History of mac and cheese

_Elsa_

Elsa and Jelly Queen are guided towards the stairs where the tour will begin. A short while later a guide shows up but I think they are the only two going on the tour. No one else has shown up. The guide introduces himself and tells them to follow him.  As they are walking he begins to discuss the history of mac and cheese.

‘Pasta and cheese casseroles have been recorded as early as the 14th century in the Italian cookbook, Liber de Coquina, one of the oldest medieval cookbooks, which featured a dish of parmesan and pasta. A cheese and pasta casserole known as makerouns was recorded in the famous medieval English cookbook, the Forme of Cury, which was also written in the 14th century. It was made with fresh, hand-cut pasta which was sandwiched between a mixture of melted butter and cheese. The recipe given (in Middle English) was:

"Take and make a thynne foyle of dowh. and kerve it on peces and cast hem on boillyng water & seeþ it wele. take cheese and grate it and butter cast bynethen and above as losyns. and serue forth."

This is the above recipe in modern English:

"Make a thin foil of dough and cut it in pieces. Put them in boiling in water and seethe them well. Grate cheese and add it with butter beneath and above as with losyns [a dish similar to lasagne] and serve."

The first modern recipe for the dish was included in Elizabeth Raffald's 1770 book, The Experienced English Housekeeper. Raffald's recipe is for a Béchamel sauce with cheddar cheese—a Mornay sauce in French cooking—which is mixed with macaroni, sprinkled with Parmesan, and baked until bubbly and golden. Another recipe from 1784 stated that the small tubes of macaroni must be boiled, then drained in a sifter before being moved to a frying pan. Heavy cream is then added to the macaroni along with a "knob of butter" rolled in flour, and it must be cooked for five minutes before being transferred to a dish and topped with toasted Parmesan and pepper. The famous British Victorian cookbook Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management included two recipes for the dish. One recipe states:

"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 broiler. 

In the United Kingdom, during the 2010s, it has seen a surge in popularity, becoming widespread as a meal and as a side order in both fast food and upmarket restaurants.’ (Source)

Let’s continue - American history

Start at the beginning – Elsa and Jelly Queen take a factory tour