As Thanksgiving gets closer, my coworkers and I, here at the paper, are discussing which sides to make for the holiday. One that is always mentioned is a favorite dish found on menus and potluck tables all over America, mac & cheese.
The origin of macaroni and cheese is unknown for certain, according to Smithsonian.com. The origin is believed to be most likely from Europe, more specifically Italy. There are macaroni and cheese recipes from that region that date back to as early as the thirteenth century. One of the earliest recipes recorded included “macaroni,” which was lasagna sheets made from fermented dough cooked in water and tossed with grated cheese.
The first so-called modern recipe for a pasta and cheese dish was written in Elizabeth Raffald’s 1769 book The Experienced English Housekeeper. Raffald’s recipe calls for a bechamel sauce which is mixed with macaroni, sprinkled with parmesan and baked until bubbly and golden.
This was a favorite dish of Thomas Jefferson, who first ate macaroni and cheese during a diplomatic stint in France & Italy in the late 1780s. James Hemmings, the enslaved cook of Jefferson, went with him to France and was taught by French chefs the best of French cooking. James was 19 when he sailed with Jefferson from Boston to Paris. James learned quickly and became chef de cuisine at the Hotel de Langeac which was Jefferson’s private residence on the Champs-Élysées. He received wages, albeit half of the previous chef, and used a portion to pay a tutor for French lessons.
French law held that any slave that stepped onto French soil would be free if they chose to legally pursue that option. Hemings and his sister, Sally, did not. Different reasons have been researched for why they chose to return to slavery, but according to NPR it’s likely that they didn’t want to remain in France separated from the rest of the family. Upon returning to Virginia, Hemings brought revolutionary changes to colonial cooking including European-style macaroni and cheese.
James Hemings was one of only two slaves to be freed by Jefferson on the condition that James would train his younger brother Robert to replace him as chef in Jefferson’s household. Sadly, James died at 36, in 1801 after being freed at 30 years old. His only material legacy was an inventory of kitchen utensils and four recipes. Hemings’ considerable influence on American food culture include the introduction of macaroni and cheese, ice cream, whipped cream, and French fries for the first time in America. Many of these dishes have been attributed to Thomas Jefferson when they were Hemings’ own creative interpretations of French haute cuisine.
In 1937, Kraft began selling the boxed version that is still popular today. It was a big deal. One box could serve four at a very affordable price in a period where the average American was still feeling the impact of the Great Depression. Then, during the food rationing of WWII, macaroni and cheese became an even more valuable food. Shoppers could get two boxes for one food stamp.
Now macaroni and cheese is a mainstay for college students alongside ramen noodles for the same reasons it was popular during the Great Depression. It is a staple in American homes in homemade and premade forms. On holidays and special events, we always see a tray of mac and cheese, and everyone lines up to get themselves a bit of it. Macaroni and cheese is the all-time comfort food. No matter how old you are, mac and cheese fills your stomach and soothes your soul. There is nothing better than a bowl of pasta and melted cheese to make a day brighter and put a smile on your face.
My favorite recipes are for crockpot mac & cheese and my mom’s recipe for baked cheese with a little macaroni. Mom’s recipe sometimes turned out like a brick of mac and cheese but was still very good. The crockpot version is great for Thanksgiving so other items can use the oven.
Lana’s Baked Mac & Cheese
8 oz macaroni cooked according to package directions
3 TBSP margarine
3 TBSP all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups milk- (1 can evaporated and fresh milk or all canned)
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 cups Monterey jack cheese shredded
2 cups sharp cheddar shredded
Make sauce:
Melt margarine in medium saucepan on medium to low heat- stir in flour- gradually stir in milk, cook stirring constantly until thickens, stir in salt and pepper. Add Monterey jack cheese and stir until it melts. Add cooked macaroni and stir to combine. Layer half of sauced macaroni in a 2 qt baking dish, top with 1 cup of cheddar cheese, rest of sauced macaroni, top with last of cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Mom always added more cheese than the recipe called for (at least 2 more cups of mixed cheese) and would double this recipe and cook it in a 9×13 pan for 45 mins or so.
CrockPot Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
3 cups UNCOOKED elbow macaroni pasta
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
1 cup Colby cheese shredded
3 tbsp butter
2 3/4 cup half & half
1 15 oz can Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese condensed soup
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika smoked or plain
Instructions
Combine the half & half with the cheddar cheese soup and mix until it’s nice and smooth. Next, sprinkle in the paprika and black pepper and mix. Pour the UNCOOKED elbow macaroni, half of the shredded cheese, and butter into the Crockpot and mix. Then, pour in all of the cheese sauce (soup and half-and-half mixture). Mix until well incorporated. Top off with the remaining shredded cheese. Put the lid on top of the slow cooker, then set the slow cooker on low. Let cook for 3 hours. Serve and enjoy!
