• Kusimulkku
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    5
    arrow-down
    5
    ·
    1 month ago

    Ah yes, the culinary skill needed for making macaroni with cheese

      • Kusimulkku
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        arrow-down
        4
        ·
        1 month ago

        I just don’t feel like there’s any cooking skill involved in making macaroni and cheese to begin with lol

        • johannesvanderwhales@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          7
          ·
          1 month ago

          Well, I mean, I can think of several different variations of a stovetop version (bechamel, the sodium citrate, or the condensed milk version that’s been gaining popularity), a question of whether to bake it or not, endless add-ins, choices of cheese to use, choice of pasta to use. Making a bechamel without lumps is not hard but it does require some knowledge of basic technique. And it is actually conceivable that someone would use fresh pasta, which is a whole different ballgame. So while macaroni and cheese in its most basic is not at all a difficult dish it leaves tons of room for putting a personal spin on it…which means it has plenty of ways it can go wrong, too. I’ve certainly had plenty of disappointing mac and cheese in my life, sometimes at restaurants that really should be able to do better.

          • Kusimulkku
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            1 month ago

            …you’ve ordered macaroni and cheese at a restaurant?

            • johannesvanderwhales@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              4
              ·
              1 month ago

              Yeah? Fancy baked mac and cheese isn’t uncommon at all, sometimes dressed up with stuff like lobster and truffle oil, or sometimes as some sort of baked Wisconsin three cheese deal with crispy bread crumbs. Or it’s a staple side at BBQ restaurants, and a lot of people people will judge a place harshly on its quality. I’ve also seen a lot of fried mac and cheese wedges on pub menus (which I do not recommend, just fill your wedges with cheese instead, the extra carbs add nothing).

              • Kusimulkku
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                1
                ·
                30 days ago

                They don’t where I live. It just doesn’t seem like a restaurant-y thing to me.

            • tortillaPeanuts@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              30 days ago

              Go to Applebee’s and order Four-Cheese Mac & Cheese with honey pepper chicken tenders. The chicken tenders are excellent but the Mac and Cheese is the most watery garbage I’ve ever eaten. Then you will understand the true skill of making delicious Mac and Cheese.

    • EvolvedTurtle@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      30 days ago

      You’d be surprised There is a definite difference between Mac and cheese from someone who can cook vs someone who can’t

      Ofcourse you can mess up the basic like the milk and butter ratio and for more advanced stuff you can always have add ins like more cheese or some seasoning

      Hell have you ever had Mac and cheese with some caramelized onions. Idk if I’m crazy for that but damn it’s good