Randy Chandler
Macaroni and cheese, or mac and cheese, is a popular dish in the United States. While it is commonly believed that Thomas Jefferson introduced the dish to the country, it actually has a much longer history. The earliest recorded recipe for a dish resembling macaroni and cheese dates back to the 1390 cookbook The Forme of Cury, which contains a recipe for a cheese and pasta casserole known as makerouns. The dish was also mentioned in the 13th-century Italian cookbook Liber de Coquina, which included a recipe for a dish called de lasanis, which food historians believe is the first macaroni and cheese recipe.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Earliest recorded recipe | 1390 (The Forme of Cury) |
| 1769 (The Experienced English Housekeeper) | |
| 13th century (Liber de Coquina) | |
| Introduction to the United States | Thomas Jefferson is often credited with introducing macaroni and cheese to the US, but this is disputed |
| It is believed that James Hemings, Jefferson's enslaved chef, introduced the dish to the US | |
| It was likely popularised by Jefferson, who served it to guests at the White House | |
| It was included in influential 19th-century cookbooks, such as The Virginia House-Wife | |
| It was also included in cookbooks as far west as Kansas and Missouri | |
| British immigrants brought it to Canada | |
| Ingredients | Pasta |
| Butter | |
| Cheese (Cheddar), Parmesan, Gruyère, Gouda, Havarti, Jarlsberg, Colby, or processed cheese | |
| Cream | |
| Spices (Nutmeg, Cayenne pepper, Mace, Mustard) |
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What You'll Learn
Thomas Jefferson's role in popularising mac and cheese
While it is uncertain if Thomas Jefferson introduced macaroni and cheese to America, he certainly played a role in popularising the dish.
Jefferson travelled to France in 1784, where he acted as the United States minister until 1789. During his time in Europe, he brought an enslaved James Hemings, a chef, to study culinary arts. Hemings likely learned to make macaroni and cheese during his time in Paris, as the dish was already popular in France. Jefferson also smuggled a pasta machine from Naples, so Hemings could prepare the dish for elite families in America.
In 1802, Jefferson served macaroni and cheese, or 'macaroni pie', at a state dinner, with imported pasta and parmesan cheese. A recipe for macaroni and cheese in Jefferson's own hand survives, although it was likely dictated to him by Hemings or another enslaved chef, Edith Hern Fossett. The recipe includes semolina flour, eggs, milk, and salt, and details how to prepare the pasta dough, roll it out, and bake it.
The Virginia Housewife, a cookbook published in 1824 by Jefferson's relative, Mary Randolph, includes the first printed recipe for macaroni and cheese. Randolph's recipe involves dressing the macaroni with cheese. This cookbook popularised macaroni and cheese, and numerous other cookbooks published in the 19th century in England and the US included recipes for the dish.
While Jefferson may not have invented macaroni and cheese, he certainly championed it, introducing it to America's founding fathers and serving it at important events.
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James Hemings, Jefferson's enslaved chef, and his influence
While Thomas Jefferson is often credited with introducing macaroni and cheese to the United States, this is not entirely accurate. Jefferson likely played a role in popularising the dish, as he served it to guests during his presidency, including at a state dinner in 1802, where he served "a pie called macaroni". However, it was his enslaved Black chef, James Hemings, who perfected the recipe.
Hemings was born in 1765 to Elizabeth Hemings, an enslaved woman, and her owner, John Wayles. Wayles was the father-in-law of Thomas Jefferson and the father of six of Hemings' siblings, making them half-siblings to Jefferson's wife, Martha. Hemings became Jefferson's property upon the latter's marriage to Martha.
Jefferson brought Hemings to France to study culinary arts, financing a lavish crash course in gastronomy. During his time in France, Hemings apprenticed with various chefs, including a caterer, a pastry chef, and even as a chef for the Prince de Conde. In 1787, he was appointed chef de cuisine at Jefferson's home in Paris, supervising white servants in the kitchen.
Hemings learned French cooking techniques and, upon returning to the United States, put his own spin on macaroni and cheese. He taught the recipe to his brother, Peter Hemings, who later served "pie called macaroni" at the aforementioned state dinner hosted by Jefferson. This introduction of macaroni and cheese to America's elite helped to popularise the dish.
Thus, while Thomas Jefferson may have played a role in introducing macaroni and cheese to the United States, it was James Hemings, his enslaved chef, who perfected the recipe and brought it to the elite of American society.
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Mac and cheese's evolution from medieval England to the US
Mac and cheese, or macaroni and cheese, is a pasta dish of macaroni covered in cheese sauce, most commonly cheddar sauce. Its origins can be traced back to medieval England, where it was known as "makerouns", a cheese and pasta casserole. The earliest recorded recipe for this dish dates back to 1390 and can be found in "The Forme of Cury", a medieval English cookbook. The recipe called for fresh, hand-cut pasta to be sandwiched between a mixture of melted butter and cheese.
Over time, the dish evolved and spread to other parts of Europe. In the 18th and 19th centuries, recipes for macaroni and cheese began to appear in cookbooks from England and the United States. For example, Elizabeth Raffald's 1769 book, "The Experienced English Housekeeper", included a recipe for a Béchamel sauce with cheddar cheese, which was mixed with macaroni, sprinkled with Parmesan, and baked. In the United States, the dish was introduced to elite society by Thomas Jefferson, who served "macaroni pie" at a state dinner in 1802. Jefferson had developed a taste for the dish while in Italy and France and brought the recipe back with him to the United States.
However, it is important to note that Jefferson did not invent mac and cheese or even introduce it to the United States. In fact, it was his enslaved Black chef, James Hemings, who perfected the recipe. Hemings learned French cooking techniques while in Europe with Jefferson and put his own spin on the dish when they returned to the United States. He then taught the recipe to his brother, Peter Hemings, who served "pie called macaroni" at Jefferson's state dinner, introducing it to America's elite.
As macaroni and cheese became more popular, it also spread to other parts of the world. For example, British immigrants brought the dish to Canada, and it has since become a popular dish there. Today, mac and cheese remains a beloved comfort food in the United States and beyond, with numerous variations and recipes.
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The dish's appearance in 18th- and 19th-century cookbooks
The earliest recorded mac and cheese recipe dates back to 1769 and likely originated in Northern Europe. The dish was introduced to the American colonies by Thomas Jefferson, who brought back recipes from France. At an 1802 state dinner, he served macaroni and cheese, or "macaroni pie," to his guests, using imported pasta and parmesan cheese.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, cookbooks played a significant role in popularizing macaroni and cheese in America. These cookbooks, published in England and the colonies, helped spread the dish across the Atlantic. One notable example is "The Compleat Housewife" by E. Smith, first published in England in 1727 and later reprinted in the British American colonies in 1742. Another influential cookbook was "The Cook's Oracle," mentioned by Catherine Parr Strickland Traill in "The Back Woods of Canada", which was used in both Great Britain and North America.
During the early 19th century, "macaroni" generally referred to dried tubular pasta outside of Italy. The dish underwent a cultural transition, as reflected in cookbooks from England and the US. It was often referred to simply as "Macaroni" or with French-influenced titles like "To dress Macaroni a la Sauce Blanche" from "The Carolina Housewife" (1847). The Italian origin of the dish was gradually overshadowed, and "Italian macaroni" referred to pasta dishes with stewed beef and tomatoes rather than macaroni and cheese.
The 1800s witnessed a boom in cookbook writing by white American women, as domestic arts were one of the few arenas where they could freely express themselves. Nearly all of these cookbooks featured recipes for macaroni and cheese. One notable example is Mary Randolph's "The Virginia Housewife" (1824), which included a recipe for macaroni and cheese.
The popularity of macaroni and cheese in the 18th century may have been due to the novelty and expense of importing pasta. It was considered fashionable and appeared on the menus of elite households. However, it seems to have faded from fashionable menus in the 19th century as macaroni-making machinery became more common, and the dish became more accessible and homely.
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Mac and cheese's transition from elite to accessible
Mac and cheese, or "makerouns", has been around in various forms since at least the 14th century. However, its transition from elite to accessible in America is often attributed to Thomas Jefferson.
Jefferson was introduced to mac and cheese in Italy or France and became enamoured with the dish. He brought recipes for it back to the US and served it at a state dinner in 1802, where it was reportedly not well-liked. Nevertheless, Jefferson's interest in the dish sparked its proliferation throughout American society.
Jefferson's enslaved chef, James Hemings, is credited with perfecting the mac and cheese recipe. Hemings learned French cooking techniques while in Europe with Jefferson and put his own spin on the dish upon returning to the US. He introduced mac and cheese to America's elite, and it soon began appearing in cookbooks, such as Mary Randolph's influential "The Virginia House-Wife" in 1824.
Over the course of the 19th century, mac and cheese underwent a cultural transition. It appeared in numerous cookbooks in England and the US, often under generic titles like "Macaroni" or with French-inspired names like "To dress Macaroni a la Sauce Blanche". The Italian origin of the dish was gradually forgotten, and it became more accessible to a broader section of society, losing its upper-class appeal.
Factory production of the main ingredients, as well as the availability of recipes, made mac and cheese more affordable and widespread. It was brought to Canada by British immigrants, and by the mid-1880s, cookbooks as far west as Kansas and Missouri included recipes for mac and cheese casseroles.
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Frequently asked questions
It is believed that Thomas Jefferson brought macaroni and cheese to America after he developed a liking for the dish in Italy. He served it at a state dinner in 1802.
No, he did not. The earliest recorded mac and cheese recipe dates back to 1769 and most likely comes from Northern Europe.
The origins of macaroni and cheese can be traced back to medieval England and Ancient Rome. The earliest recorded recipe for a cheese and pasta casserole was in "The Forme of Cury", which was published in 1390.
Macaroni and cheese became popular in America through Thomas Jefferson, who served it to his guests. It was also popularised by his enslaved Black chef, James Hemings, who perfected the recipe.
