New Books in History Karima Moyer-Nocchi, "The Epic History of Macaroni and Cheese: From Ancient Rome to Modern America" (Columbia UP, 2026)
Mar 20, 2026
Karima Moyer-Nocchi, culinary historian and professor at the University of Siena, traces macaroni and cheese from ancient Roman tables to modern America. She explores Italian roots, medieval and Renaissance recipes, religious and social meanings, the dish’s rise through industrialization, and how Black cooks and mass producers shaped its American identity.
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Macaroni and Cheese As A Cultural Thread
- Macaroni and cheese traces cultural meaning as it moved from Italy to Britain and the U.S. as a thread linking class, religion, technology, and identity.
- Karima Moyer-Nocchi shows the dish served as elite fashion, fasting-friendly comfort, industrial staple, and a marker of national cuisine formation.
Macaroni Meant Many Pastas In The Middle Ages
- In the Middle Ages 'macaroni' was a broad pasta category, not a single shape, including sheets, cut noodles, gnocchi, and tubular forms.
- Recipes mixed pasta with cheese, meat broths, spices, and later butter, showing early adaptability across regions.
Fasting Rules Made Macaroni Incredibly Adaptable
- Religious fasting shaped macaroni's resilience because it could substitute meat-based richness with milk, butter, or broth while remaining technically permissible.
- That flexibility let believers satisfy sumptuous cravings without breaking fasting rules, increasing the dish's appeal.
