Mac and Cheese Comes From the 14th Century

One of, if not the most well-liked comfort foods in the world is macaroni and cheese. Every year, at least 5 packets of mac & cheese are consumed by around 9 million Americans. Even more Canadians consume it. 15 million boxes of Kraft Mac and Cheese were purchased in March 2020.

In contrast to Kraft Dinner, which was first produced in 1937, macaroni and cheese has been around for a very long time. Surprisingly, unlike many pasta dishes, it is not an Italian dish. This recipe originates from a 1390 cookbook called Forme of Cury that was published in England. The recipe, while lacking a little flair, is not too unlike from what you might do today to make homemade mac & cheese. Simple spaghetti noodles must be prepared, boiled, and then layered with grated cheese and butter. It's about as straightforward a mac and cheese recipe as you can find.

For speakers of current English, the original phrase can be a little challenging. Make a thinned-out piece of dough, tear it into pieces, then drop it into hot water to watch it dissolve, says the first line. However, it has been translated so that, if you'd like, you can make it yourself.