Macaroni and Please, May I Have Another Helping?

My dad has prepared Thanksgiving and Christmas meals ninety-nine percent of the time. The same goes for other holidays and Sunday evening meals, as well as meals throughout the week. On any given holiday, there is the main protein, the green sides and other trimmings, but nothing is more soulful and comfort-giving than his homemade baked macaroni and cheese.

The ooey-gooey dish is a staple in most Southern cuisine, but is also a comfort food in the North, especially my hometown of Newark, Delaware. The love my Dad bakes into this dish is always keenly felt. He takes his time, like a chemist combining various elements. He always knows exactly how much of each ingredient to add to this cheesy delight, and eyeballs all his measurements.

His recipe:

Elbow macaroni

Half & half

Cheddar cheese (preferably), provolone, and anything but mozzarella (it makes the dish too stringy)

Panko breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350° F

Melt one-and-a-half sticks of butter in a pan, but add more if you’re a student of Julia Child

Add half and half and seasonings to melted butter, and simmer in a pan

Boil and drain elbow macaroni

Pour macaroni into a non-stick pot (copper-coated suggested)

Pour melted butter and half-and-half mixture over macaroni

Add the assortment of cheeses

Add salt and black pepper to taste

Sprinkle some extra cheese and panko breadcrumbs on top for super flavorful impact

Bake for 45 minutes

For seven years, my dad was a single father who never let my sister and me go without. We had clothes, our own rooms, and anything we could ask for in life. When he married my stepmother, his position as head chef of the household didn’t change. Whenever Dad whips up some macaroni and cheese, it is a big deal. The creaminess, the slight crunch, the hint of spice from the black pepper, and the warmth of it all, envelops you like a sweater in winter.

Eating Dad’s macaroni and cheese is a special occasion, like celebrating a birthday, or holiday. All of his dishes nourish the spirit as well as the body, but this one is his signature savory dish. It is my favorite because of what ought to be called “The Moment,” that instant when the salt-and-peppery mixture of cheese and macaroni dance the tango on the taste buds. The smooth creaminess of the entire dish rolls over the tongue and finishes with a profound richness.

The way he cooks is a sight to behold. I remember asking him once, as he was preparing Thanksgiving dinner in 2011, how he made a whole meal. He said, “I pace myself, and clean up after myself, and make sure all of my surfaces are spotless. I take care to recognize ingredients, and use the recipe in my head.”

Just hearing him explain the process whetted my appetite. Watching him move around the kitchen reminded me of the affection that goes into all his creations, but especially this macaroni’s creamy goodness. He cooks it up for us in the tough times, and the good, so it may sound strange, but I think my father’s macaroni and cheese helps bind us together as a family. It exemplifies his love and care for all of us, extended family included. It is always more than a meal, it is his form of trade. His offering: ingredients, time and careful preparation; His return: the love, affection, and gratitude of happy, well-nourished family members around his dinner table.

I take great pride in knowing my dad still fixes this dish. Recently, we ate a batch right out of that copper pot, and the smell alone brings back many happy memories.

With the cheesiest, most seasoned, and mouth-watering dish that he makes, the food delights the tongue and touches the soul.