A gourmet’s macaroni and cheese, made with goat cheese, scallions and prosciutto. You can also use vegetable-colored macaroni to create a vibrant plate of red, green and orange hues—dazzling in the fall or any time of year. Photo courtesy of the National
Pasta Association, ilovepasta.org.
September 2005
|
|
Macaroni & Cheese: Food Of Presidents
Ronald Reagan’s Macaroni & Cheese Recipe
CAPSULE REPORT: If you love macaroni and cheese, you’re in good company. Thomas Jefferson and Ronald Reagan had their own recipes for the “best” macaroni and cheese. In fact, while Jefferson was not “the father of our country,” he was most likely the father of mac and cheese! Here, some history and historic recipes for one of our favorite foods.
The Father of Pasta
The father of mac and cheese, one of our favorite comfort foods, was not a chef or even Italian. But he was someone known to enjoy his creature comforts—and he invented a lot of them.
In 1787, Thomas Jefferson, perhaps our country’s greatest Renaissance man, returned to America from his tour as minister to France. He brought back a pasta machine acquired in Italy. He proceeded to invent a better pasta machine, and undoubtedly many recipes as well. In documents in the Library of Congress, one guest reports dining dining on “a pie called macaroni*,” an early version of what we know as Baked Macaroni and Cheese. The macaroni was cooked until almost done, then combined with melted butter, salt, and grated white or yellow cheese and put it in the oven for 15 minutes or more.
| |
* |
The song “Yankee Doodle” has mistakenly come down to us with the word macaroni, pasta, instead of the original word, maccheroni, foppish. He put a feather in his cap and called it stylish—not pasta! In a related mistranslation, Cinderella ended up with fantastic slippers of fantastic glass (verre) instead of a typical aristocratic’s shoes lined with fur (vair). But, we digress. For a full discussion of the meaning of “Yankee Doodle,” see macaroni in our Pasta Glossary. |
Jefferson had his staff add American or English Cheddar cheese; and while we enjoy that classic (especially with sharper, aged Cheddar), we have come to prefer two variations: goat cheese and truffle cheese.
Jefferson’s Pasta Machine. Photo courtesy Library of
Congress. |
Thomas Jefferson |
Any chèvre lover will appreciate bleat for joy over the delicious nuances provided by tangy, aged goat cheese. But for a real slam dunk, turn to earthy truffle cheese. Use truffle butter in the recipe, too. Imagine: a pasta fix and a truffle fix in the same dish! You’ll never look at mac & cheese the same way again. You can adapt the recipe below with the truffled ingredients, eliminating the Worcestershire sauce.
And, don’t confine yourself to elbow macaroni. Corkscrews, penne, or any chunky, shaped pasta makes the dish as artistic as it is tasty (we like use tri-colored shapes as well).
Macaroni & Cheese: Food of Presidents
Ronald Reagan’s favorite food was macaroni and cheese. Here’s his recipe, as prepared by the White House staff:
Ronald Reagan’s Macaroni & Cheese Recipe
From The White House Family Cookbook by H. Haller and V. Aronson
Serves 4 as an entrée, or 6 to 8 as a side dish
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound macaroni
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 egg beaten
- 3 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Pinch of paprika
|
Ronald Reagan |
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish.
- Add macaroni to 2 quarts of boiling salted water and cook for 10 minutes.
- Drain well in a colander. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
- Stir in butter and beaten egg. Add 2-1/2 cups of the grated cheese.
- In a small bowl, combine milk with salt, mustard and Worcestershire sauce.
- Spoon macaroni and cheese into the prepared casserole. Pour milk mixture over and sprinkle top with the remaining cheese.
- Sprinkle with paprika. Bake on middle shelf of preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until macaroni is firm to the touch and the top is crusty and browned.
- Serve at once, either as a light entree accompanied by a hot green vegetable and a crisp salad, or as a side dish with Hamburgers or Meat Loaf.
Photo of Macaroni and Cheese courtesy of Schwann’s.
Recipe Variation: Bacon Macaroni & Cheese
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb crisp bacon, crumbled
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
- 1 pound uncooked macaroni
- 3-5 scallions, finely chopped
- 1-1/2 pounds of the cheese of your choice, grated—Cheddar, Swiss, goat, blue, etc.
Directions
- Cook the bacon until it is very crisp; blot very dry on paper towels.
- Melt the butter in a small pan at a low temperature. Add the bread crumbs and saute until browned, stirring frequently to avoid burning the crumbs.
- Cook the macaroni according to package directions to the al dente state; drain.
- Layer ingredients in a baking dish, alternating macaroni, then cheese, then crumbled bacon and chopped scallions on top of this. Make thin layers.
Top with the bread crumbs and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
Brush Up On Your Cheese
 |
 |
 |
| American Farmstead Cheese: A comprehensive guide to the diversity and uniqueness of the cheeses available today. Click here for more information or to purchase. |
Macaroni and Cheese: 50 inventive recipes take the American favorite to a whole new level. Click here for more information or to purchase. |
The Cheese Course: Serve your own cheese course at home just like at the best restaurants. Click here for more information or to purchase. |
© 2005-2008 Lifestyle Direct, Inc. All rights reserved. Images are the copyright of their respective owners.
|
|
|
|
