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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsWho brings the mac and cheese to Thanksgiving?
I was talking to a bartender yesterday who told me she was asked to bring the mac and cheese for the family dinner this year. I congratulated her heartily, because mac and cheese is the greatest responsibility of the dinner.
But why, I was asking myself today? I knew immediately how proud she felt, but I just had to break it down in my head, why.
1. Everybody loves mac and cheese. I'm sure I will be disagreed with, but if you don't like you are a freak of nature in America.
2. That means, everyone will be tasting your mac and cheese, and it damned well better be just right. If people aren't going back for seconds, you have screwed it up. That's a lot of pressure on a first time nominee to bring it.
3. People know what they expect to taste. You can't get fancy with it, but if you can find a magic ingredient to slip in there that is offensive to nobody--good job.
4. Everyone can eat it. Kids love it, older folks with aging teeth can eat it, I don't think any of the ingredients would offend anyone who isn't into trendy food things, like avoiding gluten (there are gluten free noodles) or being a vegan. Vegans eat cheese, don't they? Maybe not, not sure, still too one-off to consider (for me, anyway).
5. It's inexpensive, even if you use the very best ingredients.
Other reasons why it is a big deal, a compliment even, if it becomes your permanent job? Your thoughts?
Ohiogal
(32,130 posts)on Thanksgiving a southern thing?
hlthe2b
(102,468 posts)Ohiogal
(32,130 posts)smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)it was strange. As much as I love mac and cheese, it has never been something we have served at Thanksgiving.
There is already too much starch with the mashed potatoes and the stuffing. It just seems like an odd T-giving side dish. I didn't have any, just because I loaded my plate w/ the other things and could barely even eat that.
No such thing as cleaning my plate anymore these days. My eyes are always bigger than my stomach. I get full so easily. I couldn't even eat dessert hours later, I was just full until I went to bed.
Dagstead Bumwood
(3,659 posts)I was aware that it was a thing for some, but it just seems out of place. Besides, with the stuffing/dressing, mashed potatoes, yams with marshmallows, rolls and pumpkin pie we're already up to our ears in carbs as is. I'd be happy to eat it just about any other time, though.
csziggy
(34,139 posts)And my Alabama raised Mom would have made it if it were. Mac & cheese go with meatloaf or in tuna casserole.
On the other hand, I never had mashed potatoes - white or sweet - for Thanksgiving as a child. One year we had some friends over for the day and they were outraged that there were no potatoes. I figure dressing, biscuits (or rolls), and dessert give you enough carbs without adding potatoes to the overage of food.
Now, my Dad, raised by parents from Escanaba Michigan, didn't consider it Thanksgiving unless there were rutabagas. No matter that no one would eat them but him and me. He'd insist on buying one rutabaga, cutting it up, cooking it himself and he and I would nosh out on the orange cubes. Come to think about it, it's a few years since I had rutabagas - I may have to cook some for my "make up" Thanksgiving I plan for next week!
Laffy Kat
(16,391 posts)For some, the only green thing on the table is the green bean casserole (and the lime Jello mold if aunt so-and-so comes). And we like it that way!
Grasswire2
(13,571 posts)You've got stuffing/dressing. You've got mashed potatoes. You've got sweet potatoes, likely.
Where does the mac and cheese fit? It doesn't go with gravy.
Iggo
(47,581 posts)And T-Day can be the ultimate pot-luck feast. We had one at work last week and three people brought mac and cheese. All three were different and all three were great. Mac And Cheese may be on its way to...dare I say it...potato salad status.
Adsos Letter
(19,459 posts)along with the turkey, stuffing, brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, Yum-Yum, etc.
We're in California.
yellerpup
(12,254 posts)I was amazed that side dishes in the South are truly different. For instance, potato salad, mac and cheese, and Stovetop stuffing. In the North, I was always puzzled by the addition of baked ziti at every Thanksgiving there.
in2herbs
(2,947 posts)save M&C for another time. It would be a good reason to throw another party????
csziggy
(34,139 posts)Mom's standard menu was turkey, dressing (never stuffed), rolls, gravy, green beans (NOT in a casserole) or some other green veg, my Dad's rutabaga, and pecan pie. Who needs more than that?
yellowdogintexas
(22,282 posts)They weren't engaged yet, so she took that. The majority of the attendees were Kurdish, and they absolutely loved it. So now that is "her" dish.
She puts a lot of cool stuff in it; it's way fancier than mine
CrispyQ
(36,547 posts)Peacetrain
(22,881 posts)We went with a more complex menu for a number of years, our children and my brothers children were becoming adults..now that they are getting married and their babies are sitting at the table with adult food.. it is back to the sides of mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and less complicated dishes (I still make the worlds best cranberry sauce).. but give it a few years and slowly but surely other sides for a more adult taste will start to return..
The thing I find that is so funny.. the adults are reliving their youth and scooping up all the simpler sides in huge quantities..
blueinredohio
(6,797 posts)but I started making it so my picky granddaughter will have something to eat.
The Wielding Truth
(11,415 posts)guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)I tried it once, and that once convinced me to never eat it again.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,926 posts)I like mac & cheese but I've never had it for Thanksgiving.
Turin_C3PO
(14,108 posts)Mac and cheese for Thanksgiving is traditional with African-Americans primarily. Not that others dont do it also, of course.
CottonBear
(21,597 posts)Mac and Cheese is an African-American Thanksgiving tradition.
I, a white Scots-Irish Southerner, was, somehow, completely unaware of this until just last year.
So, at this years family Thanksgiving gathering, my teenage nieces boyfriend, who is an African American child of a professional chef, brought a very tasty Mac and Cheese casserole to our thanksgiving meal. He made it himself!
MontanaMama
(23,364 posts)of the US and what Thanksgiving dishes were most popular regionally. I was surprised to see mac and cheese on the map. When I researched it, it seemed there was a loose correlation to mac and cheese being an important side dish in African American Thanksgiving tradition AND, not just anybody can bring the mac and cheese to dinner. What? This fascinated me even more.
Read more here: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/living/food-drink/article184866748.html#storylink=cpy
As I researched it, I found some fabulous recipes that have turned my traditional mac and cheese recipe upside down. Heres the one Ive found to be most reliable: https://divascancook.com/southern-baked-macaroni-and-cheese-recipe/. It is a different formula that Id ever tried before and it is SO darned good. Ive tweaked it a little for my taste but I make it at least once a month. My family absolutely hovers around the kitchen until its done.
CottonBear
(21,597 posts)My family had cranberry sauce, roasted turkey, homemade turkey gravy, homemade cornbread dressing, sweet potato soufflé and green beans plus pumpkin and pecan pies.
Turin_C3PO
(14,108 posts)thats the exact menu my family had too!
CottonBear
(21,597 posts)My moms sweet potato soufflé does NOT include marshmallows. Sometimes, though, she adds some crushed pineapple.
I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving! 🍁🦃🍠🎃🥧🙏🍽🍁
I think Ill make cornbread today. 🌞😊
steventh
(2,143 posts)in my experience years ago. I haven't tried it recently so there may be wonderful substitutes. Yay tofu pups, veggie burgers, tofurky, seitan with mushroom gravy, quorn nuggets or roast.
Iggo
(47,581 posts)Phentex
(16,334 posts)I found a vegan mac and cheese that is really good. Best eaten fresh as it won't stay gooey and melty after you refrigerate it. The "cheese" is made from potato, carrots and cashews plus seasonings and if you use a high speed blender, it mimics a cheese sauce and is damn good.
steventh
(2,143 posts)Of course cheese in "regular" mac and cheese doesn't stay melty either. In my opinion that's part of it's charm as a leftover.
Is this the recipe you mentioned?
https://veganyumminess.com/creamy-vegan-mac-and-cheese/
I might give it a try as soon as I can get my mitts on some cashews. Or cashew butter (which doesn't contain any butter).
Phentex
(16,334 posts)only step I change is I add the sauteed garlic right in with the other ingredients before blending so that it's creamy and not flecky. Also, I steam the vegetables in the microwave because I can be lazy and it works as well as boiling.
https://veganhuggs.com/vegan-mac-n-cheese/
There's also a good one from the Vegan 8 cookbook that uses cashews, dairy free yogurt, djion mustard & seasonings and is topped with breadcrumbs if you like that kind. I've tried many kinds so I sort of play around with the seasonings.
LeftInTX
(25,681 posts)I don't know why she started bringing it.....I think my mom might have made at Christmas to satisfy a few picky grandkids....(Although my mom never made it for Christmas when we were young)
Maybe my daughter picked up a cue from my mom. It's all sort of a mystery that mac and cheese is suddenly at Thanksgiving. I don't mind. This year my son and his wife made it.
Raven
(13,906 posts)It always surprises me how much people love that dish.
SonofDonald
(2,050 posts)Is it wrong?
No
Kahuna7
(2,531 posts)a southern tradition. My family elders are from the south.
jpak
(41,760 posts)doesn't belong in a kitchen.
Just sayin'
CottonBear
(21,597 posts)Im just saying...
MuseRider
(34,136 posts)and I heard about it a few years ago and thought it was just an odd thing. This year I saw a lot about it. I think it may be pretty regional? There is also some pride in getting it crusty just the right amount around the edges, that is IMPORTANT from what I read. It is a starch like all the others but would be nasty with gravy! I use starch for my gravy because I have learned to be a primo gravy maker over the years so whatever can be soaked in gravy we have. LOL.
If I were to do Mac and cheese I might put a little truffle oil in it, just a tiny bit so it does not overwhelm or maybe lobster chunks because it is a meal worth going all out for.
no_hypocrisy
(46,251 posts)I recommended it for Thanksgiving. A delightful change from ziti and other pasta.
Laffy Kat
(16,391 posts)I've never heard of it for TG but it makes sense.
Vegans don't eat cheese. Some vegetarians do, though.
Phentex
(16,334 posts)at Thanksgiving just because.
nocoincidences
(2,234 posts)and definitely an African-American thing.
I'm glad to know it is spreading out to other areas.
I have experience it here in Virginia but when I was growing up in Southern Illiinois which is The South, believe me, it was Chicken and Dumplings that was the specialty dish passed down to different family member.
One year my ancient Aunt Lulla made it and left out the chicken. The job passed to Aunt Hilda after that.
Grasswire2
(13,571 posts)Start with the bechamel in a regular saute pan, add the cheese, then stir in the cooked elbow macaroni.
Then I turn it all into a medium hot cast iron skillet that is well buttered. Lay some more sliced cheddar on top.
The bottom browns into a buttery crust.
But that is its own supper, along with a green salad. We never have it for Thanksgiving.
MissMillie
(38,593 posts)My sister says it's a southern thing.
I just figure w/ all the other food we need to make, no use in wasting burner time or oven space on something you can have every day.
But my guy's son and his family wanted it. So they made it.
keithbvadu2
(36,990 posts)James Hemings was born in 1765 and legally became Jefferson's property in 1774, according to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. An immensely talented chef, he was responsible for the spread of French cuisine to America, including creme brulee, merengues, whipped cream and macaroni and cheese.