Mac and cheese has been a staple comfort food in the diet of American kids — and many adults — since it was first created in 14th century Italy. Nearly 400 years after its invention, James Hemings — who was a French-trained chef enslaved by Thomas Jefferson — is credited as the first to introduce mac and cheese to America. Thanks to Hemings, it’s likely you remember growing up with the cheesy noodles, whether homemade in a creamy roux sauce or out of the box, courtesy of Kraft Mac & Cheese or Velveeta Shells & Cheese.
Boxed mac and cheese varieties hit the mainstream during the Great Depression and are still a hit nearly 100 years later. Now you can find all kinds of iterations of the cheesy noodle dish, from deep-fried county fair mac and cheese bites to mac and cheese pizza. Here in Madison, chefs use our state’s top-notch dairy products, and a dash of global inspiration, to take mac and cheese to the next level.
On the Square, Common Pasta is a must-stop food truck at lunchtime, and not just for its variety of handmade pasta dishes. Chef Jon Rosnow purchased the food truck business from original owners Brian Baur and Thomas Durbin in 2020, and along with it an original mac and cheese recipe.