In this delightfully strange and surprisingly heartfelt episode of Jenn Seasly’s Foodlore, Jenn welcomes Bennett Rea, the creator behind Cookin’ with Congress, the social media series where historic political recipes are researched, recreated, and bravely eaten.

Bennett is known for taking on everything from presidential favorites to congressional cookbook curiosities, including more Jell-O molds than most people should ever have to face. But behind the humor and vintage recipe chaos, this conversation goes somewhere deeper.

Jenn and Bennett talk about the emotional side of food memories, including Bennett’s complicated relationship with ketchup, a childhood staple that still brings back memories of financially difficult years. They also explore the strange beauty of retro Jell-O salads, the joy of cooking without a recipe, pantry pasta, grandmother magic, chickens, ducks, desert heat, and the lost desserts of American food history.

Bennett also shares a sneak peek into his upcoming cookbook, which is currently in the works and set to be published in February 2028.

It is an episode about brave eating, food nostalgia, and the way even the strangest dishes can tell very human stories.

Companion recipe: https://jennseaslysfoodlore.com/recipes/bennett-rea-inspired-pantry-pasta/

You can follow Bennett Rea and Cookin’ with Congress here: Website: https://www.cookinwithcongress.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cookinwithcongress/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cookinwithcongress Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Cookin-with-Congress-61579148872513/