An American classic.
Macaroni and Cheese is largely thought of as a modern dish, thanks to the “Kraft Dinner,” introduced in 1937 and used as rations during WWII. But good ‘ol Mac n’ Cheese has a much longer history. In fact, I’ve already cooked up two different versions of this classic dish on this blog: a simple, 19th century version I ate during the Tenement Diet, and a more decadent recipe using neufchatel cheese during the Kellogg Diet.
Macaroni was possibly invented by the Romans, and was served with cheese sometime in the Medieval era (source). The first documented occasion on which Macaroni and Cheese was served in America was at the White House in 1802, during Jefferson’s presidency. A guest at one of Jefferson’s dinner parties recounts his first experience with the dish (source):
“…A pie called macaroni, which appeared to be a rich crust filled with onions or shallots, which I took it to be, tasted very strong, and not very agreeable. Mr. Lewis told me there was none in it; it was an Italian dish, and what appeared like onions were made of flour and butter, with particularly strong liquor mixed in them.”
The earliest known American recipe for macaroni and cheese appears in The Virginia Housewife, first published in 1824. This is the recipe that we shall attempt today.
It seemed decadent to boil the macaroni in milk, but I gave it a whirl to stay true to the recipe. While the pasta was cooking, it smelled sweet like a rice pudding; however, upon tasting it, I could discern no noticeable difference. I think that this step could be left out, if you desire.
I used a Queso Blanco, an un-anged, simply made Mexican cheese. I choose it for it’s similarity to farmer’s cheese, and other fresh cheeses used in the 19th c.
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Macaroni and Cheese
from The Virginia Housewife: or, Methodical Cook By Mary Randolph, 1838 ed.
1/2 lb macaroni
1 quart whole milk
12 oz sliced farmer’s cheese, queso blanco, or queso fresco
1 stick unsalted butter
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring one quart milk and an equal amount of water to a rolling boil. Add macaroni and cook, uncovered, until al dente, about 6 1/2 minutes.
2. Drain in a colander. While still in the colander, sprinkle pasta with about a 1/2 tsp salt, shake to combine, then sprinkle with about 1/2 tsp more (or to taste).
3. Our about 1/3 of the pasta into a casserole or baking dish. Cover with 1/3 of the cheese and butter. Repeat, ending with a layer of cheese and butter on top.
4. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
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My roommate and I took two bites and then made frowny faces at each other. I don’t think this is the best incarnation of Mac and Cheese. It tasted like buttery noodles. And then…something was OFF with the cheese I bought. It had an odd bitter/fishy taste. I don’t know if was the brand of cheese, or if the cheese was bad. But I would take Kraft over this any day.