In 1937 Kraft introduced its macaroni & cheese dinner and sold more than 8 million packages often billed as “the housewives best friend, a nourishing one-pot meal.” In the late 1930s this dish, comprised of elbow macaroni and powered cheese, was a fast and inexpensive way to feed a family in the aftermath of the Depression.
People across the United States are making dinner at home and taking brown-bag lunches to work and school to economize during the recession. Kraft once again has seized the opportunity to promote its product as a near savior for the economically challenged households. Current television ads highlight the fact that one box can feed a family of four for less than $1.00.
Mac & Cheese Today
Today, a contemporary and jazzed up version is out-of-the-box and gracing the tables at fine dining and casual restaurants across the United States. Not to mention home cooks putting their twist on Mac and Cheese. Ingredients vary along with serving styles and prices. What does not waiver is the diner’s response to this upgraded comfort food – calories and cholesterol aside, bring on the Mac and Cheese.
When asked about the Macaroni & Cheese trend, Iri Greco food stylist and owner of Panforte Productions in Brooklyn says, “What we, in the food community, are seeing more of now is a harkening back to the origins of dishes that have become mere shells of the substance they once had. People are cooking and educating themselves more making better food selections and decisions about what they eat.”
History of Mac & Cheese
Reference sources such as Wikipedia and an intensive Google search and Epicurious debate the origins of Mac and Cheese. Some date it back to the Romans and Greeks and others to 14th century Italy after Marco Polo’s trip to the Orient. While not known for culinary expertise, the British are also credited with bringing basic cockle warming dishes to the colonies, among them Macaroni & Cheese. As folklore has it, this dish became popular after being served at Thomas Jefferson’s White House in 1802.
Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board
The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board has an Ambassador Program and Executive Chef Andrea Curto Randazzo of Miami Beach’s Talula Restaurant has participated for several years as a Wisconsin Cheese Chef Ambassador. The chef is featured in national advertising with her Mac & Cheese dish and recipe. While Chef Curto-Randazzo has a Miami Mac ‘n Cheese, it is her Calabasa, Mushroom & Sausage Risotto made with Wisconsin Asiago Cheese that tempts and pleases the palate.
According to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, “Prior to 1850, nearly all the cheese produced in the United States was Cheddar. Cheddar production in Wisconsin began in the mid 1800's and by 1880 more Cheddar was produced in Wisconsin than any other cheese variety. Today it accounts for a large percentage of the cheese made in the state, which makes Wisconsin the leader in U.S. Cheddar production.” Reviewing supermarket shelves the finding is that most prepared brands use Cheddar in their Mac & Cheese products. The use of gourmet cheese among restaurants is what takes this dish from ordinary to extraordinary.
Worried about the Calories
Professional Chef Hugo Maucher and his wife Aileen recently published The Inner Peace Diet (Penguin). The book includes a healthy Mac & Cheese recipe that the duo had created at their restaurant, Hugo’s Inn. “We love to share our expertise that blends healthy eating with stress management and tips on saving money relating to food,” says Aileen. Complementing the culinary skills of her husband, Aileen is a psychotherapist, registered nurse and “nationally recognized mental health expert.”
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