She might not look like much but this is the stuff that I grew up with at my Aunt Lucille's house. It is old school Mac and Cheese. Custardy and rich and made with love. Her house keeper got the recipe from working at a cafeteria in Columbia, SC. It is very much the same sort of Mac n Cheese served at the S&S Cafeteria in Charleston today.
If you have never eaten at an old school southern style Cafeteria you are missing out. The variety of food alone if staggering. But the quality is also very good. Most things are made in house and fresh. It's also quite the dining experience. Moving your tray down the three pronged line and staring through the sneeze guard while you point at and choose the items you want to eat.
My favorite thing at Morrison's was the fried shrimp. But the Mac n Cheese was up there too. All the food came in little portions in monkey dishes. Little round bowls that held a portion nicely.
In my forthcoming book I have a whole story about going to Morrison's as a child. I hope you get one and read it when it comes out.
Until then I will leave with this published recipe from Morrison's for their Mac N Cheese. I of course have some interpretation in there but more the most part this is the real deal!
Morrison's-Style
Macaroni and Cheese
16
ounces of elbow macaroni uncooked
1/2
cup unsalted butter
1/2
cup all-purpose flour
3
1/4 cups evaporated milk, warmed
11/2
teaspoons dried mustard
1
teaspoon white pepper
1/4
teaspoons nutmeg
2
teaspoons salt
1/2
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2
eggs
2
1/2 cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
11/2
cups grated Monterey jack cheese (Gruyere if you want more flavor)
1/2
cup grated hard cheese like aged Parmesan (my addition)
Method
Preheat
oven to 400 degrees.
Cook
macaroni per package directions and drain
Heat
butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Stir in flour and cook 3
minutes
Use a whisk and add milk, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens Add spices and the salt
and pepper.
Beat
eggs slightly and add small amount of sauce to eggs so they don’t turn into
scrambled eggs and then add egg mixture to sauce. Add Parmesan and stir. Taste
sauce and adjust seasoning should be highly seasoned. If it is too thick add
milk, should be a pourable sauce.
Set
aside 1 cup grated cheddar cheese for top.
Add
1/3 of the macaroni to a buttered 2-quart casserole top with 1/3 of the
remaining cheese.
Then continue alternating layers of
macaroni and cheese. Pour sauce all over. Then top with the reserved cheese
Bake
25 to 30 minutes and serve.
