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Macaroni and cheese (colloquially known as mac and cheese and known as macaroni cheese in the United Kingdom) is a pasta dish of macaroni covered in cheese sauce, most commonly cheddar sauce. Its origins trace back to cheese and pasta casseroles in
medieval England England in the Middle Ages concerns the history of England during the Middle Ages, medieval period, from the end of the 5th century through to the start of the Early modern Britain, early modern period in 1485. When England emerged from the co ...
. The traditional macaroni and cheese is put in a casserole dish and baked in the oven; however, it may be prepared in a sauce pan on top of the stove, sometimes using a packaged mix such as became popular in the mid-20th century. The cheese is often included as a Mornay sauce added to the pasta. It has been described as "
comfort food Comfort food is food that provides a nostalgic or sentimental value to someone and may be characterized by its high caloric nature associated with childhood or home cooking. The nostalgia may be specific to an individual or it may apply to a ...
".


History

A recipe for macaroni and cheese was included in Elizabeth Raffald's 1769 book, '' The Experienced English Housekeeper''. Raffald's recipe is for a
Béchamel sauce Béchamel sauce or Biratta cream (, ) is one of the mother sauces of French cuisine, made from a white roux (butter and flour) and milk, seasoned with ground nutmeg. Origin The first recipe of a sauce similar to béchamel is in the book by ...
with
cheddar cheese Cheddar cheese (or simply cheddar) is a natural cheese that is relatively hard, off-white (or orange if colourings such as annatto are added), and sometimes sharp-tasting. It originates from the English village of Cheddar, Somerset, Cheddar in ...
—a Mornay sauce in French cooking—which is mixed with macaroni, sprinkled with
Parmesan Parmesan (, ) is an Italian cuisine, Italian Types of cheese#Hard cheese, hard, Types of cheese#Granular, granular cheese produced from Dairy cattle, cow's milk and aged at least 12 months. It is a Grana (cheese), grana-type cheese, along wit ...
, and baked until bubbly and golden.
Eliza Acton Eliza Acton (17 April 1799 â€“ 13 February 1859) was an English food writer and poet who produced one of Britain's first cookery books aimed at the domestic reader, '' Modern Cookery for Private Families''. The book introduced the now-un ...
's 1845 '' Modern Cookery in All Its Branches'' has a recipe "Macaroni a la Reine", which directs the cook to "dissolve gently ten ounces of any rich, well-flavoured white cheese in full three quarters of a pint of good cream" with salt, Cayenne pepper, mace, and butter. The 1861 edition of '' Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management'' included two instances of "Macaroni, as usually served with the Cheese Course". In the United Kingdom in the 21st century, the dish has risen in popularity, becoming widespread as a meal and as a side order in both fast food and upmarket restaurants.


United States

One theory is that James Hemings brought the recipe to the United States, prompted by
Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (, 1743July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the United States Declaration of Indepe ...
who was interested in extruded pasta. In 1802, Jefferson served "a pie called macaroni" at a state dinner. The menu of the dinner was reported by Reverend Manasseh Cutler, who apparently was not fond of the cheesy macaroni casserole. A recipe called "macaroni and cheese" appeared in the 1824 cookbook '' The Virginia House-Wife'' written by Mary Randolph. Randolph's recipe had three ingredients: macaroni, cheese, and butter, layered together and baked in a hot oven. The cookbook was the most influential cookbook of the 19th century, according to culinary historian Karen Hess. Similar recipes for macaroni and cheese occur in the 1852 ''Hand-book of Useful Arts'', and the 1861 ''
Godey's Lady's Book ''Godey's Lady's Book'', alternatively known as ''Godey's Magazine and Lady's Book'', was an American women's magazine that was published in Philadelphia from 1830 to 1896. It was the most widely circulated magazine in the period before the Civi ...
''. By the mid-1880s, cookbooks as far west as
Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
and Festus, Missouri, included recipes for macaroni and cheese casseroles. Factory production of the main ingredients made the dish affordable, and recipes made it accessible, but not notably popular. As it became accessible to a broader section of society, macaroni and cheese lost its upper-class appeal.


Canada

Macaroni and cheese was brought to Canada by British immigrants, coming from other parts of the
British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...
. Macaroni and cheese recipes have been attested in Canada since at least ''Modern Practical Cookery'' in 1845, which suggests a
puff pastry Puff pastry, also known as , is a light, flaky pastry, its base dough () composed of wheat flour and water. Butter or other solid fat () is then layered into the dough. The dough is repeatedly rolled and folded, rested, re-rolled and folded, encas ...
lining (suggesting upper-class refinement); a sauce of cream, egg yolks, mace, and mustard; and grated Parmesan or
Cheshire cheese Cheshire cheese is a dense and crumbly cheese produced in the English county of Cheshire, and four neighbouring counties: Denbighshire and Flintshire in Wales, and Shropshire and Staffordshire in England. History Cheshire cheese is one of t ...
on top. Canadian Cheddar cheese was also becoming popularized at this time and was likely also used during that era. Macaroni and cheese is very popular in contemporary Canada.
Kraft Dinner Kraft Dinner (marketed as KD in Canada; Kraft Mac & Cheese in the United States, Australia and New Zealand; and Mac and Cheese in the United Kingdom and internationally) is a nonperishable packaged macaroni and cheese mix. It is made by Kraf ...
is the most popular brand of packaged macaroni and cheese. Sasha Chapman, writing in ''
The Walrus ''The Walrus'' is an independent, nonprofit Canadian media organization. It is multi-platform and produces an eight-issue-per-year magazine and online editorial content that includes current affairs, fiction, poetry, and podcasts, a nation ...
'', considered it to be Canada's national dish, ahead of
poutine Poutine () is a dish of french fries and cheese curds topped with a hot brown gravy. It emerged in Quebec in the late 1950s in the Centre-du-Québec region, though its exact origins are uncertain, and there are several competing claims regar ...
. In fact, Canadians purchase nearly 25% of the 7 million boxes of Kraft Dinner sold worldwide each week.


Variations

While
cheddar cheese Cheddar cheese (or simply cheddar) is a natural cheese that is relatively hard, off-white (or orange if colourings such as annatto are added), and sometimes sharp-tasting. It originates from the English village of Cheddar, Somerset, Cheddar in ...
is most commonly used for macaroni and cheese, other cheeses may also be used — usually sharp in flavour — and two or more cheeses can be combined. Other cheeses can be used such as Gruyère, Gouda, Havarti, and Jarlsberg cheese. Macaroni and cheese can be made by simply layering slices of cheese and pasta (often with butter or evaporated milk) then baking in a casserole, rather than preparing as a cheese sauce. One novelty presentation is deep-fried macaroni and cheese found at fairs and
food cart A food cart is a mobile kitchen set up on the street to prepare and sell street food to passers-by. Food carts are often found in cities worldwide selling food of every kind. Food carts come in two basic styles. One allows the vendor to sit ...
s.


Regional variations and analogues

In Scotland, macaroni and cheese can often be found in pies, known as a macaroni pie. In 1731, the monastery of
Disentis Mustér (, Romansh) or Disentis (German), with its official name Disentis/Mustér is a village and a municipality in the Surselva Region in the Swiss canton of Grisons. The skiing and summer tourism resort high up in the Rhine valley is the si ...
in
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
purchased a macaroni machine. Monasteries in the country were also known for cheesemaking. Though it is unknown when exactly it was invented, around the 19th century, the traditional dish in Switzerland called '' Älplermagronen'' (Alpine herder's macaroni) became popular. ''Älplermagronen'' are made of macaroni, cream, cheese, roasted onions, and in some recipes, potatoes. In the
Canton of Uri The canton of Uri ( ; ; ; ) is one of the cantons of switzerland, 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territory covers the valley of the Reuss ...
, the potatoes are traditionally omitted, and in some regions, bacon or ham is added. The cheese is often
Emmental cheese Emmental, Emmentaler, or Emmenthal is a yellow, medium-hard cheese that originated in the Emme Valley in Switzerland. It is classified as a Swiss-type cheese. History Emmental cheese originates from the Emme Valley in Switzerland. It has a ...
or Appenzeller cheese. It is usually accompanied by apple sauce.


Prepared and packaged mixes

The earliest known iteration of boxed macaroni and cheese came from a salesman in
St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...
,
Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
named Grant Leslie. Leslie used rubber bands to attach
processed cheese Processed cheese (also known as process cheese; related terms include cheese food, prepared cheese, cheese product, and/or government cheese) is a product made from cheese mixed with an emulsifying agent (actually a calcium chelator). Additiona ...
produced by
Kraft Foods Kraft Foods Group, Inc. was an American food manufacturing and processing conglomerate (company), conglomerate, split from Kraft Foods Inc. on October 1, 2012, and was headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It became part of Kraft Heinz on July ...
to boxes of pasta in an attempt to increase pasta sales. Kraft hired Leslie and began to produce Kraft Macaroni & Cheese (known as
Kraft Dinner Kraft Dinner (marketed as KD in Canada; Kraft Mac & Cheese in the United States, Australia and New Zealand; and Mac and Cheese in the United Kingdom and internationally) is a nonperishable packaged macaroni and cheese mix. It is made by Kraf ...
or KD in
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
) in 1937 with the slogan "make a meal for four in nine minutes". It was an immediate success in the US and Canada amidst the economic hardships of the Depression. During the Second World War, rationing led to increased popularity for the product, of which two boxes could be obtained for one food rationing stamp, or one box for 19 cents.
Packaged Packaging is the science, art and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of designing, evaluating, and producing packages. Packaging can be described as a coo ...
macaroni and cheese are now available in frozen form or as boxed ingredients for simplified preparation. Boston Market, Michelina's,
Kraft Foods Kraft Foods Group, Inc. was an American food manufacturing and processing conglomerate (company), conglomerate, split from Kraft Foods Inc. on October 1, 2012, and was headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It became part of Kraft Heinz on July ...
, Cracker Barrel, and Stouffer's are some of the more recognizable brands of prepared and frozen macaroni and cheese available in the United States. Macaroni and Cheese is also available canned and in microwavable containers. "Macaroni and cheese loaf", a
deli meat Lunch meats—also known as cold cuts, luncheon meats, cooked meats, sliced meats, cold meats, sandwich meats, delicatessens, and deli meats—are precooked or cured meats that are sliced and served cold or hot. They are typically served in ...
which contains both macaroni and processed cheese bits, can be found in some stores. A variety of packaged mixes that are prepared in a sauce pan on the stove or in a
microwave oven A microwave oven, or simply microwave, is an electric oven that heats and cooks food by exposing it to electromagnetic radiation in the microwave frequency range. This induces Dipole#Molecular dipoles, polar molecules in the food to rotate and ...
are available. Some different products on the market use this basic formulation with minor variations in ingredients. Although high in carbohydrates, calories, fat, and salt, macaroni and cheese is a source of protein and certain variations of the dish can decrease the negative health aspects.


See also

*
Carbonara Carbonara () is a pasta dish made with Adipose tissue, fatty Curing (food preservation), cured pork, Types of cheese#Hard cheese, hard cheese, Eggs as food, eggs, salt, and black pepper. It is typical of the Lazio region of Italy. The dish took ...
* Chili mac * Käsespätzle *
List of casserole dishes This is a list of notable casserole dishes. A casserole, probably from the archaic French word ''casse'' meaning a small saucepan, is a large, deep dish used both in the oven and as a serving vessel. The word is also used for the food cooked and ...
*
List of cheese dishes This is a list of notable cheese dishes in which cheese is used as a primary ingredient or as a significant component of a dish or a food. Cheese is a food derived from milk that is produced in a wide range of flavors, textures, and forms by coa ...
*
Macaroni casserole Macaroni casserole is a Dish (food), dish of baked pasta. It is especially known as a staple in northern European home cooking. It is a dish of cooked macaroni and a mixture of Egg (food), egg and milk with additional ingredients like meats, vege ...
* Macaroni pie *
Macaroni salad Macaroni salad is a type of pasta salad also referred to as "mac salad", served cold, made with cooked elbow macaroni and usually prepared with mayonnaise. Much like potato salad or coleslaw in its use, it is often served as a side dish to barbec ...


References


Further reading

*


External links


A brief history of mac and cheese
commentary on
National Public Radio National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...
* Steingarten, Jeffrey (1997). ''The Man Who Ate Everything''. New York: Vintage. . The chapter, "Back of the Box", was first published in 1992. :) {{DEFAULTSORT:Macaroni And Cheese English cuisine Scottish cuisine American cuisine Canadian cuisine Haitian cuisine Bahamian cuisine Macaroni dishes Casserole dishes Convenience foods National dishes American pasta dishes Milk dishes Foods featuring butter Food combinations Thanksgiving food Cheese dishes Creamy dishes