Who brings the mac and cheese to Thanksgiving?

[nocoincidences]

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]

1. Is Mac and cheese

on Thanksgiving a southern thing?

[hlthe2b]

3. I've never had it for Thanksgiving either--either with family or friends.

[Ohiogal]

4. Me either.

[yonder]

8. Ditto.

[smirkymonkey]

19. We had some guests this year who brought mac and cheese to our dinner, but I thought

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]

20. Yep, we've never done thateither.

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]

24. Me either

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]

30. Honestly, on TG there is no such thing as enough carbs.

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]

38. Me three

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]

10. It's a pot-luck thing here in SoCal in recent years.

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]

11. We have it on Thanksgiving

along with the turkey, stuffing, brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, Yum-Yum, etc.

We're in California.

[Iggo]

12. .

[yellerpup]

29. When we lived in Charlotte, NC

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. Mac and cheese, stuffing, rolls, gravy, green bean casserole ... too much starch for my taste. I'd

save M&C for another time. It would be a good reason to throw another party????

[csziggy]

25. Yeah - just right!

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]

5. my daughter made it the first time she had Thanksgiving with her inlaws

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]

6. Here ya go!

Mac & Cheese Chick

[Peacetrain]

7. Mac and cheese is back on my Thanksgiving menu because the nieces and nephews now have children

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]

36. I never used to make it for thanksgiving either

but I started making it so my picky granddaughter will have something to eat.

[The Wielding Truth]

9. Have so much else mac and cheese would be too much. Besides it's not our tradition.

[guillaumeb]

13. I never eat it.

I tried it once, and that once convinced me to never eat it again.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

14. I think it's a southern thing.

I like mac & cheese but I've never had it for Thanksgiving.

[Turin_C3PO]

15. In my experience,

Mac and cheese for Thanksgiving is traditional with African-Americans primarily. Not that others don’t do it also, of course.

[CottonBear]

42. It is a traditional Southern African American side dish.

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 year’s family Thanksgiving gathering, my teenage niece’s 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]

16. Last year, somebody here on DU posted a map

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.

In black culture, for the most part, macaroni & cheese is the pinnacle, the highest culinary accolade. Who makes it, how it’s made and who’s allowed to bring it to a gathering involves negotiation, tradition and tacit understanding. It’s made from scratch and usually involves multiple kinds of cheese, secret touches (eggs and evaporated milk may be involved) and debates over toppings. It’s baked, and it’s a side dish, but it’s the side dish of honor, present at every important occasion.

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. Here’s the one I’ve found to be most reliable: https://divascancook.com/southern-baked-macaroni-and-cheese-recipe/. It is a different formula that I’d ever tried before and it is SO darned good. I’ve tweaked it a little for my taste but I make it at least once a month. My family absolutely hovers around the kitchen until it’s done.

[CottonBear]

44. That's the DU post that made me aware of the Mac & Cheese side dish.

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]

46. Wow,

that’s the exact menu my family had too!

[CottonBear]

47. Yum! The cornbread dressing and gravy are the best part!

My mom’s sweet potato soufflé does NOT include marshmallows. Sometimes, though, she adds some crushed pineapple.

I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving! 🍁🦃🍠🎃🥧🙏🍽🍁

I think I’ll make cornbread today. 🌞😊

[steventh]

17. FYI vegans don't eat cheese. There are vegan cheese substitutes but they don't melt well

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]

21. And god don't we know it!

[Phentex]

31. Cashews, my friend...

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]

34. Thanks my friend. Good to know!

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]

37. This is the one I use...

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]

18. My daughter started bringing it about 5 years ago. Now it's a staple

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]

22. I do and it gets devoured.

It always surprises me how much people love that dish.

[SonofDonald]

33. Mac n Cheese worship

Is it wrong?

No

[Kahuna7]

41. Mac n cheese goes really good along side candied yams. It may be

a southern tradition. My family elders are from the south.

[jpak]

23. Anyone that doesn't make mac and cheese **without** crushed cornflakes on top

doesn't belong in a kitchen.

Just sayin'

[CottonBear]

45. You are very brave to bring up crushed cornflakes.

I’m just saying...

[MuseRider]

26. We never had it either

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]

27. When I was handing out samples of Mac and Cheese at my supermarket,

I recommended it for Thanksgiving. A delightful change from ziti and other pasta.

[Laffy Kat]

28. It's the ultimate comfort food.

I've never heard of it for TG but it makes sense.

Vegans don't eat cheese. Some vegetarians do, though.

[Phentex]

32. We never normally did but now I make a vegan version...

at Thanksgiving just because.

[nocoincidences]

35. I suspect it is more of a southern thing,

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]

39. I make mac and cheese a new way. Butter fried in cast iron skillet.

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]

40. Until this year I've never had it for Thanksgiving

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]

43. James Hemings was born in 1765 and legally became Jefferson's property in 1774

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.