23 Mac And Cheese Facts Why It's One Of The Yummy Comfort Foods
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Everyone loves a delicious macaroni cheese, starting from students and children to the working population and old people too!
Traditionally mac and cheese is a casserole that is put in the oven to bake. But this is not the only way as saucepans put on a stove are also used to make traditional macaroni and cheese.
Food and memories go in tandem, and we are sure you agree with us. The rich flavors, those memorable laughs, and the sense of contentment after licking the last drop of your sauce all take us back to childhood, and we are sure most of these memories would be associated with cheese recipes.
National mac and cheese day celebrates this very spirit.
Mac and cheese is the American way of telling macaroni and cheese, whereas in the Caribbean, this dish macaroni pie. People from the United Kingdom simply call it macaroni cheese, but in all the places, the basics remain the same, which is cheese sauce and cooked macaroni pasta.
Other ingredients like vegetables, meat, and breadcrumbs are also added. It is no wonder; therefore, mac and cheese is the comfort food for many people.
This dish has the goodness of cheese, creaminess of milk and cheese, and flavors of well-cooked macaroni noodles. With such an impressive lineup of ingredients, mac and cheese hold the spot of never letting down your taste buds! In fact, this dish has been the debut kitchen dish for several novices.
If you want to see more yummy facts on this cheesy dish, continue reading this article!
History of Mac And Cheese
The history of this delicious delicacy goes back to several centuries. Let's have a quick overview of some of the historical facts about mac and cheese.
The recipe for mac and cheese has been found in an Italian cookbook that dates back to the late 13th century!
James Hemings is accredited with introducing macaroni and cheese, ice cream, whipped cream, and french fries to America for the first time. Unfortunately, James Hemings did not live much to taste these delicacies as he died at the young age of 36. However, the recipe of this dish appeared for the first time in 1770 in an English cookbook.
Thomas Jefferson had served in 1802 a macaroni pie at an esteemed state dinner which was the recipe given by James Hemings. In American history, the mac and cheese recipe was also inspired by macaroni in Paris. Jefferson also included pasta and wrote detailed notes about the meal to include it as a side dish in top-notch restaurants.
During the 2010s, mac and cheese became a huge hit.
This pasta was, at times, also referred to as macaroni. Thomas Jefferson purchased a pasta machine and even ordered pasta all the way from Europe! Jefferson loved all kinds of pasta, but his favorite kind was deemed to be mac and cheese.
The reason this dish was popular was because of its economical cost which came into use during the end of the Great Depression.
Elizabeth Raffald's 'The Experienced English Housekeeper' book in 1770 included the first modern recipe for mac and cheese. The book included the recipe with cheddar cheese and Béchamel sauce.
The Béchamel sauce is a kind of Mornay sauce that's used in French cooking. This sauce is often sprinkled with Parmesan, mixed with macaroni, and baked until golden and bubble. In 1784 there was another recipe where small tubes of macaroni were boiled, sifted, and drained before cooking them in a frying pan.
Regional Variations
Although simple to look at and cook, mac and cheese has had many variations from region to region. For instance, instead of the usual macaroni, noodles are used instead of penne pasta.
Some people do it with decorative cut pasta that has pockets and folds to hold the cheese. White shells and cheese are used too. Let's see more variations of this dish below.
Some people make the mac and cheese with milk, noodles, seasoning, and cheese in just a mug to make an easy-to-eat, ready-made macaroni and cheese.
In some regions, if the availability of milk is a problem, then powdered cheese in the paper pouch is used to make the dish more creamy and thick. The cheese sauce is also added on top to make the dish more delicious.
Frozen mac and cheese is also a specialty in several places. Packaged macaroni and cheese are kept available in frozen form to make the overall preparation for the recipe quick. Kraft macaroni, Boston Market, and Stouffer's are some of the brands that offer frozen macaroni.
Some regions sell macaroni and cheese loaf too.
Some places have boxed mac and cheese that have uncooked pasta and powdered ingredients or a liquid cheese sauce to prepare it. This is, again, a quick fix to make mac and cheese on the go!
National Mac and Cheese Day
The Canadian region considers mac and cheese as their national dish! Here are a few delicious facts about their favorite dish and what makes it so special to dedicate a National day to itself.
On this day, the tall blue box is recognized to be symbolic of the childhood happiness of receiving good meals.
As a matter of fact, this little blue box is more famous in Canada than anywhere else in the world, which is why it is also regarded as Canada's unofficial national dish.
Kraft dinner is another famously packaged macaroni and cheese which is found on national mac and cheese day.
Kraft dinner is Canada's national dish, as written by Sasha Chapman in the Walrus.
On this day, Mary Randolph is also remembered fondly as she invented the dish with Parmesan cheese. Her dish was later modified to use cheddar cheese.
Adding bread crumbs generously to baked macaroni is one of the best ways to celebrate this day to get a creamy texture on your mac and cheese.
Mac and Cheese Records
Food is that aspect of everyone's lives that connects unknown and diverse cultures. Among the foods that are known, mac and cheese is probably the most loved food globally as it is easy to make, economic, fulfilling, and most importantly, irresistible!
With several varieties of this dish coming up, such as deep-fried macaroni, and Kraft macaroni, there has also been an advent of several mac and cheese records! Oh yes, read below to find some cheesy and shocking mac and cheese facts.
Did you know that the largest mac and cheese to have been made weighed 2469 lb (1119.91 kg)! This was made by Hef John Folse & Company and Cabot Creamery Cooperative in New Orleans's Fulton Square in Louisiana, the USA, on September 23rd, 2010.
A record was set by Joseph B, who ate an entire box of Kraft Macaroni and cheese in just 30.5 seconds! Can you believe it!
The largest bowl of mac and cheese was made in a 215-year-old sugar kettle by a Louisiana chef named John Folse.
One of Kraft Foods' boxes in 1937 sold eight million boxes of mac and cheese! The reason being 1937 was a year amidst World War I, and this simple meal was easy to make and highly economical considering the wartimes.
Canadians are known to consume 1.7 million boxes of Kraft dinner stuff a week!
FAQs
Q: Why is mac and cheese so famous?
A: Due to its economical and convenient packaging, mac and cheese has become popular and is called the ideal American food.
Q: How did mac and cheese get its name?
A: The origin for its name is traced down to the New England Church supper and to Southeastern Connecticut's macaroni pudding.
Q: When and where was mac and cheese invented?
A: The exact origins are not known, but Northern Europe is said to be the first place where records of mac and cheese recipes are found.
Q: What country eats the most mac and cheese?
A: Canadians are very fond of mac and cheese.
Q: What was the original mac and cheese?
A: The first recipe for mac and cheese was recorded in the book 'The Experienced English Housekeeper'.
Q: Who invented macaroni and cheese?
A: Thomas Jefferson is credited for the invention of macaroni and cheese.
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