Another popular American dish that owes its popularity to Black chefs of the past is macaroni and cheese.
Macaroni and cheese became a popular American dish thanks in part to James Hemings, an enslaved worker at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. Hemings trained as a chef for three years in France and brought the then-popular-in-Paris recipe back to the U.
S., where it was served in the White House. The secret to perfect tortiglioni with peppers and eggplant from a 1929 Italian cookbook “Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, is often credited with popularizing macaroni and cheese, and French cuisine in general, in the country. However, it was actually enslaved chef James Hemings, who, through his skills and labor, enabled Jefferson to serve fine French cuisine, including macaroni and cheese, to his guests,” writesHemings, who was enslaved under Jefferson, trained in France for three years and was considered to be one of the best-trained chefs in America at the time. He returned and worked as a chef for Jefferson, who was then Secretary of State, and“Based on historical records, macaroni and cheese was a frequent meal served at Monticello; Jefferson imported dozens of pounds of macaroni between the 1790s and his death in 1826,” Malik writes."American Soul: The Black History of Food in the United States" by Anela Malik and Renae Wilson is available in bookstores and online now. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 3 1/2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. In a large pot, cook macaroni in boiling salted water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain macaroni and return noodles to pot. Add 1 tablespoon butter and stir until melted. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir until well incorporated, 2 to 4 minutes. Add garlic powder, mustard powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, pepper and nutmeg and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in whole and evaporated milks and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, toss Gouda, cheddar and Gruyère. Measure 2/3 cup of cheese mixture and set aside. Add remaining cheese to the saucepan and stir until melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir macaroni into the cheese sauce, then transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Top everything with the reserved 2/3 cup of cheese. Bake until the edges are bubbly and the top is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.Asking Eric: If I wanted the neighbors at my party, I'd invite themNine skiers still missing after large avalanche near Truckee Hundreds of agents search for Savannah Guthrie's mom as her case spotlights other families left behindHarriette Cole: My friend got mad that my husband didn't foot the billDear Abby: The wedding plans mean somebody's feelings are going to be hurt
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