Why we can't get enough mac n' cheese
Ever wonder why macaroni and cheese is so dang good? There's a bunch of science behind it – the dish is full of rich ingredients which make our brain think it's won the lottery. There's also the comfort food factor – mac n' cheese brings up fuzzy warm memories of home.
But here in Wisconsin, we know what makes this dish phenomenal: the cheese. See, cheese is the heavyweight in this iconic duo. The mac is just along for the ride, or more specifically, for the cheese to ride on during the short journey to your mouth. Macaroni brings much needed structure, but it's the cheese that delivers all the melty goodness and big bang flavor.
If all this talk is making you hungry, just browse our website to find the best mac and cheese recipe - we've got oodles to spare. And if you want to know how to kick your mac into cheesy overdrive, we've got great tips below.
Making marvelous mac n' cheese
The beauty of mac n' cheese: any way you make it, it's gonna be great. That said, there are a few tips we can pass on that'll deliver even louder cheers of culinary delight at the table.
1. It takes two cheeses to tango with mac. For really great macaroni and cheese, you need a cheese that melts well and a cheese that packs a punch. A few cheeses do both (that's a shout out to you, cheddar, emmentaler, and your other alpine-style, fondue favorites). But lots of cheeses only check one box. No worries – you can combine two or more cheeses to get the perfect balance of creamy goodness and soul-satisfying flavor.
2. Nice and easy means good and cheesy. When melting your cheese, if you heat it too fast, you're likely to end up with lumps. Take it slow, over low heat.
3. Cheese likes the curves. When choosing pasta, skip over the sleek and skinny noodles for curvy shapes that have nooks, crannies, grooves, and holes that can trap the cheesy goodness.
4. Put the brakes on the pasta. Your cheese sauce wants the pasta to still have some form when it comes out of the oven. To keep it from becoming a mushy mess, undercook the pasta by a minute or two before adding the cheese and popping it in the oven.
Wisconsin n' mac n' cheese, oh my!
Mac n' cheese isn't usually serious fare, but in Wisconsin, we take anything with cheese seriously. That's what happens when an entire state is focused on being the best at one thing: making the tastiest, most award-winning, highest-quality cheese in the universe.
That's why 90% of our milk is made into cheese, and why we are home to the only Master Cheesemaker program in the world outside of Switzerland. It's why our 1200 cheesemakers are constantly striving to push the boundaries of what cheese can be, and why our cheeses often take home the coveted Best in the World prize, along with thousands of other awards – 5,552 and counting.
So, when you're ready to make some freaking awesome mac n' cheese, if you bring the freaking pasta, and we'll supply the awesome cheese.
Craving award-winning aged cheddar, pining for parmesan, or searching for a new cheese to try? The world’s best cheese is just a click away! Explore our directory of Wisconsin cheesemakers and retailers who offer online cheese shopping and get cheese shipped right to your door. What are you waiting for?
