My granddaughter, Moira, loves macaroni and cheese. So, as a doting grandfather, I’ve joined her interest in this classic comfort food. It turns out that the rest of America is interested, too. Mac ‘n’ cheese is popping up on restaurant menus, in the food press and in new cookbooks.  Entire restaurants are now dedicated to the awakening of interest in this universally admired and adaptable classic.

The  popularity of macaroni and cheese is nothing new.  An early version appeared in cookbooks from France and England in the 14th century.  In 1760 a recipe was published in The Experienced French Housekeeper that would be familiar to cooks today.  It seems like the Italians have always known about the magic of combining pasta and cheese. Thomas Jefferson served “macaroni pie” at the White House in 1802 introducing it to America.  In 1824 a recipe was published by Mary Randolph in her influential cookbook, The Virginia Housewife.  Macaroni and cheese has been a mainstay of American cuisine ever since.

These days, it’s gaining more culinary respect. Boxed mixes are still a big seller, reliable as an easy, quick fix that’s popular with the kids. But scratch made, with good cheese and pasta, is what’s creating excitement.  On restaurant menus and at prepared food counters, you can get excellent mac ‘n’ cheese. Recipes abound for home cooks wanting to master the basics or try innovative variations. It’s a staple on children’s restaurant menus, which is where I renewed my interest.

The essentials of macaroni and cheese are pretty basic: cream sauce plus pasta and cheese, but the variations are infinite. The source and shape of the pasta is only limited by the scope of the pasta section at your store. Choice of cheese attracts advocates for countless types and combinations.  The cream sauce (also known as Béchamel or white sauce) can be straight up or seasoned all the way to hot and spicy. But the central question about macaroni and cheese is: baked or creamy?.  Do you want it casserole-style, finished off in the oven with crunchy browned bread crumbs on top and crispy edges, or fresh from the pot, a little more runny – served in a bowl. Each approach has its advocates.

jpegIn order to please Moira, I’ve started making macaroni and cheese at home – another enticement to visit the grandparents. She doesn’t like it too spicy, so my recipe, based on the recipe in Cover and Bake by the editors of Cook’s Illustrated (America’s Test Kitchen), is pretty straightforward – a pound of pasta (classic elbows),  5 cups of sauce (salt and pepper only), and a pound and a half of cheese. The choice of cheese is what makes the dish. After some experimentation, I’ve settled on a pound of white Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar (classic cheddar flavor and sharpness) and a half pound of Monterey Jack (smooth melting).  I like it baked with panko crumbs on top. Moira loves it!

This recipe makes a lot. It’s always surprising how much sauce is needed to do justice to a pound of elbows. The recipe will feed eight or more, so I usually freeze half and bake the other half for Moira, her parents and us. It takes an hour to make a batch, but it lasts for two or three dinners. For grown up consumption, I like to add some dry mustard, garlic and smoked paprika or ground chipotle pepper to the sauce. Diced ham or chopped bacon is a welcome addition too, but Moira won’t eat any of this.  Pasta with cheese is all she wants.

Macaroni and Cheese is moving off the kids menu and going mainstream at many restaurants.  Places with a southern drawl like Mama’s Boy, Bobby Qs or BANC House have it as a side dish and sometimes as a main course.  There is a strong mac ‘n’ cheese tradition below the Mason-Dixon Line – it’s even counted as a vegetable at times.  A few years ago there was a fashion in restaurants for lobster mac ‘n’ cheese – a very upscale take on a down home dish.

At the corner of Main and Wall in Norwalk, you’ll find Mac-It, a restaurant dedicated to the subject.  Their house mac ‘n’  cheese has American, cheddar and feta cheeses. Many variations on the standard include spinach and bacon, chorizo, jerk chicken and Mediterranean. It’s a popular spot  that gets high marks on the internet for friendly staff, accommodating owners and tasty food. There are a few tables in the storefront location, but most of their business is take-out.

Mac + CheeseIn Oakland, California, Homeroom is a new restaurant devoted to macaroni and cheese. Top quality ingredients, creative presentation, and innovative  recipes have led to success in this food-crazed part of the country. They’ve just published the Mac + Cheese Cookbook (Ten Speed Press) including their most popular versions, creative sides and homestyle desserts. Get a copy for some irresistible ideas plus good beer and wine pairings.

Macaroni and cheese is central to the comfort food revival. Made with top quality ingredients and careful preparation, you can’t beat it. Let me know your favorite style, but remember, at my house, Moira decides.