# Paula Deen Mac And Cheese



## CatPat (Dec 10, 2013)

This is wonderful! We made this tonight.

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Recipe : Paula Deen : Recipes : Food Network

It is cooked in the crockpot.

I'm still experimenting with southern foods.

With love,
~Cat


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## Addie (Dec 10, 2013)

CatPat said:


> This is wonderful! We made this tonight.
> 
> Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Recipe : Paula Deen : Recipes : Food Network
> 
> ...



Cat, be careful. A lot of Paula Deen's recipes can pack on the pounds. They are vey high in calories.


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## Dawgluver (Dec 10, 2013)

Addie said:


> Cat, be careful. A lot of Paula Deen's recipes can pack on the pounds. They are vey high in calories.



But they taste so good!  They're a "sometimes" food.  As much as Cat runs, bikes, and burns calories, I don't think she's going to gain any weight.


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## Addie (Dec 10, 2013)

Dawgluver said:


> But they taste so good!  They're a "sometimes" food.  As much as Cat runs, bikes, and burns calories, I don't think she's going to gain any weight.



Oh her recipes are delicious. But you do have to look at the nutritional values.


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## CatPat (Dec 10, 2013)

Both of you are right. Her dishes are very rich, and I do run and ride my bike with Azia. 

We don't know anything of my medical background from my birth parents. Mamma has always been very careful of me, and I do love being outdoors and active. I'm 5'2 and I weigh 92.1 pounds. I just weighed myself after Addie said that, ha!

And for myself, not knowing if there is diabetes or arthritis or cancer or other things in my birth family, I'm careful to take the physical every year, to get my shots (in case I bite someone) and try to take good care of my body and my teeth and eyes.

This probably did have 500,000 calories in it but it was very good! I sent plenty home with my friends. Now they'll be fat, and not I. Ha!

With love,
~Cat


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## Addie (Dec 11, 2013)

CatPat said:


> Both of you are right. Her dishes are very rich, and I do run and ride my bike with Azia.
> 
> We don't know anything of my medical background from my birth parents. Mamma has always been very careful of me, and I do love being outdoors and active. I'm 5'2 and I weigh 92.1 pounds. I just weighed myself after Addie said that, ha!
> 
> ...



Cat, if  you go to the Food Network site and look at her recipes, you will see that most of them are way above the recommended caloric intake for the average person. She caught a lot of flack after it was revealed that she had been diagnosed with Diabetes 2. She hid the fact for more than two years all the while making foods that no diabetic in their right mind would even look at, never mind eat. 

Southern food can be very tasty, and good for you. Most of their dishes are healthy and rely on veggies a lot. Beans are also a major staple in Southern cooking.


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## Aunt Bea (Dec 11, 2013)

One mac and cheese tip I learned from Paula Dean was to slightly overcook the macaroni so that it does not soak up all of the sauce and become dry.

I figured out how to get fat on my own, long before Paula came along.


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## Addie (Dec 11, 2013)

Aunt Bea said:


> One mac and cheese tip I learned from Paula Dean was to slightly overcook the macaroni so that it does not soak up all of the sauce and become dry.
> 
> I figured out how to get fat on my own, long before Paula came along.



I have never been a fan of al dente. So I have always overcooked all my pasta.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 11, 2013)

I'm not sure I would choose Paula Deen as a good source of southern foods. She really does add unnecessary ingredients and calories to her recipes. You can make perfectly delicious macaroni and cheese without eggs, sour cream and a can of cheese soup. And I don't get the purpose of cooking it in the slow cooker.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Dec 11, 2013)

Any6 mac & cheese, but it's very nature is loaded with fat and carbohydrates.  I mean, the main ingredients are pasta and cheese.  How could it be otherwise?

To reduce the fat and calories a bit, use very sharp, and strong cheeses.  That way you don't need to use as much cheese to get the flavor you desire.  5 year aged cheddar is a good place to start, followed by something a little creamier, such as havarti or muenster.  Use milk to add moisture, and a bit of prepared yellow mustard to compliment the cheese flavor, and reduce the need for more salt.  Shred the cheese, and mix it into the hot pasta, off of the heat.  Put in your casserole dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs if desired, and bake for 40 minutes or so at 350.

This will give the cheeses time to blend their flavors, and become an integral part of the casserole.  It'll also toast the breadcrumbs.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Addie (Dec 11, 2013)

GotGarlic said:


> I'm not sure I would choose Paula Deen as a good source of southern foods. She really does add unnecessary ingredients and calories to her recipes. You can make perfectly delicious macaroni and cheese without eggs, sour cream and a can of cheese soup. And I don't get the purpose of cooking it in the slow cooker.



I am with you on that. One of the things she always did was when she took a bite, she didn't take just a little one like other chefs do, she always took two or more BIG ones. It used to turn my stomach sometimes to watch her. I could just see all that butter and fat flowing through her veins. A southern cook? Hardly. She gave Southern food a bad name. Unfortunately for her, fame went to her head and she ran in the wrong direction with it.


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## Aunt Bea (Dec 11, 2013)

I agree with using sharp cheese. I do it to keep the cost down, to heck with the calories.  I also use a little spicy mustard and a big pinch of cayenne.  If the cheese is a little wimpy I mince an onion and saute it when I make the roux for the cream sauce, it gives the flavor a little boost.

A good way to reduce the calories and boost the nutritional value is to toss in some chopped broccoli or stewed tomatoes.  If that is too radical serve the vegetables as a side dish. 

The best macaroni and cheese, at my house, comes about a week into the new year.  I stick my head in the refrigerator and pull out all of the odds and ends of cheese, sour cream and cream cheese based dips, cheese balls, gift packs with little wedges of processed cheese etc...  and put it all into the basic cream sauce.  While I'm at it I crumble up the leftover, chex mix, crackers and chips for a crunchy topping.

These tactics have caused more than one young skeptic to ask "what's in it" as they cautiously consider eating at my house!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Dec 11, 2013)

I'm not a huge fan of the sharp cheese dips, cheese logs, and stuff like that.  I'm also not big on processed cheese foods, such as the Hillshire Farm Cheddar Cheese in a tub.  When I want cheese, I want real cheese.  

But cheese macaroni isn't supposed to taste like cheese.  And those cheese tubs, and processed cheese foods are great to use for a good mac & cheese.  Of course, you can go gourmet and put some really great cheeses in your mac and cheese.  But that's very expensive.  Going that route, a casserole of mac & cheese could cost you $30-plus.  I may like gourmet, but I also have to live within my means.  That means I'm going to use very sharp cheese in small amounts for flavor, and those little cheese in a tub products.  Throw in some Velveeta, onion, mustard, salt, and milk, and you have a good tasting casserole.

Of course, you can always doctor up some of the Kraft Mac & cheese and get a pretty good stove top dish too.

My Stepfather used to love the mac & cheese made with U.S. Commodities cheese that was given out in the Great Depression years, and had cheap during the WW II years.  Me, I found it a bit bland.  But a whole generation grew up on it, and loved it.  Who am I to argue.  It's all good.

Seems to me we had a thread devoted to mac & cheese a while back.  If you really want some ideas, do a quick search in DC for the thread.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## jennyema (Dec 11, 2013)

GotGarlic said:


> I'm not sure I would choose Paula Deen as a good source of southern foods. She really does add unnecessary ingredients and calories to her recipes. You can make perfectly delicious macaroni and cheese without eggs, sour cream and a can of cheese soup. And I don't get the purpose of cooking it in the slow cooker.


 
I agree entirely.

There is no reason whatsoever to use a can of soup in mac and cheese.


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## Steve Kroll (Dec 11, 2013)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> ...But cheese macaroni isn't supposed to taste like cheese.


Sorry, I agreed with you up until this point, Chief, but I have to say "baloney" to that. 

Maybe it's just part of my Wisconsin upbringing, but when I have mac & cheese, it had darned well better taste like cheese. No Velveeta. No Kraft Singles. No canned cheese soup. No artificial "stuff".

Only real cheese. 

I don't always exclusively use Cheddar, although that's usually at least the bulk of the blend. I also like to mix in a little bit of stronger cheeses like Parmesan, Romano, Asiago, or whatever happens to be on hand.


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## Oldvine (Dec 11, 2013)

Mac and cheese is a calorie loaded treat at our house so when it's on the dinner menu, no one is counting those calories since we relish every single one of them.  

I agree about not needing eggs, sour cream and a can of cheese soup, but to each their own.   I also agree that the best batches of mac and cheese come from those combinations of cheeses and other tidbits in the fridge.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Dec 11, 2013)

Steve Kroll said:


> Sorry, I agreed with you up until this point, Chief, but I have to say "baloney" to that.
> 
> Maybe it's just part of my Wisconsin upbringing, but when I have mac & cheese, it had darned well better taste like cheese. No Velveeta. No Kraft Singles. No canned cheese soup. No artificial "stuff".
> 
> ...




I guess I've just never had a superior mac & cheese made from real cheese.  Of course I know how to add the cheddar without it becoming clumpy, and as I said, I love a good, 5-year or more aged cheddar in my version.  It's just that at $15 a lb., I'd rather just treat myself to a really great slice of cheese that dilute that flavor with pasta.

I too like the strong Italian cheeses mixed in with the cheddar.

Another reason that I make my home-made mac & cheese with the things that I do is that really good cheeses just aren't available where I live.  I have to go into Canada to find good cheese, or travel a couple hundred miles either south, or west.  I live in a cheese challenged area.

I always get great cheese for Christmas, as a gift from my kids, or DW.  They know I am a lover of great cheese.  It's a rare thing around here.  Costco even has a better selection of cheese than I can get.

It's the price I pay for living in the most water-rich area on the planet.

I can also get good cheese from a few, select sites online.  I don't do that often enough.  I have to change my ways.  I do get great peppers though.  I can grow them, and have friends that grow them.  I guess you could say that you're a cheesehead.  Me, I have to be a chilihead where I live.  I am both, in heart.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Addie (Dec 11, 2013)

I like to add crushed (by hand) a large can of Italian tomatoes to my mac and cheese. I also use dry mustard instead of the jar. It really gives it a nice bite. For the topping I will grate a small amount of cheese and mix it in with the fresh buttered bread crumbs. Spread liberally over the top. The bread crumbs will brown as the mac and cheese cooks. I cook a whole pound of the casserole size macaroni and bake it in my large roasting pan. With the tomatoes added, it is filled right to the top. All I have to do is let the word get out that I made it and it will disappear in less than 24 hours. I use the juice from the tomatoes as part of the liquid for the cream sauce. I am lucky if I get one helping.

I usually like to make sure I have some Swiss cheese in it. I often will pick through the cold cut ends and pick up a couple of packages of cheese ends. You never know what is in it. A thick end of Swiss, American, Provolone, etc. So it is a surprise when you open it. But the cost per pound for the ends is half what you would pay at the deli counter.


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## Steve Kroll (Dec 11, 2013)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> I guess I've just never had a superior mac & cheese made from real cheese.  Of course I know how to add the cheddar without it becoming clumpy, and as I said, I love a good, 5-year or more aged cheddar in my version.  It's just that at $15 a lb., I'd rather just treat myself to a really great slice of cheese that dilute that flavor with pasta.


I agree with you. I wouldn't use a $15/lb cheddar for M&C. That's better as a standalone treat.

My favorite for cooking is a 2-year Wisconsin cheddar they sell by the block in our local store. It isn't what I would call great cheese, but it's pretty good and has plenty of flavor. It sells for around $5/lb and is much tastier than anything with k-r-a-f-t on the label.

We usually make mac and cheese when there are a lot of odds and ends to use up - for instance after a dinner party. I'm not even opposed to using something like cream cheese. We once had M&C that included jalapeno cream cheese that someone had left at the house, and it really worked well.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 11, 2013)

There's a Mexican-inspired restaurant near us that makes jalapeno mac 'n cheese  Great stuff.

I like to use a mixture of cheeses, too. Chief, everything is available online, you know:

https://www.wisconsincheesemart.com/cheese/

Buy Cheese Online Gourmet Artisan Cheese French Italian Cheddar Cheeses


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## Andy M. (Dec 11, 2013)

I like a little Tabasco in mine.


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## CatPat (Dec 11, 2013)

I was wondering of this, as I was making this, could one perhaps just boil the noodles until they are fat and then drain the water from them, and dump in a bunch of shredded sharp cheddar cheese and cook it on low heat until the cheese melts while stirring it?

That would really become mac and cheese, yes?

With love,
~Cat


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## GotGarlic (Dec 11, 2013)

CatPat said:


> I was wondering of this, as I was making this, could one perhaps just boil the noodles until they are fat and then drain the water from them, and dump in a bunch of shredded sharp cheddar cheese and cook it on low heat until the cheese melts while stirring it?
> 
> That would really become mac and cheese, yes?
> 
> ...



It depends somewhat on the cheese(s) you use - some melt better than others and if they don't melt well, it comes out clumpy and gummy.

Mac 'n cheese is traditionally made with a bechamel sauce and then the cheese melts smoothly into the sauce. Many recipes then add more cheese and breadcrumbs on top, then bake it till the casserole is bubbly, the cheese melts, and the top is browned. Yummy!  Then there are all the variations people mentioned above


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## bakechef (Dec 11, 2013)

GotGarlic said:


> I'm not sure I would choose Paula Deen as a good source of southern foods. She really does add unnecessary ingredients and calories to her recipes. You can make perfectly delicious macaroni and cheese without eggs, sour cream and a can of cheese soup. And I don't get the purpose of cooking it in the slow cooker.



Eggs are an essential part of southern macaroni and cheese, it's a custard style here.  I make mine saucy with a bechamel base, no eggs, but I was not born and raised here!


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## Cooking Goddess (Dec 12, 2013)

GotGarlic said:


> ....Mac 'n cheese is traditionally made with a bechamel sauce and then the cheese melts smoothly into the sauce....


How do you guys make your bechamel sauce?  I've seen various ratios.  Generally I use 2 TBSP each flour and butter to each cup of milk.  

To cheese it up I'll add between 1/2 cup to 1 cup cheese depending on the strength of flavor.


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## no mayonnaise (Dec 12, 2013)

I love macaroni and cheese
Give me macaroni and cheese all day.
I keep macaroni and cheese in the drawer
Give me a macaroni and cheese IV
I use macaroni and cheese in the mouse traps
Give me a macaroni and cheese enema.
I WANT IT ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL


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## JGDean (Dec 12, 2013)

But you don't like mayo??


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## GotGarlic (Dec 12, 2013)

Cooking Goddess said:


> How do you guys make your bechamel sauce?  I've seen various ratios.  Generally I use 2 TBSP each flour and butter to each cup of milk.
> 
> To cheese it up I'll add between 1/2 cup to 1 cup cheese depending on the strength of flavor.



Different ratios result in different thicknesses of the sauce, so if you want a looser sauce, you use 1 tbsp. flour and butter. For mac 'n cheese, I use 2 tbsp flour and butter per cup of milk, 1.5 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup of Havarti or Monterey Jack or mozzarella.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 12, 2013)

bakechef said:


> Eggs are an essential part of southern macaroni and cheese, it's a custard style here.  I make mine saucy with a bechamel base, no eggs, but I was not born and raised here!



Well, as I've said before, the South is a big place  I did some searching and found "southern-style" recipes with and without eggs, so maybe I'll have to do a taste test and see which I like better. DH would love that


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## GotGarlic (Dec 12, 2013)

JGDean said:


> But you don't like mayo??



What's the connection between mayo and cheese sauce?


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## JGDean (Dec 12, 2013)

*Texture I Guess*

The creamy factor?


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## CarolPa (Dec 12, 2013)

Mac and Cheese is another food I grew up on.  Once again, it was cheap to make and it fills you up.  Back then it was the main course, in fact it was the only course!  Now it is considered more of a side dish.  

I don't consider it a problem unless someone is eating it all the time.  All things in moderation.  

My take on Paula Deen....the show was entertainment.  It was her job to portray southern cooking.  Southern cooking is known to be high in fat and calories.  It is up to the individual to know not to eat that way every day because it is not healthy.  There are a lot of recipes on this forum that would be considered "unhealthy" as far as fat and calories are concerned.   But we know not to eat like that at every meal, don't we?

That is just my opinion.  I know there are many who disagree with me.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 12, 2013)

JGDean said:


> The creamy factor?



Hm. Well, the two textures don't seem all that similar to me - mornay sauce is looser than mayo - and the flavors are certainly different. I can see liking one but not the other.


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## CarolPa (Dec 12, 2013)

GotGarlic said:


> Hm. Well, the two textures don't seem all that similar to me - mornay sauce is looser than mayo - and the flavors are certainly different. I can see liking one but not the other.




Yes, and also the taste of cheese sauce and the taste of mayo are completely different.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 12, 2013)

CarolPa said:


> Mac and Cheese is another food I grew up on.  Once again, it was cheap to make and it fills you up.  Back then it was the main course, in fact it was the only course!  Now it is considered more of a side dish.
> 
> I don't consider it a problem unless someone is eating it all the time.  All things in moderation.
> 
> ...



In the beginning, Paula Deen's recipes were not so extremely loaded with sugar, fat and calories. After a while, she essentially "jumped the shark" and became a caricature of herself. 
___________

"Southern cooking is known to be high in fat and calories."

Compared to what? French mornay sauce? Alfredo sauce? An endless variety of German sausages? Potatoes fried in duck fat instead of pork fat? Poutine? 

I think that's a cliché a lot of people have bought into, but when you really think about it, it's not all that different from other northern European cuisines.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 12, 2013)

CarolPa said:


> Yes, and also the taste of cheese sauce and the taste of mayo are completely different.



I think I said that


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## CarolPa (Dec 12, 2013)

GotGarlic said:


> I think I said that




And I was agreeing with you!  Am I not allowed to repeat what you said, in agreement?


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## GotGarlic (Dec 12, 2013)

CarolPa said:


> And I was agreeing with you!  Am I not allowed to repeat what you said, in agreement?



You are "allowed" to do whatever you want. But when you said "and also," that sounds to me like an addition, not agreement. Some people write +1 to indicate agreement. "I agree" would do it, too


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## Steve Kroll (Dec 12, 2013)

Cooking Goddess said:


> How do you guys make your bechamel sauce?  I've seen various ratios.  Generally I use 2 TBSP each flour and butter to each cup of milk.
> 
> To cheese it up I'll add between 1/2 cup to 1 cup cheese depending on the strength of flavor.


CG, that's the ratio I use. 

My base M&C recipe is something like this:

Cheese Sauce Ingredients:

4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
2 cups milk (for extra creaminess, I use 1 cup milk + 1 cup half and half)
6-8 ounces of good melting cheese, any combination, shredded (sharp cheddar, parmigiano, gruyere, or fontina are all good choices)
2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp white pepper, or to taste
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch cayenne pepper

8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
Topping Ingredients:

1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp butter, melted
Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325
Cook pasta according to package instructions
Melt 4 tbsp butter in a large saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until roux is the color of coffee with cream.
Add milk one cup at a time, and whisk until there are no lumps remaining.
Add salt, white pepper, ground nutmeg, and cayenne. Mix well.
Turn heat to low and add cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce has a smooth, velvety texture.
Toss sauce with cooked pasta and transfer to a 2.5 qt casserole dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
To make the topping, mix panko with melted butter and spread evenly over the casserole.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbly and the panko topping is nicely browned.
Makes 8 servings.


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## Steve Kroll (Dec 12, 2013)

One note on the recipe above. Although it says otherwise, I only add half the salt prior to adding the cheese. Some cheeses (parmigiano, for example) are noticeably saltier than others. After the cheese has been added, then I adjust the final seasoning.


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## JGDean (Dec 12, 2013)

Sorry I made the mayo comment.


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## Addie (Dec 12, 2013)

bakechef said:


> Eggs are an essential part of southern macaroni and cheese, it's a custard style here.  I make mine saucy with a bechamel base, no eggs, but I was not born and raised here!



Please, do pray tell, what do the eggs do for a cheese sauce? I have never hear of that addition. My mother would sometimes add sliced hard boiled eggs to a béchamel sauce and pour it over toast for me. But that is the closest I have ever heard.


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## jennyema (Dec 12, 2013)

Addie said:


> Please, do pray tell, what do the eggs do for a cheese sauce? I have never hear of that addition. My mother would sometimes add sliced hard boiled eggs to a béchamel sauce and pour it over toast for me. But that is the closest I have ever heard.


 
They turn cheese sauce into cheese custard.  Cant say I'm a fan.


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## Addie (Dec 12, 2013)

Cooking Goddess said:


> How do you guys make your bechamel sauce?  I've seen various ratios.  Generally I use 2 TBSP each flour and butter to each cup of milk.
> 
> To cheese it up I'll add between 1/2 cup to 1 cup cheese depending on the strength of flavor.



I have made it so often over the years that I no longer measure. A large glop of butter and a heaping of flour. Mix, allow to cook for a minute or two to rid the raw flour taste, salt, pepper and pour in the milk a little at a time until all the roux is smoothly absorbed. Then continue to add the milk until I have the consistency I am looking for. For mac and cheese, I want it loose as the cheese will thicken it up. For other uses, the thickness depends.


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## taxlady (Dec 12, 2013)

I have only met one mac & cheese that I liked. A TV chef had been told to bring mac & cheese to a PTA potluck, so she invented her own recipe. It had whole wheat pasta and three cheeses, of which one was blue cheese. There was no bechamel, no soup, no eggs, no flour. I think there were sun dried tomatoes and cream and/or milk. There may have been garlic or other seasoning. It was really good.

I lost the recipe and tried to make it from memory, but it wasn't very nice.

Any ideas?


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## Addie (Dec 12, 2013)

jennyema said:


> They turn cheese sauce into cheese custard.  Cant say I'm a fan.



Sounds more like a quiche to me.


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## MrsLMB (Dec 12, 2013)

Well this thread sure is loaded with opinions and passion LOL

Mac and cheese is an individual preference kind of thing.

Mac and cheese is not a healthy dish but it won't kill you so long as it is not the only thing you eat.

Who cares if Paula D. loads everything with butter and sugar and lard .. if you like that stuff then eat it. If you don't then walk away.

Last time I checked we still have the freedom to choose to eat what we want (although that right is in jeopardy if some have their way).

We all have tweeks we do to a recipe .. some like it with eggs and some don't.

Some like it smooth and some don't.

Some like it with a tang and some don't.

Some "southern" food is different than other "southern food".

I love the original post ... simply someone sharing a link to a dish that was made and enjoyed. 

Sometimes we forget that others do not necessarily agree with our tastes and preferences. Then we get into what is almost an argument of what is right and what is wrong as well as a bashing of someone else's tastes.

Just thought I would point out what I saw when I read this entire thread a few minutes ago for the first time.


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## CarolPa (Dec 12, 2013)

GotGarlic said:


> You are "allowed" to do whatever you want.




Thank you.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 12, 2013)

CarolPa said:


> Thank you.



Don't thank *me*! I'm just stating the facts, ma'am.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 12, 2013)

MrsLMB said:


> ...  Just thought I would point out what I saw when I read this entire thread a few minutes ago for the first time.



I don't think this place would be nearly as interesting if we all just applauded every post


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## CatPat (Dec 12, 2013)

I love all of you. I never knew there were so many opinions of mac and cheese! 

I've copied and pasted some of these replies and recipes and suggestions onto a Notepad and tucked it into my DC folder.

I became tired with the boxed mac and cheese, so I wanted to try something completely different.

With love,
~Cat


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## Janet H (Dec 12, 2013)

I think Mac and cheese is similar to pizza - I never met one I didn't like.  Some are better than others but they are all good.

I lived in the south for a few years and was appalled at the custardy version of mac and cheese but came to really like it after a few tries.  Not having to make a cooked sauce for the custardy version has the advantage of never making too much to too little sauce.  You can just gauge the amount of milk, eggs, cheese and various other fats by the depth of the pasta in the baking dish.


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## Aunt Bea (Dec 12, 2013)

The custardy version is great made with *JUMBO* shells, the custard sort of fills the shells and sets while baking, delish!  

Don't foget the Frank's RedHot Original Red Hot Sauce!


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## bakechef (Dec 12, 2013)

Addie said:


> Please, do pray tell, what do the eggs do for a cheese sauce? I have never hear of that addition. My mother would sometimes add sliced hard boiled eggs to a béchamel sauce and pour it over toast for me. But that is the closest I have ever heard.



It's definitely different than I make, it holds together.  It's not my favorite, and I've had so many bland versions almost never cheesy enough.

My favorite is the bechamel style.  My recipe has a ton of sauce with lots of cheese, my macaroni swims in sauce, and it all comes together while baking.


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## Cooking Goddess (Dec 13, 2013)

GotGarlic said:


> ... and 1/2 cup of Havarti or Monterey Jack or mozzarella.


If you want, try it with a half-cup of smoked Gouda instead.  OhMy!   Well, ohmy if you like smoked cheese.   It's creamy as well as giving it that smoky flavor.  I think I end up using 1 part smoked Gouda for every 2 parts cheddar.


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## CraigC (Dec 13, 2013)

Gruyere will find its way into our next homemade Mac and Cheese recipe. Anyone ever make it with tortellini?


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Dec 13, 2013)

CraigC said:


> Gruyere will find its way into our next homemade Mac and Cheese recipe. Anyone ever make it with tortellini?



CraigC; That sounds like an absolutely brilliant idea.  I would think mini-raviolies wood work too.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Steve Kroll (Dec 13, 2013)

CraigC said:


> Gruyere will find its way into our next homemade Mac and Cheese recipe. Anyone ever make it with tortellini?


I've never made it with a stuffed pasta, but that does sound good. 

I've made versions with meat mixed in with the pasta and sauce. One of the kid's favorites was with chunks of smoked kielbasa and green beans. Crumbled Italian hot sausage works well, too.


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## Aunt Bea (Dec 13, 2013)

The tortellini sounds good!

If you use the dry tortellini I would make lots and lots of sauce.  When I use it in soups it drinks all of the broth and day two becomes a casserole instead of a soup, still tasty.  I use Barilla spinach and cheese when I make soup, very good.


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## Addie (Dec 13, 2013)

My kids have no imagination. I tried using small and medium shells. Nope. They won't go for it. Elbows or nothing. They finally got used to the casserole size ones.


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## Cooking Goddess (Dec 13, 2013)

Steve Kroll said:


> ...I've made versions with meat mixed in with the pasta and sauce. One of the kid's favorites was with chunks of smoked kielbasa and green beans. Crumbled Italian hot sausage works well, too.



The sausage sounds good Steve.  Do you use Italian cheeses with it too?  I could see this with some mozz and parm/romano.

Whenever we have leftover ham AND I make mac & cheese it seems like the ham likes to climb into the dish with the mac...


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## Steve Kroll (Dec 14, 2013)

Cooking Goddess said:


> The sausage sounds good Steve.  Do you use Italian cheeses with it too?  I could see this with some mozz and parm/romano.



Yes, I've made that one with mozzarella and parm, but I've also used pepper jack, and that's pretty tasty with the sausage, too.


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## CarolPa (Dec 14, 2013)

My husband likes tomatoes in mac and cheese, but I don't like anything added to it.  Just pasta and cheese sauce.  When my mother made it, it formed a burnt crust of cheese on top and my brother and I used to fight over that.  I can't seem to get that same effect.


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## CraigC (Dec 14, 2013)

CarolPa said:


> My husband likes tomatoes in mac and cheese, but I don't like anything added to it. Just pasta and cheese sauce. When my mother made it, it formed a burnt crust of cheese on top and my brother and I used to fight over that. I can't seem to get that same effect.


 
Spread cheese on top after baking and pop it under the broiler until you get the color you're looking for.


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## Addie (Dec 14, 2013)

CarolPa said:


> My husband likes tomatoes in mac and cheese, but I don't like anything added to it.  Just pasta and cheese sauce.  When my mother made it, it *formed a burnt crust of cheese *on top and my brother and I used to fight over that.  I can't seem to get that same effect.



Pop it under the broiler for a few minutes. But you may be better off with the memory than trying to recreate it. 

I too put tomatoes in mine.


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## CarolPa (Dec 14, 2013)

CraigC said:


> Spread cheese on top after baking and pop it under the broiler until you get the color you're looking for.




The color my mother achieved was so dark brown it was almost black! LOL


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## CraigC (Dec 14, 2013)

CarolPa said:


> The color my mother achieved was so dark brown it was almost black! LOL


 
Have you ever made parmesan crisps/tuiles? You place a heaping tablespoon of grated parm on a cookie sheet on top of a silpat. Then bake in a 350 F, preheated oven until bubbly and golden. Remove from oven and let cool. It will have a cracker like texture. Really goes well with mushroom risotto!


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## CarolPa (Dec 14, 2013)

CraigC said:


> Have you ever made parmesan crisps/tuiles? You place a heaping tablespoon of grated parm on a cookie sheet on top of a silpat. Then bake in a 350 F, preheated oven until bubbly and golden. Remove from oven and let cool. It will have a cracker like texture. Really goes well with mushroom risotto!




I had to google "silpat."  Now it's on my wish list for Amazon, to be included in my next order!


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## Andy M. (Dec 14, 2013)

CraigC said:


> Have you ever made parmesan crisps/tuiles? You place a heaping tablespoon of grated parm on a cookie sheet on top of a silpat. Then bake in a 350 F, preheated oven until bubbly and golden. Remove from oven and let cool. It will have a cracker like texture. Really goes well with mushroom risotto!



They should still be pliable when you first take them out of the oven.  You can quickly form them over the bottom of a small glass to make a mini bowl for an appetizer.


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## medtran49 (Dec 14, 2013)

Andy M. said:


> They should still be pliable when you first take them out of the oven. You can quickly form them over the bottom of a small glass to make a mini bowl for an appetizer.


 
But you have to be careful that what you put in them doesn't have much (if any) liquid cause they will soften over time. I like my risotto to be just very slightly on the runny side and even in just the short time it takes to eat, they start to get soft on the side down in the risotto. 

You can also use parchment paper. I don't use wax paper though as I think it gives off a funny taste.

Oh, and I do them at 375.  Craig doesn't make them and he got temp wrong.  He also forget to mention you have to watch them once they start getting close to being done cause they go from perfect to over-cooked quickly and it is a major taste difference.  They should be a light golden brown.


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## Cooking Goddess (Dec 14, 2013)

CarolPa said:


> The color my mother achieved was so dark brown it was almost black! LOL


That's how our daughter likes the cheese on the top of lasagna.


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## Addie (Dec 14, 2013)

medtran49 said:


> But you have to be careful that what you put in them doesn't have much (if any) liquid cause they will soften over time. I like my risotto to be just very slightly on the runny side and even in just the short time it takes to eat, they start to get soft on the side down in the risotto.
> 
> You can also use parchment paper. I don't use wax paper though as I think it gives off a funny taste.
> 
> Oh, and I do them at 375.  Craig doesn't make them and he got temp wrong.  He also forget to mention you have to watch them once they start getting close to being done cause they go from perfect to over-cooked quickly and it is a major taste difference.  They should be a light golden brown.



Because Parm or Romano cheese is so inexpensive here in Boston, I can afford to get carried away. I use my 8" non-stick pan with two heaping tablespoons of grated cheese. It allows for thickness. Then when they are bubbly, I remove from heat and place over a cereal bowl for forming. Makes a perfect salad bowl placed on a salad plate. I just place the tomato slices around the bowl on the salad plate. It makes for a prettier presentation and keeps the cheese bowl dry.


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## jennyema (Dec 14, 2013)

Addie said:


> Because Parm or Romano cheese is so inexpensive here in Boston, I can afford to get carried away. I use my 8" non-stick pan with two heaping tablespoons of grated cheese. It allows for thickness. Then when they are bubbly, I remove from heat and place over a cereal bowl for forming. Makes a perfect salad bowl placed on a salad plate. I just place the tomato slices around the bowl on the salad plate. It makes for a prettier presentation and keeps the cheese bowl dry.



I do it in a skillet, too.

I think it's technically a "frico"

And it's delicious !!!!


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## Addie (Dec 14, 2013)

jennyema said:


> I do it in a skillet, too.
> 
> I think it's technically a "frico"
> 
> And it's delicious !!!!



Jenny, my girlfriend in Atlanta can't buy Italian hard cheeses off the wheel for less than $30.00 a pound. The most I ever paid at DeMoula's in Chelsea has been $6.99 a pound. And yes, it has the right markings on the rind. Well worth it for every bite!  I just sent two more pieces to my girlfriend so she can make her salad bowls for her Christmas dinner. It certainly has impressed her friends. (How can she afford to have real cheese on hand all the time?) Whatever the name may be, the salad bowls are delicious and well worth the time and money.


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## bakechef (Dec 14, 2013)

Addie said:


> Jenny, my girlfriend in Atlanta can't buy Italian hard cheeses off the wheel for less than $30.00 a pound. The most I ever paid at DeMoula's in Chelsea has been $6.99 a pound. And yes, it has the right markings on the rind. Well worth it for every bite!  I just sent two more pieces to my girlfriend so she can make her salad bowls for her Christmas dinner. It certainly has impressed her friends. (How can she afford to have real cheese on hand all the time?) Whatever the name may be, the salad bowls are delicious and well worth the time and money.



Cheeses are fairly expensive here, but she must be shopping at the wrong stores if she is seeing $30 a pound!  Trader Joes, and club stores are the places around here to buy it.  

Grocery stores in general are way overpriced when it comes to cheese, at least around here!


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## Addie (Dec 14, 2013)

bakechef said:


> Cheeses are fairly expensive here, but she must be shopping at the wrong stores if she is seeing $30 a pound!  Trader Joes, and club stores are the places around here to buy it.
> 
> Grocery stores in general are way overpriced when it comes to cheese, at least around here!



BC, the last time I visited her, we went on a hunt for Imported Romano cheese. Every store we went into they didn't have it or they didn't know what it was. And for the Parm, all we could find was those little pieces put out by Stella already wrapped. And none of the labels said "Imported."  My deli department has a huge wheel of each and because we are so close to Europe, imported foods are much cheaper here.


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## Cooking Goddess (Dec 15, 2013)

bakechef said:


> Grocery stores in general are way overpriced when it comes to cheese, at least around here!


That's what I've found to be the case for the most part too.  The grocery store Addie refers to though seems to be very attentive to offering a price that is fair to the customer.  I'll miss them when we move.

Hey Addie, Italy is about 4,000 miles from Boston.  If the cheese is cheap because we're so close, how come Cabot cheese seems way more expensive than it should for as close as Vermont is?  Even delicious Wisconsin cheese should be cheaper.  There has to be another reason.


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## Caslon (Dec 15, 2013)

Levity.  Oprah Winfrey said she gained major poundage indulging on her favorite food fetish (at the time)... Macaroni  and Cheese.


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## Addie (Dec 15, 2013)

Cooking Goddess said:


> That's what I've found to be the case for the most part too.  The grocery store Addie refers to though seems to be very attentive to offering a price that is fair to the customer.  I'll miss them when we move.
> 
> Hey Addie, Italy is about 4,000 miles from Boston.  If the cheese is cheap because we're so close, how come Cabot cheese seems way more expensive than it should for as close as Vermont is?  Even delicious Wisconsin cheese should be cheaper.  There has to be another reason.



Boston is the closest port to Europe. That is why foreign airlines like to land here. The fees are lower than NY. Also the same for ships. We also have a very large Italian community in Boston and surrounding communities. So fees for imports from Italy are lower. 

The fees that have to be paid are for landing, or tying up at docks. They also have to pay a fee for each person they bring into the airport. The ships have a fee based on their tonnage. 

How do I know all this? I worked at Logan Airport and the head count papers used to come across my desk. MassPort is also in charge of all the shipping. There is more involved, but to complicated to go into here. 

Cabot Cheese is shipped throughout NE on a daily basis with their own trucks. Always fresh. I have no idea why Wisconsin cheeses are so expensive.


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## bakechef (Dec 15, 2013)

I would imagine that having a large Italian population has something to do with it.  With a large demand the Italian population is going to go where the price is best.  I can imagine that charging outrageous prices for Italian products would be very bad for your store, so they likely run on a much lower profit margin on those items.  Here we don't have that demand since we don't have a large population of and particular ethnic group, so international foods demand a premium price.  When I moved here 17 years ago the availability of ethnic foods was much less than it is now, this is because of a mass migration of northern folks about 20 or so years ago, when our tech industry boomed.  We can get just about anything now, for a price!


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## jennyema (Dec 15, 2013)

$30 a pound?  Seriously?

I love "really good cheese" ( as opposed to Cabot or Cheese and Butter which are good or sargento which is OK) and will pay $$ for it but I hardly ever pay that much.  And I never would for parm or romano.

I usually buy my "really good cheese" at Formaggio (which has its own aging cave) or at Murray's, Fairway or Zabars in NYC.  Most of their stock is well below $30/lb   Even super aged Italian cheese.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 15, 2013)

Addie said:


> Boston is the closest port to Europe. That is why foreign airlines like to land here.



Foreign airlines land in Boston because it's a major American city. They also land in New York, Baltimore, Miami, Atlanta, etc. Even Detroit Metro Airport receives international flights. 



Addie said:


> The fees are lower than NY. Also the same for ships. We also have a very large Italian community in Boston and surrounding communities. So fees for imports from Italy are lower.



I'm sorry, but that makes no sense. There's a very large Italian community in New York as well and I've never heard of import fees having any relationship whatsoever to the ethnicity of a community. 



Addie said:


> How do I know all this? I worked at Logan Airport and the head count papers used to come across my desk. MassPort is also in charge of all the shipping. There is more involved, but to complicated to go into here.



When was that? Is it possible international business practices have changed since then, like the seamen's hospital system we discussed earlier, that was eliminated in 1981?



Addie said:


> Cabot Cheese is shipped throughout NE on a daily basis with their own trucks. Always fresh. I have no idea why Wisconsin cheeses are so expensive.



Prices are determined as much by supply and demand as by cost, and costs aren't always what they seem. We don't have much of an Italian community here, but I can get just about any cheese I want. Imported  Parmigiano Reggiano, cut daily from the wheel, is on sale for $9.99/lb. this week. One of the stores I go to offers 20% off any specialty cheese to its email newsletter subscribers about once a month.


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## medtran49 (Dec 15, 2013)

Well, import fees are federal fees, with possibly some state/county/city tacked on, though I don't remember ever seeing that when I passed thru Miami Customs back when I used to travel international and occasionally had to pay the fee. So, at the very least, the base fee (Federal) is going to be the same regardless of where you clear Customs. Nor, do I remember seeing anything other than Federal fees when some very expensive items were shipped home from Italy and we had to pay tax after they got to the States. 

I will say though that I have seen imported parm very close to $30 a pound in 1 particular grocery store chain in my area. That's been a while though and price has come down. I guess enough people figured out they could buy a huge wedge at Costco for the same amount a tiny little wedge would cost at 1 of those grocery stores so they brought their prices down more in line with Costco (though still not that low).


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## Steve Kroll (Dec 15, 2013)

Addie said:


> Boston is the closest port to Europe.


Sorry, no. That would be Portland, Maine. But what does it really matter? Despite what you might think, Boston doesn't really have a lock on the imported cheese market. We get imported cheese in pretty much every major city in the US. Here in Minnesota imported Parmigiano averages $8-11/lb.

According to one list, Atlanta has one of the best cheese shops in the country. I don't know personally if they have imported Parmigiano or Romano but, if not, there are several Italian delis listed on Yelp. And if you still can't find it any of those, there are at least a half dozen Whole Foods that should have what your friend wants. If it averages $30/lb, I'll eat my hat.

Atlanta is a good sized cosmopolitan city. Not so back-woodsy that the average grocery store worker would not have heard of Romano cheese. That's just plain silly.


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## bakechef (Dec 15, 2013)

Steve Kroll said:


> Sorry, no. That would be Portland, Maine. But what does it really matter? Despite what you might think, Boston doesn't really have a lock on the imported cheese market. We get imported cheese in pretty much every major city in the US. Here in Minnesota imported Parmigiano averages $8-11/lb.
> 
> According to one list, Atlanta has one of the best cheese shops in the country. I don't know personally if they have imported Parmigiano or Romano but, if not, there are several Italian delis listed on Yelp. And if you still can't find it any of those, there are at least a half dozen Whole Foods that should have what your friend wants. If it averages $30/lb, I'll eat my hat.
> 
> Atlanta is a good sized cosmopolitan city. Not so back-woodsy that the average grocery store worker would not have heard of Romano cheese. That's just plain silly.



I was thinking the same thing, I live in smaller southern city and honestly there isn't much that you can't find here.  $30 a pound cheese is a rare thing, it exists here, but wouldn't likely be Parm or Romano, but something far more obscure.


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