For the entrée, I prepared another Warren contribution: the crab omelet with tomato mayonnaise dressing. Where exactly the Cherokee would have sourced either cognac or Worcestershire sauce — both key parts of the dressing — and at what point in their 6,000-plus-year history they elected to develop a line in mayonnaise remain unanswered questions. Still, French television chef and immigrant to the United States Pierre Franey, who originally wrote the recipe for the New York Times in the late 1970s, would likely not have run into much trouble on either count. Franey developed the omelet at Le Pavillon, a high-end French restaurant in New York City, and its fans included the likes of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and Cole Porter. It appears that Elizabeth Warren simply copied the recipe word for word and substituted in her name.

Whatever its provenance, the dish was rather tasty. The recipe undoubtedly works best with the cold omelet. On its own, the crab dressing is a touch salty, and so the chili sauce is an inspired counterpoint, adding a little kick at the end of each mouthful and keeping the whole thing in balance. Make sure, however, not to overdo the chili, as this may well make your eyes water. (A ratio of 1:32 might be good, to be increased only if you and your guests feel that you can get away with it.)