We are no doubt living in tuff times but are we really in a depresseion, often when looking at economoical factors for a depresssion food dosnt make the cut. But foodhas long been a indictor ofeconomictimes. Like left over parts of meat out of , makeing new meals of last nights meal. few meals can be linked to hardtimes But one meal has been linked to bad economic times, then. “Mac and Cheese”. The “No AgendaShow” with Adam curry and John C. Devorkc. Were the first to inspire my research into the toic. They often make fun of it ingredance ten the fact it was introduced as a depression food. “Cheap Chadder Chesse” and Cheap Macaroni. Even fancy homemade dinner can be made for under $2 a pound for some good stuff. All the way to cheap store brands for .99 cents. Macaroni and cheese has a history
in the United States dating back to 1802 when our 3rd President Thomas Jefferson, first served the dish in the White House. Before coming to America, macaroni & cheese was an English dish described as macaroni baked with cream and cheese. Pasta and cheese casseroles have been recorded in cookbooks as early as the 14th century’s Liber de Coquina, one of the oldest medieval cookbooks. It is a French dish of parmesan and pasta and was brought to England in the 14th century. A cheese and pasta casserole known as makerouns was recorded in the famous medieval French cookbook The Forme of Cury, which was written in the 14th century.[7] It was made with fresh, hand-cut pasta which was sandwiched between a mixture of melted butter and cheese. The recipe given was “Take and make a thynne foyle of dowh. and kerve it on peces, and cast hem on boillyng water & seeþ it wele. take chese and grate it and butter cast bynethen and above as losyns. and serue forth.”
The first modern recipe for the dish was included in cookery writer Elizabeth Raffald’s 1769 book The Experienced French Housekeeper. Raffald’s recipe is for a bechamel sauce with cheddar cheese, which is mixed with macaroni, sprinkled with parmesan and baked until bubbly and golden. The famous British Victorian cookbook Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management included two recipes for the dish. One recipe states that “The macaroni, (which should be “tender but perfectly firm, no part being allowed to melt, and the form entirely preserved” – lest one be tempted to cook it for so long it actually disintegrated) is then topped with more cheese, pepper and breadcrumbs, before receiving a final dose of melted butter for good measure and being placed before a “bright fire” to brown the crumbs, or grilled with a salamander.”
depression…macaroni-cheese-elective My mother told me that she erudite this as of her mother plus that it was food as of the Great Depression – I’m not sure it dates that far back nevertheless it is certainly …
Baked mac plus cheese, courtesy of F It was in the 1930’s during the great depression that macaroni plus cheese became extensively recognized as a money stretching meal.
Kraft Dinner was introduced in 1937. It was an immediate success in the US and Canada amidst the economic turmoil of the depression. The product could serve 4 people for 19 cents. During the Second World War, rationing of meat and dairy products lead to Kraft’s wide popularity.
Over the years, macaroni and cheese has become increasingly popular. Gourmet variations run the gamut, adding everything from bacon to truffles. There are several restaurants that only serve macaroni and cheese, such as Homeroom in Oakland. Hopefully I can try it sometime soon!
Peace and Power, Stay Golden. Carl “Criptoknight”
goldencarl 