mccullough: this is the place where george washington and john adams first met. this was the hangout, and it was loud, it was lively. well, i would like to start with mr.ngton's beer. and say, "here's to our founding father." >> safer: the beer is from washington's own recipe. and you wonder, looking at the examples of colonial cooking from chef walter staib's kitchen, how the founding fathers ever got up from the table-- fried oysters, beef pie, mushroom toast... >> walter staib: thomas jefferson served it often. >> safer: ...washington's west indies pepper pot soup, supposedly fed to the troops at valley forge. fried tofu, first introduced here by that early hippie, ben franklin. >> mccullough: whoa! >> safer: mccullough's favorite, homemade sausage and sauerkraut. i think i've hit my limit here. and finally, martha washington's orange cake. >> mccullough: you understand those other times by being in the buildings, walking the streets, hearing the music, and eating the food. >> safer: it's a walk of just a few short blocks from the city tavern to the most revered site in philadelphia, the old pennsylvania colonial statehouse, independence hall, where