TLS as president signed “D. E.,” two pages, 7 x 10.5, White House letterhead, May 6, 1958. Letter to Barry T. Leithead, in part: "I have delayed giving you my personal opinion about the excellence of the steaks you sent from Chicago, primarily because I wanted at the same time to answer a question you posed, 'How do you cook good meat, especially this particular type of steak, to avoid ruining it?'In my opinion the first requirement is a meat thermometer and the second is the avoidance of 'excessive' heat. The adjective excessive is a variable one. For some cuts under particular conditions a very considerable heat is quite satisfactory, but by and large most people use too much.As a general rule, the thicker the steak, the greater the distance it should be from the broiler. In the present instance I had them bring the rack in the oven down to the point where the top surface of the steak was at least 7 inches below the broiler (I personally think it could have been 8 inches without hurting it). The broiler was turned on full, and the temperature of the oven itself should not show anything over 300 degrees.The thermometer should be inserted into the steak from the heavy end, with the point of the thermometer reaching as near to the middle of the steak as you can gauge.The exact temperature of the interior of the steak at the time of its removal from the oven is a matter for the individual taste. One hundred and forty degrees is normally stated as rare. I personally take off steaks or roasts as the pointer is passing the 130 mark.As usual, when you take a steak off, salt and pepper it—but I do not think with steaks of this excellence you need to put any butter over them.Under separate cover I am sending you a meat thermometer. While it is not exactly the same type as I have normally used, the instructions on the box and in the little booklet give you a perfectly good method of testing its accuracy.I trust this all works for you, because I assure you that Mamie and I had the best steaks the other evening that I can remember." Eisenhower underlines the ten words in the letter. In fine condition.Format: TLS