Andrew Jackson received a 1,400-pound block of cheddar cheese as a gift and left it aging in the White House foyer for nearly two years.

A closer look

Andrew Jackson received a 1,400-pound block of cheddar cheese as a gift and left it aging in the White House foyer for nearly two years. The dairy behemoth was presented to him by a wealthy New York farmer who apparently thought a giant wheel of decaying milk was the ultimate symbol of patriotism. As the cheese sat there fermenting, it infused the executive mansion with a pungent, nauseating odor that could be smelled from blocks away. When Jackson finally left office in 1837, he hosted a massive public reception where he invited the citizens of Washington to come and literally eat the problem. A ravenous mob of thousands descended upon the White House, devouring the two-ton cheddar block in under two hours while simultaneously trampling the carpets and smearing grease on the walls. It is incredibly comforting to know that political affairs have always involved poorly planned PR stunts and an overwhelming stench of bad decisions!