Macaroni and cheese is a beloved holiday classic, and has deep roots in the African American cooking tradition.
Macaroni and cheese is one of many popular holiday dishes that has ties to enslaved Black peoples who adapted their customs from West Africa and experiences in America to their cooking traditions.
Jessica B. Harris’s book High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from African to America delves into the African influences of American food. In 2021, Netflix adapted the book into a popular show called High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America. This four-part series brings the African American culinary journey to life. The show’s host, Stephen Satterfield, travels to Benin, Pennsylvania, Virginia, South Carolina, and Texas. He talks to writers, historians, chefs, restaurateurs, and cowboys about the history and influence of African American customs and adaptations on American cuisine.
The book and the Netflix show tell the story of one of America’s founding Black chefs, James Hemings. James Hemings, brother of Sally Hemings, was the enslaved head chef at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. Jefferson took Hemings with him on his trips to France, where Hemings apprenticed to chefs in Paris. Upon their return to America, Hemings brought back the techniques and recipes he learned abroad and implemented them in Jefferson’s home. His dishes became popular due to all the formal dinners Jefferson hosted.
Though very few recipes have been attributed in writing to Hemings, it’s believed that many of Martha Jefferson’s recipes had to have come from the kitchen of the head chef.
After James Hemings gained his freedom, and Jefferson became president, Jefferson tried to bring Hemings on as the White House chef. Unfortunately, Hemings passed away before this could happen. But his legacy lives on in the dishes he helped make American classics. One of those dishes was macaroni and cheese, called macaroni pie back then. Six months before his death, Jefferson had bought several pounds of raw macaroni. Mac and cheese was a well loved dish at Monticello!
Cook macaroni in boiling salted water. Boil uncovered for 20 or 30 minutes, then drain. Fill a buttered baking dish with alternate layers of macaroni and grated cheese, sprinkling pepper, salt, and melted butter over each layer. Have top layer of cheese, moisten with rich milk, bake in moderate oven until a rich brown.
Alternate version from High on the Hog Netflix show:
Cook the macaroni in half water, half milk. Alternate layers of macaroni, chunks of butter, and shredded cheese.
Macaroni and cheese is a beloved holiday classic, and has deep roots in the African American cooking tradition. Macaroni and cheese is one of many popular holiday dishes that has ties to enslaved Black peoples who adapted their customs from West Africa and experiences in America to their cooking traditions.
In 1937 during the Great Depression, Kraft came out with it's boxed macaroni and cheese option. Back then, one box could feed a family of four for only 19 cents and Kraft quickly sold over 8 million boxes in one year. During World War II when rationing became a necessity, Kraft's blue boxed mix continued its success.
Its creamy, ooey gooey cheesy goodness makes it the ultimate comfort food for any time, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas! Because this recipe can be made ahead of time, it's perfect for that busy holiday occasion when you want to save time to be with friends and family.
Elbow. As the name implies, elbows are small, c-shaped tubes perfect for capturing sauces and small ingredients. Elbows are famous for starring in cheesy baked pasta dishes, like macaroni and cheese, but they are also a great short pasta for simple tomato and vegetable sauces and creamy cold pasta salads.
Traditional African American comfort foods include homemade macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, red beans and rice, cornbread, seasoned greens, mashed potatoes and gravy, and ice-cold sweet tea. Although many of these foods are not considered the healthy choices, they excite our taste buds and warm our hearts.
Its origins trace back to cheese and pasta casseroles dating to the 14th century in Italy and medieval England. The traditional macaroni and cheese is a casserole baked in the oven; however, it may be prepared in a sauce pan on top of the stove or using a packaged mix.
Popular folklore initially credited Thomas Jefferson for bringing Macaroni and cheese to the U.S. after one of his trips to Europe. However, a more accurate description would credit Jefferson's chef and slave, James Hemings, for preparing the popular dish.
However, it was in Elizabeth Raffald's The Experienced English Housekeeper (1769), another cookbook that circulated in the colonies, where we get our first proper recipe for macaroni and cheese in English.
The ABSOLUTE MINIMUM you need to know, in 50 words or less: Boxed mac and cheese is high in phthalates because of plastic involved in processing, plus fat content. Phthalates are definitely a cause for concern, especially for infants and expecting females, but threshold doses aren't known.
Mac and cheese is versatile and can be eaten as a side dish with meats like chicken, brisket or bbq ribs, or as a main dish with a vegetable side dish like an acidic green salad or simple steamed vegetables.
These are the most popular Thanksgiving sides across the U.S.: Mashed potatoes: The top spot goes to mashed potatoes! While this may be unsurprising (especially with how downright delicious mashed potatoes are), last year the side dish was in second place.
It was introduced under the Kraft Dinner name simultaneously in both Canada and the U.S. in 1937. The brand is particularly popular with Canadians, who consume 55% more boxes per capita than Americans. There are now many similar products, including private label, of nonperishable boxed macaroni and cheese.
Spaghetti means "little twine," and variations include spaghettini (thinner), spaghettoni (thicker), bucatini (thicker and straw-like, with a hollow center), capellini (very thin) and angel's hair (thinnest). Spaghetti is traditionally served with simple, thin sauces such as olive oil or marinara (tomato sauce).
Thick Spaghetti, also known as Spaghettoni, is a wider version of an old favorite. Spaghetti is long and round, and the name means "lengths of cord" in Italian.
A traditional mac and cheese staple, elbow macaroni earned plenty of votes from our experts. Brian Theis, author of ”The Infinite Feast,” told us that “the king of all the noodles when it comes to mac and cheese is, of course, the classic elbow macaroni.
James Hemings should be remembered and honored not only for his mac and cheese revelation, but also for introducing French cuisine and techniques into the U.S. cooking lexicon. We salute you, Mr. Hemings!
Regarding North Africa, the production and consumption of cheese are significantly more common in Egypt than in the other countries of the area. In Egypt, there are several diversified and elaborated cheese types, among which brined cheeses are the most represented (Abd-El Salam and Benkerroum 2007).
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