The (Black) History of Mac and Cheese
It’s no secret that many of the most popular comfort foods in the US began as regional favorites in the South. And it follows that many of those foods would have their roots in, specifically, black soul food traditions. One of the most popular sides in US history, Mac and Cheese, is no exception. The truth is, the history of mac and cheese is Black History, but the knowledge is far less known than it should be.
Technically, the roots of mac and cheese can be traced as far as medieval Italy, but in the same way that Italian noodles were born in China. Once Italians made pasta their own, it was no longer the lo mein of eastern Asia. The same is so for the classic food we call “mac.” The macaroni dish that’s been a favorite for generations in the States goes back to a 1390 recipe for “makerouns” itself possibly derived from an earlier recipe for an early ancestor of ravioli.
Classic macaroni and cheese came to the United States in the era of the Founding Fathers by way of France. The American introduction of mac and cheese is actually owed to James Hemings, a former slave of US President Thomas Jefferson and America’s first French-trained chef. If you were to just search “mac and cheese origins,” some sources still tout Thomas Jefferson for “popularizing it” while completely omitting the place of Hemings, who introduced not only mac and cheese to America. Even at the Monticello website today, though, the earliest recipe for macaroni and cheese in Jefferson’s hand is admitted to have been “most likely dictated to him” by Hemings or Edith Hern Fossett. Fossett was another of Jefferson’s slaves who had been trained in the culinary arts in France. Edith’s husband, Joseph Fossett, would eventually be able to free his wife and children, who would settle in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Jefferson, like fellow founder Benjamin Franklin, was very fond of France. As he was infatuated by French cuisine, he had French chefs train Hemings and others enslaved at Jefferson’s estate, Monticello. Jefferson was especially a fan of the prototypical mac that, again, came to the US by way of Ancient Rome, medieval Europe, and France by way of James Hemings. If Hemings’ surname rings a bell, it’s because he is also the brother of Sally Hemings, with whom Jefferson fathered multiple children.
Hemings apprenticed under multiple types of chefs and even worked as a chef for the Prince de Condé. In 1793, Hemings requested his freedom from Jefferson who granted it, with the condition that he train a replacement. Hemings trained his brother Peter at Monticello to take his place. and became one of the two slaves (out of Jefferson’s 602 owned in his lifetime) to negotiate for their freedom. Jefferson was negotiating with Hemings to be the White House chef. Hemings, apparently not as fond of Jefferson as Jefferson was of Hemings’ cooking, declined the invitation.
At MacAttack, we like to bring home the point that classic soul food and comfort food can be gourmet if done right. The Black origins of mac and cheese’s introductions are a perfect example of this. Stay tuned to the mac&chat blog for more soul food history all month as part of our celebration of Juneteenth.
What other history topics related to soul food or mac and cheese would you like to see in Mac&Chat? Sound off in the comments!
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