Newsletter #4: Life, Love, and an Ode to Macaroni & Cheese

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Newsletter #4:
Life, Love, and an Ode to Macaroni & Cheese

William Doran — March 28, 2021



Some days instill a strong desire to plunge into the nearest sofa and a bowl of something really good.

While my ruminations may not technically qualify as an ode, I do think they offer an appropriate amount of praise for this simple, yet magical, combination of pasta and cheese. With so many uncertainties in the world, we can usually rely on the citadel of the stove-top to deliver some sense of control over our lives - and the certainty of really good macaroni and cheese can be very cathartic and comforting these days.

Stovetop Macaroni & Cheese

FULL RECIPE

Stove-top mac starts with a basic sauce - mornay - which is just a fancy French word for cheese sauce. The process is simple and universal: fat + flour + liquid = sauce.


Something we can throw a little hot sauce on and eat directly from the pot. We are adults and can own this decision.

For some people (myself included), cooking can bring a sincere comfort - an unwinding, sense of relief that comes from the certainty of doing something we know, step-by-step, towards a known outcome - something we can throw a little hot sauce on and eat directly from the pot. Perhaps something worthy of a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day (a la Judith Viorst’s beloved 1972 children’s book of the same name, based on her actual son).

So many childhood memories embedded in this beautiful illustration by Ray Cruz. Maybe Alexander just needed some mac and cheese. This week, I found an incredible amount of comfort not only in macaroni and cheese, but in the wise and witty words of octogenarian author, Judith Viorst. My quest to document macaroni and cheese led me down many rabbit holes, as do most of my writing endeavors.

Connecting the comforting powers of macaroni to “having a bad day” led me to Alexander and the life and work of his mother-author. Previously unbeknownst to me, Judith Viorst is an inexhaustible and beautifully hilarious poet who, since the 1960s, has written about her life - decade by decade - landing most recently on her newest book of poems, Nearing 90.

“Learning to take pleasure in the ordinary pleasures of every-day life.” —Judith Viorst

Listen to her talk about her work here, and read some of it too. Whether you have grandparents or not (or if you’ve found yourself taking care of one), this is a must-listen that gave me some much needed perspective on my own life recently. I will certainly be listening to Judith next time I make a pot of macaroni and cheese for my own octogenarian (as I did today).

Materials & Methods

FULL RECIPE

Since fat equals flavor, we’re using a combination of butter and olive oil. Starch (in this case flour) is lightly toasted in the fat to make a light roux - equal parts fat and flour.

Vigorously stir the flour until it’s fully incorporated and continue cooking for about one minute.

We’re caramelizing shallots and blooming some black pepper and nutmeg in our fat before finishing the sauce. This is optional, but highly recommended!

Then, liquid is added to emulsify everything into a luxurious sauce base. Our liquid consists of wine, first, and then dairy. Again, the wine can be omitted, but I highly recommend dry vermouth!!

Milk or cream is added a few tablespoons at a time, stirring constantly to fully incorporate the liquid with each addition.

You’ve now made bechamél (a fancy French word for cream sauce). Visual reference for consistency - notice that the shallots have disappeared.

Finish with good cheese and a little hot sauce. Whatever cheese you have on hand is good - as long as, you know, it’s good.

Make your favorite pasta shape and toss it in the sauce. Taste it and add additional salt, pepper, or hot sauce as needed.


Serve with more grated or shredded cheese. C’est tout!

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Let’s Make Dinner — Fri., April 16, 6-8 PM


Make dinner with me and a small cohort of other adventurous cooks on Friday, April 16 for the second installment of Family Dinner - we will be making Vegetable Stir Fry with Noodles & Tahini Dressing. We’ll learn a little, eat a little, and talk a lot. All you need is a smart phone or computer. Get your ingredients together, put on your aprons, and make a drink. Sign up to join the party.