Mac ‘n cheese is a win-win. Bake it, cook it on the stovetop, or get it from a box. Feast on basic, gourmet, or potluck. Win for taste. Win for comfort.
It’s a foodie chameleon.
Whether in America, Canada, Israel, or anywhere around the world, everyone loves mac ‘n cheese. The magic is in the recipe – it shifts to fit individual, family, and cultural tastes.
Most people believe that the American version came from foodie Thomas Jefferson after he succeeded Benjamin Franklin as minister to France in 1785). Jefferson brought along his slave, nineteen-year old James Hemings, to learn the fine art of French cooking. By the time they returned stateside, Hemings’ was an expert chef who brought a pasta machine from Naples, Italy.
American mac ‘n cheese was born.
Jefferson’s version was for wealthy Virginians. Hemings’ was soul food.
