U. S. Grant
papers at LC. I also found mention of Melah in _The First Ladies
Cookbook_, _The President's Cookbook_, and a book by John Crumwold
called _Real Life at the White House._ However, I wonder if the National
Archives would be likely to have any information about Melah (even
something as simple as records of payments to him, which would help to
determine how long he was at the White House, as the patron is not sure
that he stayed for the entire length of Grant's presidency). My patron's
understanding is that the Grants paid for the food, but the government
paid Valentino Melah.

Replies should probably off list. Thanks for any help you can give me.


Christine

Christine Crawford-Oppenheimer
Information Services Librarian
Conrad N. Hilton Library:
http://www.ciachef.edu/admissions/about/library.asp
The Culinary Institute of America
1946 Campus Drive
Hyde Park, NY  12538
(845) 451-1322
fax (845) 451-1092
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