How Mac and Cheese Came to America

All Cheese: How the Mac and Cheese Came to America

Kultstatus: Mac and Cheese.

In the United States, they like to bake everything and lots of it with cheese. But one US classic – Mac and Cheese – actually has its origins in Europe. The fact that macaroni cheese has become so popular in the USA is thanks in part to a famous president.

Kerstin Hergt

12/15/2022 2:51 p.m

North American cuisine is not commonly known for its balance. With reference to fast food and XXL portions, critical tongues like to underline that the USA has no food culture. If you travel there, you can convince yourself of the opposite. As a multicultural country, America’s cuisine is also extremely diverse. But one culinary idiosyncrasy runs through all 50 states: generous toppings with cheese.

Especially a poor man’s meal

Legend has it that Jefferson was so taken with a pasta dish he was served when he visited France that he returned with recipes and a pasta maker with him, even serving up mac and cheese as the main course at a state banquet in 1802. Just imagine all the honorable ladies and gentlemen at the table, struggling with endless threads of cheese while engaging in polite conversation. Delicious! Despite the statesmanlike consecration, in the 1930s, at the time of the Great Depression in the United States, macaroni cheese was primarily a canned poor man’s food.

Mac and Cheese Rezept

For a particularly tasty pasta and cheese treat for four to six people, it is best to mix 200 grams of grated cheddar and 200 grams of Emmental cheese with 100 grams of Parmesan. First, whisk 60 grams of melted butter with 40 grams of flour in a saucepan and pour in 400 milliliters of milk and 200 milliliters of cream. Bring the whole thing to the boil and season with salt, pepper, a teaspoon of paprika powder, a pinch of chilli and some garlic salt. Then let the sauce simmer on low heat for about ten minutes.

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Meanwhile, cook 500 grams of macaroni. After draining, mix the pasta with the grated cheese mix and the sauce in a casserole dish. Melt 30 grams of butter in a pan, add 50 grams of breadcrumbs and toast briefly. Then sprinkle the crumbs over the casserole and bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Ideally, the surface is then crispy and the rest of the casserole is creamy. If you like, you can sprinkle extra cheese on the plate portion.

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