Macaroni And Cheese [Paperback]

Marlena Spieler (Author), Noel Barnhurst (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 10, 2005

From the kitchen that brought us the I-have-never-seen-anything-yummier Grilled Cheese comes the it-just-got-yummier Macaroni & Cheese. The kid-friendly favorite is now being spotted at the trendiest restaurants around town, and this fantastic cookbook has it all. More than 50 classics range from the tried-and-true Yankee Doodle Dandy Baked Macaroni and Cheese and quick to prepare specialties such as the yodel-worthy Alpine Macaroni with Appenzeller and Crme Frache to international specialties like Giuvetchi, a Greek dish of orzo in a cinnamon tomato sauce with lamb and kasseri, myzithra, and feta cheeses. There are even a few dessert versions like Falooda, a traditional Indian treat, this one using ricotta and sweet vermicelli, with cherries and a touch of cardamom. Recipes for side salads and soups help round out a balanced meal. Mac & cheeseit'll always please.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

For some people, the Platonic form of macaroni and cheese comes from a blue and orange cardboard box. This book is for everyone else, or at least everyone else who isn't "vegan, allergic to dairy products, or counting carbs or fat." For these gravy-blooded souls, the Platonic form of macaroni and cheese might be Noodles with Green Parsley Garlic Butter, a big bowl of egg noodles drowned in herb butter and then tossed with emmanthal or gruyere for a delicious, artery-clogging indulgence. Other macaroni and cheese lovers might choose gooey Macaroni and Double Asparagus Gratin, or old fashioned Tuna-Noodle Casserole, here dressed up with peas, mushrooms and parsley. The author, a London-based food writer, treats macaroni and cheese with the right amount of reverence, acknowledging that "those who love (it) probably loved it as children, too." Still, she dares to take this most American dish global with recipes for Pastitsio, a Greek-style pasta, and Falooda, an Indian dessert made with cherries and ice cream. These iterations, alongside such basics as Yankee Doodle Dandy Baked Macaroni and Cheese, are sure to please even the most dedicated mac and cheese purist, while delighting anyone with a soft spot for comfort food.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Marlena Spieler is the author of over 50 cookbooks published worldwide, including Grilled Cheese , and has written for Bon App tit and Saveur . She writes the San Francisco Chronicle award-winning food column "The Roving Feast" and is a three-time James Beard nominee. Born in Sacramento, California, she lives in Hampshire, England.

Noel Barnhurst is a San Francisco based photographer whose work has appeared in Bon App tit and Fine Cooking .

Product Details

• Paperback: 132 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (November 10, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811849627
• ISBN-13: 978-0811849623
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 8.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #235,572 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #50 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Cooking by Ingredient > Pasta

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes Mac and Cheese Something Special, December 28, 2006

By 

skeeterville (Haslett, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Macaroni And Cheese (Paperback)

Here's a book to enjoy in the winter months. Actually I never was a fan of the packaged mac and cheese with the powdered day-glo orange cheese. So this book had to go some way to win me over. It did.

The author's love of this food comes through on every page. She is enthusiastic without being cloying (well, maybe a little cloying), and it's apparent that her recipes have actually been tested in a home kitchen. The book is well illustrated with color pictures of about every third recipe.

The recipes should satisfy the most discriminating home cooks, without being intimidating for novices. This is real food, not just something to donate to a pot-luck dinner. Recipes range from "Macaroni with Moroccan-spiced Butter and Shredded Goat Cheese" to "Trinadadian Macaroni Pie." Even the old familiar dishes are made special. The first recipe my wife and I tried was the old stand-by "Tuna Noodle Casserole," which the author made special with the addition of porcini mushrooms and a mushroom bechemel sauce. Absolutely delicious!

If you like pasta and cheese and enjoy coooking, this cookbook is for you.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book!, March 13, 2008

By 

S. Lester (Orange, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Macaroni And Cheese (Paperback)

This book is awesome for cheese and food lovers. I love it! There is a huge variety of recipes in here - I feel like I could cook dinner from it every day and not get bored. There are classic recipes ("Yankee Doodle Dandy") and some things I would never have thought to include in a Mac & Cheese book ("Minestrone al pesto con Formaggio"), but are equally tasty.

She also spends time discussing different types of cheeses and pastas, which I found very enlightening. I also liked the section where she talks about making macaroni & cheese without preplanning. It makes this book great for both types of cooks: 1) those who use cookbooks for inspiration and 2) those who use cookbooks as step-by-step instruction manuals. She allows for (and encourages) experimenting but does not require it.

Another thing I like is that the cookbook has a very narrative quality to it. I spent my first night with this book, just reading it from cover to cover. Her writing is entertaining and lighthearted and gives character to her recipes.

As much as I love this book, I will provide one caveat. This book is best suited to foodies and cheese connoisseurs, as opposed to the average American suburban mom. While these recipes are great for families, you need to have a place you go to get good cheeses. You can't just use the Kraft Cheddar that you bought at Albertson's, and certainly not Velveeta or anything like that. There are some simple recipes, but many are more complicated, and many involve ingredients that you're not going to get at your average neighborhood grocery (Creme Fraiche, exotic cheeses, truffle oil, fennel seeds, etc.) That said, depending on where you live, you probably have a store nearby where you can get these things, and it's worth a small drive to get good cheese.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Family loves this food, July 18, 2007

By 

Kat Hassard "boomer_mom" (Saratoga, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Macaroni And Cheese (Paperback)

Yum. Just finished another recipe - this time 'Macaroni and Cheese for People Who Love Onions'. The flavors of the Cheshire and Sharp Cheddar cheeses mixed together were tremendous. It's quick to cook for a weekday night, too.

Another great recipe from this book is 'Yankee Doodle Dandy Baked Macaroni and Cheese'. My guests loved it for July 4th.

This book also provides readers with information about the many types of cheeses found in different parts of the world. The author invents many recipes from her travels and the little stories at the top of each recipe are enlightening.

This is good cookbook for teenagers and/or beginning cooks.