About the Book
Today, macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food, a staple of weeknight dinners, family gatherings, and Soul Food restaurants. Humble though the dish may seem, its history is filled with surprising twists and turns. Renaissance cardinals and popes dined on elaborate pasta-and-cheese concoctions laced with costly spices. In the eighteenth century, wealthy young Englishmen made macaroni a symbol of continental sophistication. Black women cooks, whose contribution has long been overshadowed, played a crucial role in establishing the dish as an American tradition from the nation’s founding through the Civil Rights Movement.
Karima Moyer-Nocchi reveals the religious, political, and industrial forces that forged its evolution alongside stories of the unsung figures who shaped the dish as we know it today: enslaved cooks who preserved and adapted traditions, immigrant chefs who introduced new variations, and practical homemakers looking to nourish their families with an affordable meal. She emphasizes the adaptability of macaroni and cheese, which in different times has served as both an indulgence on the elite table and sustenance to those struggling to survive, crossing borders, social classes, and cultural divides. Deeply researched and rich with enticing details, this book uncovers the creativity and resilience that brought a beloved food to our tables. The Epic History of Macaroni and Cheese also shares centuries of recipes―from ancient Roman authors to celebrity chefs, reworked for modern kitchens―that provide a hands-on portal to experience the evolution of this iconic dish.
About the Author
Karima Moyer Nocchi is a culinary historian and professor at the University of Siena in Italy. While working on her most recent book, she held fellowships at the International Center for Jefferson Studies, the Smithsonian Institution, and the George Washington Presidential Library. She currently resides in Umbria. She is the author of two books: Chewing the Fat - An Oral History of Italian Foodways from Fascism to Dolce Vita and The Eternal Table - A Cultural History of Food in Rome.