The Flaming Chef | A bright orange bowl of comfort

Craig Libman Columnist

"Mac and cheese! Mac and cheese!" we used to squeal at camp toward this unfortunate girl who had bright orange ringlets resembling a Kraft TV dinner. My friends and I were totally cruel, but memories like this bring a certain comfort to college life, just as macaroni and cheese does to students across the country. Like many of my peers, eating this simple, unpretentious dish brings back a warm, safe feeling of childhood.

Growing up, I was a macaroni and cheese nut! Before going out on the weekends, my mom would often whip up a quick batch of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese (in Flintstone shapes, of course) or a Stouffer's dinner for me and my sister. While these meals seem rather unsavory to me now, each creamy, luscious bite was gastronomic heaven as a child. As a finicky eater, packaged macaroni and cheese was bland and creamy enough to not offend my prejudiced taste buds.

Of course, neither Kraft nor Stouffer's could compete with my mom's homemade macaroni and cheese. A casserole of bubbling hot macaroni, oozing with a blend of cheeses, this was definitely a special treat. The best part, of course, was the crunchy top that resulted from being baked in the oven. Although it's been years since my mom has made macaroni and cheese for the family, this article prompted me to ask her for the recipe that I remember so fondly. Yet, according to my mother:

"I don't really have a recipe. I just boil up the elbow macaroni till al dente. Meanwhile, I mix shredded cheddar, monterey jack, dry mustard, worsteshire sauce, salt, pepper and a little milk and bring to a slow boil. Then I mix everything together and in the middle add a layer of cheese and then more cheese on top. Bake uncovered for about 20 to 30 minutes. Love, Hugs & Kisses Mom."

I suppose I could have drafted out a scientific procedure for this recipe with exact measurements, but somehow, I prefer this improvisational approach to macaroni and cheese. I mean, everyone has a different preference as to what type and how much cheese should be used in proportion of macaroni. One addition I would add to my mom’s recipe is a top layer of white breadcrumbs in order to accentuate the crunchy top.

Recently it has become very popular in restaurants and cookbooks to give the humble dish of macaroni and cheese a chic, nouvelle twist, but I'm more partial to a more traditional recipe using high quality cheese. David Rosengarten's Dean and DeLuca Cookbook (Random House, 1996), gives an adult version of macaroni and cheese that throws such things as zucchini, bell peppers, rosemary, and strong fontina into the pot. While this recipe may be delicious (to be honest, I've never tried it), it takes macaroni and cheese into a direction I'd rather not go. One "souped up" mac and cheese dish did enjoy immensely was a version topped with frizzled onions served at New York City's Eatery (798 9th Ave). This combination of rich velvety mac and cheese with crunchy onion rings is out of this world (as well as a cardiologist's nightmare).
ACDC occasionally serves macaroni and cheese in some unusual incarnations. Most repulsive were the mac and cheese nuggets (clumps of macaroni and cheese shaped and fried like chicken nuggets) served last year. Their regular entree fairs slightly better, yet is quite bland even though it is enhanced with chipotle. From experience, I have learned that your best bet for mac and cheese in the dining hall is to make your own. Here is my recipe:

Desperation Mac and Cheese

Grab a plate of plain pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. At the salad bar, top pasta with shredded cheddar, salt, and pepper. Microwave dish for one minute, take it out, stir mixture, and nuke it again until the cheese is completely melted.

While this dish is not exactly glamorous, I find it quite useful on those days when I can't find anything I want to eat. It may not have a crunchy top, but it works in a pinch. And yet, macaroni and cheese was never meant to be anything elegant. While the tornado of nouvelle cuisine may try new ways of sprucing up mac and cheese, this dish is best appreciated as a simple combination of high quality cheeses and al dente macaroni. As far as I'm concerned, that's comfort food enough.