Macaroni *Doodle* Pie, insights into the History of Mac and Cheese

There is a lot of mythology around pasta. Macaroni was invented in Rome, pasta in Naples. Marco Polo introduced pasta to Italy. Thomas Jefferson brought Mac and Cheese to America. Like most topics I have touched on, it is not so simple. The history of pasta is complex, rooted in both independent invention and cultural exchange, with its acceptance in foodways often imbued with histories of ethnicity, racism, and other socio-cultural complexities of the time. As Kamala Harris said, “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree“? You are the product of everything and everyone that came before you. 

But this post is not about the history of pasta. 

If you are curious about the history of pasta, here are a few key facts:

• Pasta-like noodles have been recovered in archaeological contexts in China dating back some 2 thousand years.
• Arab traders may have brought the knowledge of dried noodles to the Mediterranean, though this is contested.
• The earliest records of pasta in Italy come from the Roman period. The Romans had a dish called “lagana,” made from layers of dough and likely resembled early forms of lasagna.

This post is about macaroni, a type of pasta. Our interest in macaroni partially stemmed from a recent trip to Monticello where numerous signs, tours, landscaping, etc. extolled the culinary zeal of Thomas Jefferson. 

But did he really invent mac and cheese, my beloved staple, as one sign claimed? As it turns out, there are so so so so many books and articles and blog posts published on Thomas Jefferson and mac and cheese (this one is pretty good). 

What caught our attention was the recipe, written by Thomas Jefferson, but pioneered by his slave, James Hemings. Within that single sentence lies the crux, why do we associate mac and cheese with Jefferson and not Hemings? As it turns out, mac and cheese, and its namesake noodle macaroni, reflect a pattern of subjective remembrance. 

Let’s start with the first half of the name for mac and cheese, macaroni. I am sure most of you have heard the legend that Marco Polo introduced Italy to it. And the associated rhyme….

Yankee Doodle went to town

Riding on a pony

Stuck a feather in his hat

And called it Macaroni

If you are wondering if this is just a fun nursery rhyme and legend, you would be correct. Pasta was already well known to the Italian world and had been for some time. It is likely that his famous association with macaroni stems from his boastful stories of his journeys to the East, recounted in “The Travels of Marco Polo” by Rustichello da Pisa. Except, scholars have long questioned whether he actually visited many of the places described therein.

Just like how Marco Polo, through his own boasting and historical circumstance, became renowned as a traveler credited with introducing the Western world to the “exotic” East and bringing macaroni to Italy, Thomas Jefferson is seen as an idealized founding father who did more than just politics, promoting exploration, and the bringing of new foodways and culinary traditions to this developing nation (I know there is much more here, but for time’s sake…).

Except, Thomas Jefferson’s life is rooted in controversy and contradicting beliefs. He promoted liberty but also supported slavery, owning up to 600 slaves and freeing only 2 in his lifetime. He expressed interest and respect for Native cultures but also was a major proponent of westward expansion and assimilation. And, while he did bring many new foodways to America from his time in France, such as the pasta press, he did not invent mac and cheese. 

The combination of pasta and cheese has a long history, dating back to ancient Roman times. The first printed recipe resembling modern macaroni and cheese appeared in 18th-century England in Elizabeth Raffald’s 1769 cookbook, “The Experienced English Housekeeper.” In other words, people have long realized that cheese and pasta pair well. Thomas Jefferson popularized a version of it, called “macaroni pie.”

Why was pasta not popular before Thomas Jefferson? Many reasons, but likely a major factor was the availability of food. It was not cheap to import things. Thomas Jefferson; however, was not poor. It was his wealth that allowed him to throw lavish parties and partake in elaborate dinners. But it must be said, that while he may have been the man with the means, all the innovation and culinary expertise resided with his slave, James Hemings. Except for much of history, that is not the name people remember.

James Hemings, born into slavery at Monticello, became a cook for Thomas Jefferson as a young man. He would go to Paris with Thomas Jefferson and was trained as a chef in French cuisine, a significant achievement given the context of his circumstances. Although Jefferson would highly value and rely on his talent, Hemings remained enslaved until 1796, when he was finally granted his freedom. Hemings returned to the United States, but his life was marked by personal struggles and health issues, eventually leading him to commit suicide. It was not until fairly recently that his name, and achievements, entered the conversation.

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