Friday, September 23, 2011

How Do You Like It?

I was browsing the Yahoo home page when I came across an article about macaroni and cheese.  Maybe you saw it, too?  It gave a link to the recipe for what is considered to be the World's Best Mac and Cheese and listed tips for perfecting it in your own kitchen.  I had hoped to find a few reviews of the recipe, but the comments following the article were full of personal mac and cheese recipes and a lot of opinions on what makes the perfect macaroni and cheese.

I find this all very interesting because macaroni and cheese is one of my favorite comfort foods.  The best I've ever had (sorry, Mom) is the macaroni and cheese served at the Frankenmuth Brewery in Frankenmuth, Michigan.  From their menu: "Our house recipe four-cheese blend atop bowtie noodles sprinkled with bread crumbs, butter, parmesan and parsley."  It's truly cheesy heaven on a plate, with just the right amount of crispiness on top.

When I was a kid, my mom made really great macaroni and cheese for dinner every once in a while.  She would put it in the oven to brown the top a little bit, but she never put any sort of bread crumbs or cracker crumbs on to make a crunchy crust.  That's probably why I prefer mac and cheese without too much crunch added.  In my mind, it supposed to be a primarily creamy dish.

As much as I like to make dishes from scratch, I've never found a really great recipe for macaroni and cheese other than my mom's.  I've tried dozens of them, but they always seem to be too dry and grainy or the cheese separates or the taste is just not quite what I'm looking for.  The addition of mustard doesn't do much for me, either.  A few online friends recommended I try one that contains cottage cheese, but that sounds awfully lumpy to me.  For me, the perfect macaroni and cheese should have a sharp/tangy sauce so smooth and creamy that it is almost (but not quite) runny.  It should not clump together as you spoon it out of the serving dish.  The top can have a lightly browned, thin bit of crisp coating, but it shouldn't have a thick crust.

How about you?  What is your perfect mac and cheese?  Do you make it from scratch or you do you covet the blue box?  



Joanna Jenkins said...

I'm a big mac and cheese fan. I make mine with heavy cream, gruyere cheese, dijon mustard and bread crumbs on top. It's a heart attack on a plate but it's sooo good. And have you tried the mac and cheese balls from Trader Joe's? They are get appetizers.
xo jj

lisleman said...

I made it from the box once. I've cut back on my cheese intake. You already know that I think cows are cool.

Jenny said...

I am a scratch kind of mac and cheese girl. Although I haven't made it in a long time. It's hard to make a decent version gluten-free.

But I like the crunchy top on there when I would make it...and several kinds of cheddar...



This whole post made me really, really hungry.

L.B. said...

I'm not a big mac and cheese fan :(

I have a friend too who is all about finding the perfect Mac n Cheese recipe. Like you, though, she hasn't found it either.

Mac and Cheese is one of those things that I never make because I don't like it but the three females here all love it. Perhaps I should make it more often, for their sake.

Holly Lefevre said...

I could eat mac and cheese all the time...but thankfully I do have some self control. The kiddos like it from the box and so do I (we do not have it that much). I do really like the recipe in Deceptively Delicious - it has squash and cream cheese!

Jenna said...

There is a fancy pants restaurant in Boston called "Stephanie's on Newbury". 4 cheese with diced prosciutto, panko and truffle oil. Best ever. The owner was sweet enough to give me the recipe and when i make it it's good, but when her chef makes it, it's INSANE.

Jenn Erickson said...

I feel the same way: Even though I've tried some really good recipes, my very favorite remains my Dad's. Unfortunately, even though he's given me his recipe and shown me how to do it, it never tastes quite as good as his.

I agree -- I'd rather leave the mustard to pastrami sandwiches, and cottage cheese to other purposes than Macaroni & Cheese.

Nezzy said...

Yep, we love it baked in the oven with the cheese golden brown on top. Live just doesn't get any better!!! Heeeheheh!

My God bless your day sweetie!!!

Now I'm cravin' some Mac and Cheese :o)

voip services said...

This whole post made me really, really hungry

Cynthia@RunningWithLetters said...

Hi! It's been a looong time. So glad to see you're still up and running here. Mac and Cheese? Let's see...believe it or not, one of my everyday, go-to quickie meals is a microwave mac and cheese, all from scratch. My family devours it, and you'd never know it came from the microwave. If you want, I'd be happy to pass along the recipe.
I just wanted to say "hi" and let you know I'm back in the neighborhood. I've really missed blogging :)

elvira pajarola said...

Ciao carissima Willoughby....oh, Tuscans love it with PARMEGIANO....

...they do not use very much cheese on the pasta....though in many other italian regions the usance of different cheeses in the pasta is not rare..!

But we Tuscans just love it like this!!!

So happy to see you again!!!!

have a good start in the autumn!!!!

ciao ciao elvira

Betty Manousos@ Cut and Dry said...

what a delicious post!

it made me really hungry!

betty xx