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The Mac + Cheese Cookbook: 50 Simple Recipes from Homeroom, America's Favorite Mac and Cheese Restaurant
A fun and playful cookbook featuring retro, decadent, and kid-friendly mac-and-cheese recipes from the popular Oakland restaurant Homeroom.
Think Outside the Box!
Macaroni and cheese is one of America's favorite comfort foods, beloved by kids and adults alike. But there's no need to rely on prefab mixes--all you need is a handful of kitchen staples, some tasty cheese, and a little insider advice courtesy of Homeroom restaurant. This perennially popular Oakland, California, eatery--with its entire menu devoted to mac and cheese--now shares its secrets for the best-ever mac recipes.
These inventive dishes offer something for everyone: nostalgic homestyle recipes like Tuna Mac, international varieties like Sriracha Mac, decadent delights like Truffle Mac, and even the logic-defying Vegan Mac. You'll also find recipes for quick veggie sides like Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and old-school desserts like frozen Peanut Butter Pie. With a basics section on perfecting mac sauce, choosing the best noodles, and customizing add-ins and toppings, plus an emphasis on quality ingredients and simple techniques, this fun, playful cookbook shows cheese-loving readers how to take this comfort-food staple to creative new heights.
Think Outside the Box!
Macaroni and cheese is one of America's favorite comfort foods, beloved by kids and adults alike. But there's no need to rely on prefab mixes--all you need is a handful of kitchen staples, some tasty cheese, and a little insider advice courtesy of Homeroom restaurant. This perennially popular Oakland, California, eatery--with its entire menu devoted to mac and cheese--now shares its secrets for the best-ever mac recipes.
These inventive dishes offer something for everyone: nostalgic homestyle recipes like Tuna Mac, international varieties like Sriracha Mac, decadent delights like Truffle Mac, and even the logic-defying Vegan Mac. You'll also find recipes for quick veggie sides like Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and old-school desserts like frozen Peanut Butter Pie. With a basics section on perfecting mac sauce, choosing the best noodles, and customizing add-ins and toppings, plus an emphasis on quality ingredients and simple techniques, this fun, playful cookbook shows cheese-loving readers how to take this comfort-food staple to creative new heights.
128 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
115 people are currently reading
910 people want to read
About the author
Erin Wade
2 books7 followersErin Wade is a best-selling author, chef, and entrepreneur. Erin opened a cultishly popular restaurant, Homeroom, which has been covered everywhere from the Cooking Channel to the Wall Street Journal.
She authored the best-selling The Mac and Cheese Cookbook, as well as a viral op-ed in the Washington Post about her restaurant’s solution to sexual harassment that was named one of the publication’s best of the year.
Erin's work on business culture has been covered in Forbes and The New York Times, and she was named one of thirty-five “World-Changing Women” by Conscious Company magazine. Erin has a public policy degree from Princeton and a law degree from UC Berkeley.
She lives in the Bay Area with her wife, their four children, and an array of surfboards.
Erin can be reached at erinwade.co
She authored the best-selling The Mac and Cheese Cookbook, as well as a viral op-ed in the Washington Post about her restaurant’s solution to sexual harassment that was named one of the publication’s best of the year.
Erin's work on business culture has been covered in Forbes and The New York Times, and she was named one of thirty-five “World-Changing Women” by Conscious Company magazine. Erin has a public policy degree from Princeton and a law degree from UC Berkeley.
She lives in the Bay Area with her wife, their four children, and an array of surfboards.
Erin can be reached at erinwade.co
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
July 20, 2020
Can I lick the pages?
This is the story and compilation of two women who opened a mac 'n cheese restaurant in California. The introduction was really well done with their story, mac sauce, baked vs. creamy, etc. Photos were really well done and easy to follow recipes. Styles include Across the Americas and International flavors, as well as outside the box recipes.
This is the story and compilation of two women who opened a mac 'n cheese restaurant in California. The introduction was really well done with their story, mac sauce, baked vs. creamy, etc. Photos were really well done and easy to follow recipes. Styles include Across the Americas and International flavors, as well as outside the box recipes.
December 23, 2019
Awesome book. Lots of fun to read and great recipes. Easy enough for a novice to try. Fancy enough for a chef to use.
November 23, 2017
The Mac & Cheese Cookbook: 50 Simple Recipes From Homeroom, America's Favorite Mac And Cheese Restaurant, by Allison Arevalo & Erin Wade
A friend of mine has to cook mac & cheese for her father all the time, and so I have gotten in the habit of making jokes about all the ways that one can cook this familiar dish. As a result of that joke, I wanted to see if there were cookbooks devoted to this particular dish available in my local library system and lo and behold, there was one. As someone who is both generally fond of macaroni and cheese as well as well as reading cookbooks [1], I found this book to be highly enjoyable. My general rule of thumb for appreciating cookbooks is if there are even a few dishes that are shown here that I want to try and might even be willing to cook, the book is a success, and by those somewhat modest standards this book definitely excels. Can a restaurant make variations on one dish that are stellar and fill and entire book (albeit a short one) with different variations of mac & cheese and be successful and worthwhile? Absolutely.
The book is organized in a very effective way to show off the wide variety of dishes that one can make with or around a base of mac & cheese. The book starts with a discussion of the dream of the authors to start a restaurant based around mac & cheese that led them to leave lucrative careers as a marketer and a lawyer, respectively, in order to become restaurant entrepreneurs. Beginning with a recipe of the essential mac sauce (also known as bèchamel sauce), the authors discuss the wide variety of cheeses as well as toppings that can be used for the dish and the importance of choosing the right salt, and even discuss their wine & beer pairings, which are given for all of the main dish recipes included here. The first chapter of recipes includes American classics, which range from the classic mac to the spicy mac, an interesting variant featuring hot dogs and potato chips that is called trailer mac, a tuna mac, a chili mac, a breakfast mac with fried eggs and a few others, some including Vermont white cheddar and others featuring garlic. The next chapter includes international varieties including Shepherd's mac, a Mexican mac, a Cacio e Pepe that looks fantastic, a mac featuring a mix of gouda cheeses, and a patatas bravas mac with paprika that I would like to try for myself, among other dishes. A chapter on experimenting with unusual ingredients includes a cold pesto mac, a classy truffle mac, a surprising vegan mac as well as some tasty looking dishes like four cheese mac, mac-cakes, and a mac & cheese dish with feta cheese called Mac the goat. After this comes a chapter on side dishes including some really good looking dishes like roasted carrots with citrus vinaigrette, crispy blanched string beans, a brussels sprouts dish that I would use with turkey bacon and apple cider vinaigrette, a winter citrus salad, and minty, buttery peas. The book closes with some desserts, some of which (like the dessert mac, seem rather striking continuations of the book's theme) and others just sound delicious, like the carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, the peanut butter pie, or the strawberry crisp dish. If you don't find at least a dozen dishes here that sound absolutely amazing to try, you could probably stand to have a bit more adventuresome tastes and a bit more appreciation of the humble macaroni and cheese.
This book manages to combine two tendencies that are usually at odds with each other when it comes to contemporary cooking. One of those is an appreciation of dishes that are humble and modest. I grew up eating variations of these dishes largely because pasta is inexpensive and I grew up rather poor, and because these dishes are inexpensive to make and generally fairly quick to make, they are a familiar food for a great many people. What these authors do in their book, and likely in their restaurant as well, is to combine a humble but versatile food with a great deal of class and variety to turn it into something that can be appreciated by the hipster gourmands that this book is aimed at. The combination of humble and flexible foods that are not terribly expensive with classy presentation and inventive ingredients and combinations of dishes makes for a book that appeals both to modest and ordinary people as well as hipsters who are always looking for something different and odd. This book manages to appeal to both audiences while presenting some foods that look amazing to try. If their restaurant delivers even half of the promise that these dishes inspire through the excellent writing of its authors, it would be a must-try place in Oakland if I am ever in the area.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
A friend of mine has to cook mac & cheese for her father all the time, and so I have gotten in the habit of making jokes about all the ways that one can cook this familiar dish. As a result of that joke, I wanted to see if there were cookbooks devoted to this particular dish available in my local library system and lo and behold, there was one. As someone who is both generally fond of macaroni and cheese as well as well as reading cookbooks [1], I found this book to be highly enjoyable. My general rule of thumb for appreciating cookbooks is if there are even a few dishes that are shown here that I want to try and might even be willing to cook, the book is a success, and by those somewhat modest standards this book definitely excels. Can a restaurant make variations on one dish that are stellar and fill and entire book (albeit a short one) with different variations of mac & cheese and be successful and worthwhile? Absolutely.
The book is organized in a very effective way to show off the wide variety of dishes that one can make with or around a base of mac & cheese. The book starts with a discussion of the dream of the authors to start a restaurant based around mac & cheese that led them to leave lucrative careers as a marketer and a lawyer, respectively, in order to become restaurant entrepreneurs. Beginning with a recipe of the essential mac sauce (also known as bèchamel sauce), the authors discuss the wide variety of cheeses as well as toppings that can be used for the dish and the importance of choosing the right salt, and even discuss their wine & beer pairings, which are given for all of the main dish recipes included here. The first chapter of recipes includes American classics, which range from the classic mac to the spicy mac, an interesting variant featuring hot dogs and potato chips that is called trailer mac, a tuna mac, a chili mac, a breakfast mac with fried eggs and a few others, some including Vermont white cheddar and others featuring garlic. The next chapter includes international varieties including Shepherd's mac, a Mexican mac, a Cacio e Pepe that looks fantastic, a mac featuring a mix of gouda cheeses, and a patatas bravas mac with paprika that I would like to try for myself, among other dishes. A chapter on experimenting with unusual ingredients includes a cold pesto mac, a classy truffle mac, a surprising vegan mac as well as some tasty looking dishes like four cheese mac, mac-cakes, and a mac & cheese dish with feta cheese called Mac the goat. After this comes a chapter on side dishes including some really good looking dishes like roasted carrots with citrus vinaigrette, crispy blanched string beans, a brussels sprouts dish that I would use with turkey bacon and apple cider vinaigrette, a winter citrus salad, and minty, buttery peas. The book closes with some desserts, some of which (like the dessert mac, seem rather striking continuations of the book's theme) and others just sound delicious, like the carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, the peanut butter pie, or the strawberry crisp dish. If you don't find at least a dozen dishes here that sound absolutely amazing to try, you could probably stand to have a bit more adventuresome tastes and a bit more appreciation of the humble macaroni and cheese.
This book manages to combine two tendencies that are usually at odds with each other when it comes to contemporary cooking. One of those is an appreciation of dishes that are humble and modest. I grew up eating variations of these dishes largely because pasta is inexpensive and I grew up rather poor, and because these dishes are inexpensive to make and generally fairly quick to make, they are a familiar food for a great many people. What these authors do in their book, and likely in their restaurant as well, is to combine a humble but versatile food with a great deal of class and variety to turn it into something that can be appreciated by the hipster gourmands that this book is aimed at. The combination of humble and flexible foods that are not terribly expensive with classy presentation and inventive ingredients and combinations of dishes makes for a book that appeals both to modest and ordinary people as well as hipsters who are always looking for something different and odd. This book manages to appeal to both audiences while presenting some foods that look amazing to try. If their restaurant delivers even half of the promise that these dishes inspire through the excellent writing of its authors, it would be a must-try place in Oakland if I am ever in the area.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
January 15, 2018
I've never been a fan of macaroni and cheese, but that's because I wasn't eating good mac and cheese. The recipes in this collection are delicious to eat and easy to make, with plenty of opportunities to add your own spin to appeal to your personal tastes.
September 15, 2015
What can I say? Delicious recipes for the ultimate comfort food.
January 12, 2024
I would try all the recipes in this cookbook EXCEPT the dessert Mac n cheese. I do not want to be eating a cheesecake and fruit dessert and find a NOODLE in that.
I like that this cookbook provides a wine and beer pairing with each recipe!
I like that this cookbook provides a wine and beer pairing with each recipe!
December 8, 2017
seems like most recipes are the same except for the kind of cheeses used. I can do that much on my own
January 3, 2023
Can't believe this restaurant has been in Oakland since 2011 and I had no idea. Picked out a couple recipes to try and will report back.
July 24, 2014
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Admittedly, I LOVE macaroni and cheese - absolutely love it. But I've had a frustrating experience with Mac N Cheese recipes in the past, especially books devoted to the subject. They are usually super fancy, adding strange ingredients in order to 'reinvent' or at least present a different take on the comfort food staple. But really, I want to know how to make a good basic recipe that does what is promised and doesn't turn into a runny or blobby mess.
This book is a very different take on the subject: rather than giving us complex over the top variations, the book starts with a simple foundation using simple ingredients: milk, salt, butter, flour. They then build upon that basic recipe, giving useful advice (what the different salts do to the recipe, the best type of noodles, troubleshooting when the recipe doesn't come out right) to make sure the recipes come out as planned. Already, I was able from those advice pages to identify places I went wrong. I appreciate a book that not only gives suggestions but can also tell you why something might be better than something else as an ingredient (e.g., kosher salt vs table salt). The book also distinguishes between gooey and basked macaroni and cheese since those two variations seem to be the dividing line between mac n cheese lovers.
Half the book is varitations on a class American dish. Then interesting ways to create 'international' themed dishes using ingredients specific to certain cities or countries. As well, recipes are given for side dishes that go great with the main dish and deserts.
The authors own a macaroni and cheese themed restaurant in Oakland that specializes in inexpensive and simple (not overworked or overdone) offerings - 10 macaroni and cheese offerings at a time. The playfulness of their restaurant, Homeroom, is prevalent throughout the book as well. The book is presented as a school type of settings to correspond with the name 'Homeroom'.
Everything is very basically and simply presented. With the exception of panko (japanese bread crumbs), all the ingredients are easy to obtain and few brand names are mentioned. That is the theme and the reason to buy the book. I especially appreciated the discussion on different cheddar cheeses and why some are better than others. My only criticism is that there are not pictures for over half the recipes in the book, just random drawings as 'personality'. I really feel that in order to do a dish, you have to have a notion of how it is going to look in the end - especially with the international dishes. As an example, a cold pesto mac n cheese dish sounds fascinating but I'm having trouble picturing it.
February 18, 2014
I am about to start working my way through the recipes. Will report findings.
** Update to Mac Sauce recipe, see below **
1/12/14 - So far I have made the mac sauce and used it in the classic mac & cheese recipe.
All the cheese sauce recipes start with a bechamel sauce that they call their Mac Sauce. Sounds hard but it is really easy. The book even has step by step photos - not that they are needed.
For the bechamel you melt butter in a pot, add flour and whisk constantly over heat, until lightly browned. While still constantly whisking, slowly add milk, then whisk in the salt. That's it!
This will make 3 cups and keeps in the fridge so it can even be made ahead of time.
***** Below is the recipe for making only 2 cups of the bechamel (mac sauce) needed for most recipes. ****
It looks as if almost all of the recipes use 2 cups mac sauce. The way my family loves mac and cheese I will probably make a double batch of the mac sauce, divide it into 2 cup canning jars, and keep them in the fridge ready to go.
Then all I would need to do is boil up the pasta and reheat the mac sauce in a pot, adding whatever cheeses I want. I may never go back to the box version again.
There is a recipe in the book called Trailer Mac. Boy did that bring back memories. It's just mac and cheese with cut-up hotdogs mixed in and crushed potato chips on top. What can I say? I grew up in a family where my dad died when I was young, there were three kids, and my mom worked full time. I loved the stuff.
But not to worry, if you were expecting fancy mac and cheese you will find that too. There is a greek one in the international section that is called Macximus. It has feta cheese and spinach, yum.
2/18/2014 Update. Like I said above, the bechamel sauce makes 3 cups and almost all of the recipes use only 2 cups. So what to do with the leftover? Toss is? Keep in fridge until it becomes questionable then toss? No, don't do that! Here are the instructions on how to make only 2 cups bechamel sauce.
****To make 2 cups Mac Sauce****
2 cups milk
5 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
5 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt
The salt might be a little on the light side so add more to taste if needed.
Make the sauce according to directions.
To date I have only made the recipe for Classic Mac n Cheese. I have made both the pan version and the baked version with the Panko crumbs on top. They were both good. Can't say how leftovers fare since I never seem to have any.
Quality of cheese does make a difference. Use the best you can find.
Below is a link to a great webpage for reducing recipe measurements. It is from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
http://food.unl.edu/fnh/reduce-recipe...
** Update to Mac Sauce recipe, see below **
1/12/14 - So far I have made the mac sauce and used it in the classic mac & cheese recipe.
All the cheese sauce recipes start with a bechamel sauce that they call their Mac Sauce. Sounds hard but it is really easy. The book even has step by step photos - not that they are needed.
For the bechamel you melt butter in a pot, add flour and whisk constantly over heat, until lightly browned. While still constantly whisking, slowly add milk, then whisk in the salt. That's it!
This will make 3 cups and keeps in the fridge so it can even be made ahead of time.
***** Below is the recipe for making only 2 cups of the bechamel (mac sauce) needed for most recipes. ****
It looks as if almost all of the recipes use 2 cups mac sauce. The way my family loves mac and cheese I will probably make a double batch of the mac sauce, divide it into 2 cup canning jars, and keep them in the fridge ready to go.
Then all I would need to do is boil up the pasta and reheat the mac sauce in a pot, adding whatever cheeses I want. I may never go back to the box version again.
There is a recipe in the book called Trailer Mac. Boy did that bring back memories. It's just mac and cheese with cut-up hotdogs mixed in and crushed potato chips on top. What can I say? I grew up in a family where my dad died when I was young, there were three kids, and my mom worked full time. I loved the stuff.
But not to worry, if you were expecting fancy mac and cheese you will find that too. There is a greek one in the international section that is called Macximus. It has feta cheese and spinach, yum.
2/18/2014 Update. Like I said above, the bechamel sauce makes 3 cups and almost all of the recipes use only 2 cups. So what to do with the leftover? Toss is? Keep in fridge until it becomes questionable then toss? No, don't do that! Here are the instructions on how to make only 2 cups bechamel sauce.
****To make 2 cups Mac Sauce****
2 cups milk
5 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
5 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt
The salt might be a little on the light side so add more to taste if needed.
Make the sauce according to directions.
To date I have only made the recipe for Classic Mac n Cheese. I have made both the pan version and the baked version with the Panko crumbs on top. They were both good. Can't say how leftovers fare since I never seem to have any.
Quality of cheese does make a difference. Use the best you can find.
Below is a link to a great webpage for reducing recipe measurements. It is from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
http://food.unl.edu/fnh/reduce-recipe...
Want to read
April 29, 2013Received from NetGalley. Man, this is one of those times I wish I had a hardcopy to drool over. Seriously. It's also one of the few times I'm ok with reading an arc on my computer instead of trying to convert a PDF to mobi and reading it on my Kindle. Pictures really make a cookbook worthwhile. I honestly won't even read/buy/check out a cookbook if it doesn't have a lot of pictures. If I just wanted recipes I can get millions online. I buy cookbooks for the pretty pictures!
September 9, 2013
I'll have to try a couple of the recipes before I can properly rate the book, but they look fantastic and the directions seem really easy to follow. It definitely made me hungry!!
9/9/13 So yummy! Full review at http://persephonemagazine.com/2013/09...
9/9/13 So yummy! Full review at http://persephonemagazine.com/2013/09...
February 11, 2015
Can't wait to make a few of these recipes using my yummy gluten free pasta. I've eaten at the restaurant and it was divine.
September 29, 2022
comfort read
February 6, 2024
Pros:
*Cute layout and good pictures
*Fun writing in the recipe notes (I sat and read the whole cookbook for fun before making anything)
*I like how they toast the flour in the bechamel to a blonde roux; it gave the mac sauce a really nice flavor (though it comes out more in some sauces than others, depending on the cheeses used).
*There are some nice flavor combos in the book. I would not have thought of "Spanakopita" mac 'n' cheese, and that was fun.
Cons:
*This isn't the kind of mac most people in my family like. Even when we made it with 75% of the call-for sauce, it felt like half-noodles, half sauce. If you like lots and lots of sauce, this is for you.
*The proportions for the basic mac sauce are WEIRD. Nearly every mac recipe starts with the same bechamel sauce. The recipe give you enough bechamel for 1.5 recipe of mac. They state that it's hard to make bechamel in a smaller proportion...but why 1.5? Why not 2? Then you could make a double batch of mac, or make mac on two different nights. The math isn't hard to make a 2x batch of sauce instead of 1.5x. They even have a list of ideas of how to use up that weird, half-a-batch-of-bechamel sauce that practically every recipe in the book will leave you with. (This is why our noodles had 75% of the recommended sauce; I made the 1.5 batch of bechamel as-written and then scaled up the cheese in the recipe to match, and put this 1.5 batch of cheesy sauce over 1lb of noodles instead of 8 ounces of noodles).
*It's hidden in the front of the book that if you want golden-brown panko breadcrumbs, you actually need to toast them first. The recipes themselves don't point back to this. And the authors kinda apologize for it: "If you want a brown, toasty color to the crust, just toss the panko on a baking sheet at 400F until it turns the color brown you are looking for, about 5 minutes. Then use it in the recipe as directed. But we didn't add that step in the recipes that use panko, because the flavor is the same, even if you don't toast it on its own first." Maybe they were trying to make the recipes look simpler and less intimidating? But I read that and imagined people opening the book, trying a recipe without scouring the intro, and being frustrated/disappointed/wondering where they went wrong when they ended up with sad, pale panko instead of something like the picture.
Okay, those last two points are really just me being annoyed that the book talks about how the book is designed to be "easy-to-use...nothing should be expensive, difficult, or intimidating about mac and cheese" and then there are these very not-user-friendly parts of the book.
*Cute layout and good pictures
*Fun writing in the recipe notes (I sat and read the whole cookbook for fun before making anything)
*I like how they toast the flour in the bechamel to a blonde roux; it gave the mac sauce a really nice flavor (though it comes out more in some sauces than others, depending on the cheeses used).
*There are some nice flavor combos in the book. I would not have thought of "Spanakopita" mac 'n' cheese, and that was fun.
Cons:
*This isn't the kind of mac most people in my family like. Even when we made it with 75% of the call-for sauce, it felt like half-noodles, half sauce. If you like lots and lots of sauce, this is for you.
*The proportions for the basic mac sauce are WEIRD. Nearly every mac recipe starts with the same bechamel sauce. The recipe give you enough bechamel for 1.5 recipe of mac. They state that it's hard to make bechamel in a smaller proportion...but why 1.5? Why not 2? Then you could make a double batch of mac, or make mac on two different nights. The math isn't hard to make a 2x batch of sauce instead of 1.5x. They even have a list of ideas of how to use up that weird, half-a-batch-of-bechamel sauce that practically every recipe in the book will leave you with. (This is why our noodles had 75% of the recommended sauce; I made the 1.5 batch of bechamel as-written and then scaled up the cheese in the recipe to match, and put this 1.5 batch of cheesy sauce over 1lb of noodles instead of 8 ounces of noodles).
*It's hidden in the front of the book that if you want golden-brown panko breadcrumbs, you actually need to toast them first. The recipes themselves don't point back to this. And the authors kinda apologize for it: "If you want a brown, toasty color to the crust, just toss the panko on a baking sheet at 400F until it turns the color brown you are looking for, about 5 minutes. Then use it in the recipe as directed. But we didn't add that step in the recipes that use panko, because the flavor is the same, even if you don't toast it on its own first." Maybe they were trying to make the recipes look simpler and less intimidating? But I read that and imagined people opening the book, trying a recipe without scouring the intro, and being frustrated/disappointed/wondering where they went wrong when they ended up with sad, pale panko instead of something like the picture.
Okay, those last two points are really just me being annoyed that the book talks about how the book is designed to be "easy-to-use...nothing should be expensive, difficult, or intimidating about mac and cheese" and then there are these very not-user-friendly parts of the book.
May 11, 2018
I dig these recipes.Can't wait to try them!
There's only so much you can review of a cookbook without actually trying the recipes. I can't speak to the deliciousness of these mac + cheeses, but from the ingredients list, they sound AMAZING. All the recipes do, from the macs to the sides to the desserts.
And there's a real charm in the spine of this book. It's authors opened a mac + cheese restaurant as a passion project, after careers in marketing and law. There's an earnestness in the way they describe their recipes, a sincere "we just want to share this food we like" vibe. And dang, if I'm not sucked in by that cheerfulness.
So, too, do I like how each recipe comes with a pairing suggestion for both beer and wine. I swear, they've thought of everything.
As with any cookbook, I always want more photos of the recipes. But the photos we do get are positively mouth-watering and the whole design of the book just oozes with the cozy aesthetic of its authors restaurant, Homeroom.
This is a neat, niche cookbook for loves of mac + cheese (myself definitely included). Absolutely check it out.
There's only so much you can review of a cookbook without actually trying the recipes. I can't speak to the deliciousness of these mac + cheeses, but from the ingredients list, they sound AMAZING. All the recipes do, from the macs to the sides to the desserts.
And there's a real charm in the spine of this book. It's authors opened a mac + cheese restaurant as a passion project, after careers in marketing and law. There's an earnestness in the way they describe their recipes, a sincere "we just want to share this food we like" vibe. And dang, if I'm not sucked in by that cheerfulness.
So, too, do I like how each recipe comes with a pairing suggestion for both beer and wine. I swear, they've thought of everything.
As with any cookbook, I always want more photos of the recipes. But the photos we do get are positively mouth-watering and the whole design of the book just oozes with the cozy aesthetic of its authors restaurant, Homeroom.
This is a neat, niche cookbook for loves of mac + cheese (myself definitely included). Absolutely check it out.
January 4, 2021
Yummy book. Hope to try out some of the recipes this year.
I was especially happy to see that the authors included some
information about how to make Gluten-free mac and cheese, as
I have family and other friends that have Celiac.
I was especially happy to see that the authors included some
information about how to make Gluten-free mac and cheese, as
I have family and other friends that have Celiac.
August 9, 2021
Very good book with simple recipes but enough in depth explanations for you to understand exactly how it is done and also to get creative once you master the art of making Mac and cheese. I enjoyed the great variety of cooking I read through and learned a lot.
September 21, 2022
As a mac & cheese lover, these recipes’ ingredients immediately found a place in my next grocery order. The simplicity and ease of these recipes means that even the most novice cook can enjoy the great array of flavors. I can’t wait to try these all out!
October 29, 2018
Awesome Mac & Cheese recipes
December 19, 2018
Simple and delicious recipes. I made 4 of them and they were excellent. Decent mac and cheese has always eluded my limited skills. This book made me into a pro.
February 26, 2019
oh boy. All kinds of nice things including vegan mac for my no-dairy friends. I do feel sad for the baby cattle, too, maybe to veal but certainly taken away from their mums. Maybe I should veg, too
October 27, 2020
I can’t wait to actually TRY all the recipes. If they are as good as they appear - my rating may change... num!
January 24, 2021
Great read..... thank you for a very entertaining story
December 27, 2022
Making the chili mac tonight. Great little book and finally making the cheese sauce was made easy.
March 26, 2023
My mom gifted me this book (from a yard sale) and it is delightful. Lovely little recipes (beyond Mac & cheese) and I would love to check out their restaurant in Oakland one day.
August 16, 2013
This book review, as well as many more, can also be found on my blog, The Baking Bookworm (www.thebakingbookworm.blogspot.ca).
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Ten Speed Press and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary e-book copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
My Thoughts: Macaroni and Cheese, good homemade mac'n'cheese and all its creamy, cheesy goodness, is so comforting that it can soothe my weary soul even on the bleakest of days. Add a crunchy Panko crumb topping and I'm in gastronomical heaven!
I'm not the only person in my house that is an avid mac and cheese addict. My kids and Brad enjoy diving into a bowl of gooey, cheesy goodness too. Typically, I use the same recipe to make my homemade mac and cheese. It's a good recipe and I've used it so much and for so long that I know it by heart. And that gets a little boring after awhile, if I'm being honest. So when I saw that Allison and Erin had written an entire cookbook about one of my favourite comfort foods I knew I had to give it a try. My beloved mac and cheese with a few twists? Count me in!
Allison and Erin know more than a thing or two about mac and cheese. They own a restaurant in Oakland, California which is dedicated to their love of the curved noodle and fromage. We're not talking about only serving the standard cheesy sauce over macaroni noodles. Oh no, my friends. These two gals offer up 10 different kinds of mac and cheese every day and dress up my favourite comfort food with simple, yet delicious, add-ins.
I will admit that sometimes reading a cookbook is about as riveting as reading an encyclopedia. They can be a little dry and lacking in personality but I'm happy to report that this is not the case with The Mac + Cheese Cookbook. Allison and Erin's personalities come shining through as they begin the book by giving their readers a tour of their restaurant, Homeroom. It's a unique restaurant and their lucky customers get to keep track of all of the delicious Mac + Cheese varieties that they've tried at Homeroom in an old fashioned card catalogue. My inner book nerd totally loves that!! How cool is that? Seriously?!
They follow the tour of their restaurant by starting their readers off at the beginning of the Mac and Cheese journey, the constant in all of their creations -- a basic cream sauce, or "Mac Sauce". You've got to start with good building blocks and a good cream sauce will put you on the path to a delish mac and cheese creation of your very own. Once you have your Mac Sauce you can then transform standard, yet delicious, mac and cheese into so many different, unique pasta dishes depending on what you want to add in.
Their recipes aren't hard to make (clear and concise instructions are given) nor are they really finicky or ultra 'chi-chi' either. In my humble opinion, Mac and Cheese shouldn't be a complicated affair but I do adore the fact that they've given a new life (and different flavour combos) to a well-loved dish. They also surprised me by having wine and beer pairings with their different Mac + Cheese variations.
They also give helpful hints and explanations regarding ingredients (when to use certain cheeses/noodles, differences in salt) as well as trouble shooting common Mac + Cheese mistakes (lumpy sauce, thin sauce, lacking in flavour ...). Ultimately, they want to help their readers to experience a truly phenomenal Mac + Cheese.
The only thing that I wish that were different with my experience reading this book is I really wish I had received a hard copy of this book instead of an e-copy on my Kindle. Please don't get me wrong, I love and appreciate receiving this cookbook from the publisher but I think, given the choice, I would have much preferred to review this book (and other cookbooks in the future) with a paper copy. There's just something about reading a e-cookbook that just doesn't do it for me. It's harder to skim through and the black and white of my Kindle didn't do their pictures justice.
Overall, I really recommend this cookbook. Allison and Erin have created a unique, interesting and totally tantalizing cookbook that showcases one of my favourite go-to comfort meals. Mac and Cheese isn't meant to be a complicated dish and I love that they're not trying to reinvent Mac + Cheese. It's fabulous in its simplicity. They're tweaking the fabulousness by giving their readers some new takes on a tried and true favourite by suggesting add-ins, like Panko crumbs on top, blue cheese or even my beloved goat cheese. With a few simple staples and perhaps a couple of unique add-ins you can make a very common dish extraordinary!
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Ten Speed Press and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary e-book copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
My Thoughts: Macaroni and Cheese, good homemade mac'n'cheese and all its creamy, cheesy goodness, is so comforting that it can soothe my weary soul even on the bleakest of days. Add a crunchy Panko crumb topping and I'm in gastronomical heaven!
I'm not the only person in my house that is an avid mac and cheese addict. My kids and Brad enjoy diving into a bowl of gooey, cheesy goodness too. Typically, I use the same recipe to make my homemade mac and cheese. It's a good recipe and I've used it so much and for so long that I know it by heart. And that gets a little boring after awhile, if I'm being honest. So when I saw that Allison and Erin had written an entire cookbook about one of my favourite comfort foods I knew I had to give it a try. My beloved mac and cheese with a few twists? Count me in!
Allison and Erin know more than a thing or two about mac and cheese. They own a restaurant in Oakland, California which is dedicated to their love of the curved noodle and fromage. We're not talking about only serving the standard cheesy sauce over macaroni noodles. Oh no, my friends. These two gals offer up 10 different kinds of mac and cheese every day and dress up my favourite comfort food with simple, yet delicious, add-ins.
I will admit that sometimes reading a cookbook is about as riveting as reading an encyclopedia. They can be a little dry and lacking in personality but I'm happy to report that this is not the case with The Mac + Cheese Cookbook. Allison and Erin's personalities come shining through as they begin the book by giving their readers a tour of their restaurant, Homeroom. It's a unique restaurant and their lucky customers get to keep track of all of the delicious Mac + Cheese varieties that they've tried at Homeroom in an old fashioned card catalogue. My inner book nerd totally loves that!! How cool is that? Seriously?!
They follow the tour of their restaurant by starting their readers off at the beginning of the Mac and Cheese journey, the constant in all of their creations -- a basic cream sauce, or "Mac Sauce". You've got to start with good building blocks and a good cream sauce will put you on the path to a delish mac and cheese creation of your very own. Once you have your Mac Sauce you can then transform standard, yet delicious, mac and cheese into so many different, unique pasta dishes depending on what you want to add in.
Their recipes aren't hard to make (clear and concise instructions are given) nor are they really finicky or ultra 'chi-chi' either. In my humble opinion, Mac and Cheese shouldn't be a complicated affair but I do adore the fact that they've given a new life (and different flavour combos) to a well-loved dish. They also surprised me by having wine and beer pairings with their different Mac + Cheese variations.
They also give helpful hints and explanations regarding ingredients (when to use certain cheeses/noodles, differences in salt) as well as trouble shooting common Mac + Cheese mistakes (lumpy sauce, thin sauce, lacking in flavour ...). Ultimately, they want to help their readers to experience a truly phenomenal Mac + Cheese.
The only thing that I wish that were different with my experience reading this book is I really wish I had received a hard copy of this book instead of an e-copy on my Kindle. Please don't get me wrong, I love and appreciate receiving this cookbook from the publisher but I think, given the choice, I would have much preferred to review this book (and other cookbooks in the future) with a paper copy. There's just something about reading a e-cookbook that just doesn't do it for me. It's harder to skim through and the black and white of my Kindle didn't do their pictures justice.
Overall, I really recommend this cookbook. Allison and Erin have created a unique, interesting and totally tantalizing cookbook that showcases one of my favourite go-to comfort meals. Mac and Cheese isn't meant to be a complicated dish and I love that they're not trying to reinvent Mac + Cheese. It's fabulous in its simplicity. They're tweaking the fabulousness by giving their readers some new takes on a tried and true favourite by suggesting add-ins, like Panko crumbs on top, blue cheese or even my beloved goat cheese. With a few simple staples and perhaps a couple of unique add-ins you can make a very common dish extraordinary!
My Rating: 4/5 stars
November 14, 2019
Great book from a favorite place for delicious comfort food!
I no longer live near Homeroom but love that I can cook up my favorites even when I can’t visit! Thank you!
I no longer live near Homeroom but love that I can cook up my favorites even when I can’t visit! Thank you!
August 26, 2013
A long time ago this reviewer first saw a reference to Mac & Cheese in an American cookbook and for some reason wondered what it had to do with a McDonald's hamburger… the cultural delight that is Mac & Cheese hadn't obviously travelled far enough at that time.
This book manages to find 50 different recipes from one restaurant alone, a restaurant that just specialises in Mac & Cheese. This will either be a form of culinary nirvana or a feeling of "Groundhog Day" for many. Still one can be bemused and amazed as to how there can be so many different recipes and variants for Mac & Cheese, apart from every family's own carefully-guarded secret that is.
Starting with an interesting introduction (particularly for a funny foreigner who doesn't have a deep insight into this cult dish) and a look at the restaurant which is fixated on Mac & Cheese, the book then moves on to the basics and the apparent "problem" of whether you will have your Mac & Cheese creamy or baked. Apparently this simple thing is capable of polarising opinion. You need to learn to walk before you can run so it is then a primer on preparing the basics such as a Basic Baked Mac & Cheese, a Mac Sauce and a consideration on the importance of the right ingredients!
Then it is recipe after recipe, first from "home" and then a look at some international Mac & Cheese recipes (although no doubt some purists will rage about their authenticity). Just looking through the list of recipes shows the variations that one can make on a theme. Jalapeño Popper Mac, Tuna Mac, Chili Mac, Breakfast Mac (yes really, with a fried egg on top!)… or the foreign entries such as Macximus, Shepherd's Mac and Deliciousmäcken. No really, these do apparently exist too.
Each recipe is very well written and accompanied by a bit of an introduction or scene-setter before giving clear step-by-step instructions. Even some beer or wine suggestions are provided for those who imbibe. A few small, common niggles exist (lack of an estimated prep/cook time, sole U.S. imperial unit measures) but they are just that, niggles and using a conversion chart at the end of the book is no real solution in the 21st Century. Whilst reading through this book you certainly feel as if your hand is being held all of the way, yet it is not patronising. Some interesting humour and great food photography help keep you drawn in and on track.
Should you feel adventurous there are even some "experimental" dishes too that utilise "unusual ingredients". After that there are few so-so additions for sides and desserts that might help bolster up a mealtime, but for this reviewer at least the main recipes are the main draw, in part through sheer curiosity value! The core ingredients for Mac & Cheese need not be expensive items and this book might even show how you could have a great amount of diversity within your family meals without breaking the budget or suffering from mealtime boredom along the way.
This reviewer was slightly sceptical as to whether this book would really work when its title and description were made available. The reality is a lot different and it does underline perfectly the phrase "first impressions can be deceiving."
The Mac + Cheese Cookbook, written by Allison Arevalo & Erin Wade and published by Ten Speed Press. ISBN 9781607744665, 128 pages. Typical price: USD16.99. YYYY.
// This review appeared in YUM.fi and is reproduced here in full with permission of YUM.fi. YUM.fi celebrates the worldwide diversity of food and drink, as presented through the humble book. Whether you call it a cookery book, cook book, recipe book or something else (in the language of your choice) YUM will provide you with news and reviews of the latest books on the marketplace. //
This book manages to find 50 different recipes from one restaurant alone, a restaurant that just specialises in Mac & Cheese. This will either be a form of culinary nirvana or a feeling of "Groundhog Day" for many. Still one can be bemused and amazed as to how there can be so many different recipes and variants for Mac & Cheese, apart from every family's own carefully-guarded secret that is.
Starting with an interesting introduction (particularly for a funny foreigner who doesn't have a deep insight into this cult dish) and a look at the restaurant which is fixated on Mac & Cheese, the book then moves on to the basics and the apparent "problem" of whether you will have your Mac & Cheese creamy or baked. Apparently this simple thing is capable of polarising opinion. You need to learn to walk before you can run so it is then a primer on preparing the basics such as a Basic Baked Mac & Cheese, a Mac Sauce and a consideration on the importance of the right ingredients!
Then it is recipe after recipe, first from "home" and then a look at some international Mac & Cheese recipes (although no doubt some purists will rage about their authenticity). Just looking through the list of recipes shows the variations that one can make on a theme. Jalapeño Popper Mac, Tuna Mac, Chili Mac, Breakfast Mac (yes really, with a fried egg on top!)… or the foreign entries such as Macximus, Shepherd's Mac and Deliciousmäcken. No really, these do apparently exist too.
Each recipe is very well written and accompanied by a bit of an introduction or scene-setter before giving clear step-by-step instructions. Even some beer or wine suggestions are provided for those who imbibe. A few small, common niggles exist (lack of an estimated prep/cook time, sole U.S. imperial unit measures) but they are just that, niggles and using a conversion chart at the end of the book is no real solution in the 21st Century. Whilst reading through this book you certainly feel as if your hand is being held all of the way, yet it is not patronising. Some interesting humour and great food photography help keep you drawn in and on track.
Should you feel adventurous there are even some "experimental" dishes too that utilise "unusual ingredients". After that there are few so-so additions for sides and desserts that might help bolster up a mealtime, but for this reviewer at least the main recipes are the main draw, in part through sheer curiosity value! The core ingredients for Mac & Cheese need not be expensive items and this book might even show how you could have a great amount of diversity within your family meals without breaking the budget or suffering from mealtime boredom along the way.
This reviewer was slightly sceptical as to whether this book would really work when its title and description were made available. The reality is a lot different and it does underline perfectly the phrase "first impressions can be deceiving."
The Mac + Cheese Cookbook, written by Allison Arevalo & Erin Wade and published by Ten Speed Press. ISBN 9781607744665, 128 pages. Typical price: USD16.99. YYYY.
// This review appeared in YUM.fi and is reproduced here in full with permission of YUM.fi. YUM.fi celebrates the worldwide diversity of food and drink, as presented through the humble book. Whether you call it a cookery book, cook book, recipe book or something else (in the language of your choice) YUM will provide you with news and reviews of the latest books on the marketplace. //
November 3, 2015
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 4.5 of 5
I initially requested to read this book because my daughter, a vegetarian, loves macaroni and cheese and I thought it might be nice if we could find some variations rather than having her constantly mixing from a box. But I found that I may use it more than she will!
Authors Allison Arevalo and Erin Wade are the owners of the restaurant HOMEROOM, a Mac + Cheese restaurant in Oakland. Their success with the restaurant prompted them to share some of their favorite recipes and tips. Among these tips are suggestions as to what wines would be best served with each recipe. While I'm not big on wine with macaroni and cheese, I appreciate the gesture.
I made a few of these and found them to be truly delicious. My wife is not a fan of macaroni and cheese and yet she liked these recipes very much. What I learned is that each recipe starts with a basic recipe that is the same for all of them. It is essentially a white sauce that I learned to make when I was in middle school. Then cheeses are (and other ingredients) are added to that sauce.
Our favorite recipe turned out to be one of our own devising (using Arevalo and Wade's sauce mix as a starter) when some the cheeses I was looking to make a specific recipe weren't available at my local store. But adding freshly grated cheese to a tasty sauce, then topped with panko crumbs and baked really does make for a wonderful dish. Adding other ingredients ... everything from hotdogs to bacon pieces to broccoli really adds a delectable touch.
The book is well presented, with beautiful, mouth-watering pictures and basic cook-book-style recipes, with a list of necessary ingredients. The recipes are very simple to make and manage to make mac and cheese something more than just a lunch meal for a pre-schooler. I only wish the book were longer. I'd have liked twice as many recipes, but in truth ... once the sauce is made and you have a grasp of how much cheese and other ingredients to add, it's VERY easy to create your own dishes.
Almost every recipe book I own have a large number of recipes that I have not made, and probably will never make. This book is full of recipes and I have no doubt I will make every one of them
Looking for a good book? The Mac + Cheese Cookbook is a cookbook for one of the most basic of American dishes but adds some panache and is simple enough for nearly anyone to use.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
I initially requested to read this book because my daughter, a vegetarian, loves macaroni and cheese and I thought it might be nice if we could find some variations rather than having her constantly mixing from a box. But I found that I may use it more than she will!
Authors Allison Arevalo and Erin Wade are the owners of the restaurant HOMEROOM, a Mac + Cheese restaurant in Oakland. Their success with the restaurant prompted them to share some of their favorite recipes and tips. Among these tips are suggestions as to what wines would be best served with each recipe. While I'm not big on wine with macaroni and cheese, I appreciate the gesture.
I made a few of these and found them to be truly delicious. My wife is not a fan of macaroni and cheese and yet she liked these recipes very much. What I learned is that each recipe starts with a basic recipe that is the same for all of them. It is essentially a white sauce that I learned to make when I was in middle school. Then cheeses are (and other ingredients) are added to that sauce.
Our favorite recipe turned out to be one of our own devising (using Arevalo and Wade's sauce mix as a starter) when some the cheeses I was looking to make a specific recipe weren't available at my local store. But adding freshly grated cheese to a tasty sauce, then topped with panko crumbs and baked really does make for a wonderful dish. Adding other ingredients ... everything from hotdogs to bacon pieces to broccoli really adds a delectable touch.
The book is well presented, with beautiful, mouth-watering pictures and basic cook-book-style recipes, with a list of necessary ingredients. The recipes are very simple to make and manage to make mac and cheese something more than just a lunch meal for a pre-schooler. I only wish the book were longer. I'd have liked twice as many recipes, but in truth ... once the sauce is made and you have a grasp of how much cheese and other ingredients to add, it's VERY easy to create your own dishes.
Almost every recipe book I own have a large number of recipes that I have not made, and probably will never make. This book is full of recipes and I have no doubt I will make every one of them
Looking for a good book? The Mac + Cheese Cookbook is a cookbook for one of the most basic of American dishes but adds some panache and is simple enough for nearly anyone to use.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
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