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Everybody wants a bite of Barack Obama's favourite peach cobbler. Or his Chicago deep-dish pizza. Or his chili.

Since hitting the campaign trail, the president-elect - who will get his first true taste of victory at Tuesday's inauguration - has had the Midas touch with any restaurant he has entered or morsel of food he's slipped into his mouth.

And as his inauguration draws close, the competition to be one of Mr. Obama's foodie faves has only intensified.

Restaurants and food companies are hopping on the Obama hype wagon even if he hasn't entered their doors or lauded their products.

This month, Ben & Jerry's renamed its pints of butter pecan ice cream to the more timely "Yes Pecan," donating funds to an educational organization. A company called West Wing Waffles created its own waffle mix with a caricature of Mr. Obama's grinning face on the box.

A 2001 video of Mr. Obama moonlighting as a food critic on the local Chicago television show Check, Please has recently surfaced, launching the peach cobbler he swooned over - and the Dixie Kitchen & Bait Shop, a diner in his hometown - to almost instant fame.

But Mr. Obama - however svelte - has a way of making food about community and connection, foodie watchers say.

"One thing everyone cares about is: 'What does the president eat?' " says Ruth Reichl, editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine.

"Food has always been part of politics - eating hot dogs in one place and tacos in another. Food is a very emotional and approachable topic."

Mr. Obama appears to connect with the masses by sharing his gastronomic tendencies, says Betty Fussell, a New York-based food historian. He has meetings while dining, and the world has seen a few televised breakfast campaign stops during which he revealed his affection for waffles.

"A lot of our personal identity is wrapped up in food, and everybody knows that instinctively," she says. "[Mr. Obama] seems to be endorsing real food. We won't see him plowing into a dozen doughnuts," she says, or, God forbid, wolfing down McDonald's fare à la Bill Clinton.

Still, as everybody clamours for a piece of the action, sussing out Mr. Obama's very favourite dish has been no piece of cake.

Early last year, when the Obamas said pizza from Italian Fiesta Pizzeria in Chicago was their favourite, co-owner Patti Harris-Tubbs says people called her up to say, "I'll have whatever Obama likes." But Ms. Harris-Tubbs isn't sure which pie that is.

"Our most popular is cheese and sausage," she tells them. "I guess I would have to go with that."

Eddie Gehman Kohan, the Los Angeles freelance writer behind the Obama Foodorama blog, says she doesn't know, either.

She points to a New York Times interview with Reggie Love, Mr. Obama's right-hand man, who was quoted as saying the boss's favourite foods are Dentyne Ice, Nicorette, pistachios and MET-Rx chocolate-roasted peanut protein bars.

"Part of the fascination with food is trying to pinpoint who is he? How can we define him, how can we understand him?" Ms. Gehman Kohan says.

Grub like pizza and chili, which Mr. Obama has said is the only recipe he can make from memory, are very Americanized and help him connect with all constituents, she says.

Ms. Gehman Kohan thinks Mr. Obama is being wise to keep mum - or at least fairly quiet - about what he doesn't like. That was a well-known misstep the Bush father and son made when they grimaced over broccoli and upset farmers.

But on inauguration day, foodies hoping to dine Obama-style can be glad there's choice, even if a definite favourite can't be nailed down.

Ms. Gehman Kohan recommends preparing fish - preferably "a sustainably fished whitefish like halibut from the Northern Pacific." Or try whipping up a Hawaiian-style "plate lunch" of "proteins prepared in a semi-Asian way" with macaroni salad and two scoops of sticky rice on the side.

Whatever you eat, be sure to add a little extra seasoning to your plate, says Jen Fite, publicist for Topolobampo, the Chicago Mexican restaurant where Mr. Obama has dined twice since last November's election. A change in your normal choice of ingredients can also be appropriately symbolic.

"If you're going to make chili, try combining ingredients and experiment with toppings," she said, suggesting a combo of pork and beef with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkles of red onion, cilantro and shredded cheese. She also suggests sautéing a pan of chipotle shrimp and shaking up individual margaritas. The Obamas are also huge guacamole fans, Ms. Fite says.

Though the debate continues to swirl over what truly tickles Mr. Obama's palate, Ms. Gehman Kohan is sure of one thing: Obama likes his hot sauce.

"He puts it on everything, he carries a bottle with him," she says. "He's shown he can handle the heat. At least so far."