The Library Vault

Washington: A Life
By Ron Chernow

By the time you are reading this a new president will be elected. I am not going to be political, but in leu of this election season, I would like to bring it back to our first elected president, George Washington. Let’s square away some things first; many people have come to know George Washington more as a myth than a man. George did not cut down a cherry tree or have wooden teeth. I am not so sure about the cherry tree, but it is a fact that Washington did indeed have terrible teeth. By the time he took office as President he only had one of his own teeth left. I think the wooden part just added to legend rather than the actual person. Ron Chernow’s biography of Washington will debunk the myth, the man, the legend of George Washington. 

Ron Chernow’s biography Washington: A Life is an extremely well-researched portrait of Washington’s life. Chernow takes a scholarly approach and is factual with a sense of reality being presented. Many of you know Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton, which the celebrated Broadway play Hamilton is based on. Please push that all aside and focus on Washington. It is important to go into the biography with an open mind.

Chernow does not defame Washington’s name, but he defies the lesson we have been taught that he could do no wrong. Washington was a human like all of us and is not perfect. He is a real character that is loved and revered. Many try and wipe away the blemishes, but all those flaws that he held, enhanced his greatness. Chernow’s biography is a story of triumph and what George needed to overcome to become George Washington. 

Washington was seen as a poised figure of great self control. This is true. Washington was a perfectionist, a hard boss, and demanding. Washington also loved dancing, horseback riding, and women. Washington was a well rounded figure that was methodical and had considerable judgement. Washington made the right decision when offered in abundance. His silence was golden and a reactive genius. His rather complex character developed in the prose of Chernow’s developed vision of Washington.

Chernow depicts Washington as a self-made man. A broken home, a troubled relationship with his mother and the men in his family dying at a young age has created a page-turning journey. From his troubled youth, the book delves deep into Washington’s role on the French and Indian War. He spent time first as a surveyor, then eventually led the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War. After that, he led the creation of the Constitution and the government of America in the Early Republic. The impact and role that Washington played throughout the formation of the United States has few comparisons. The people then placed him on a pedestal when he only wanted to return to his estate at Mount Vernon. The pull into political life and desire that could not be subsumed.

Ron Chernow’s biography is a definite must read. It is a little extensive, being over eight hundred pages; however, with a resume of Washington’s caliber it has to be. Now to pair a wine with Washington, well that is the question.

Washington was not that much of a drinker. At a time when most colonist were consuming copious amounts of alcohol, he was sipping madeira. Madeira is a Portuguese fortified wine. I did not choose a madeira for this pairing. It would have aligned perfectly with Washington’s character and something he has consumed at the time. The reason for an alternative pairing is because I do not care too much for madeira. I wanted to step away from wine. Spice it up a little bit. That spice is a cider. 

New England notably consumed much hard cider. John Adams would drink it every morning. It was his daily ‘cup of coffee.’ People consumed a substantial amount of alcohol, which baffled Washington. He issued strict orders to keep it out of the Continental Army. This cider is low in alcohol but holds a perfectly bubbly sweetness. Apologies, this cider is not from America. It originates from Normandy, France. It is not your typical apple cider, it is a pear cider, known as perry – Cidrerie du Vulcain‘s Poire Comment.

Poire Comment is made from late season pear varieties from the end of October through December. This artful cider has golden hue with a touch of verdant that is aromatic and grounded. The process and fermentation of this pear juice is comparable to a farmstead from colonial America. Jacques Perita is a legendary cider maker and he practices organic farming. His real estate in Normandy sits right in perry country with rolling hills of sheep, cows and chickens – a farmer’s dream.

Perita uses indigenous yeasts and performs a second ancestral fermentation. This might not be exactly true to the production of a traditional cider facility, but one can’t argue with delicious results. Cidrerie du Vulcain’s is a well rounded cider that is perfect for Chernow’s biography of Washington. It is a complex cider like Washington’s character: poised, performative, and with a dash of entertainment through its elegant effervescence. It is a light, low alcohol pear cider that will keep you level-headed as you read Chernow’s immaculate depiction of our first president, George Washington.