THE EPIC HISTORY OF MACARONI AND CHEESE

Join us for an evening of conversation with author Karima Moyer-Nocchi and moderator Paula J. Johnson about the epic history of mac & cheese

ABOUT THE BOOK

This book is a delectable history of macaroni and cheese, tracing an extraordinary journey of cultural exchange and social change. Karima Moyer-Nocchi reveals the religious, political, and industrial forces that shaped its evolution alongside stories of the unsung figures who crafted the dish as we know it today: enslaved cooks who preserved and adapted traditions, immigrant chefs who introduced new variations, and practical homemakers looking to nourish their families with an affordable meal.

She emphasizes the adaptability of macaroni and cheese, which in different times has served as both an indulgence on the elite table and sustenance to those struggling to survive, crossing borders, social classes, and cultural divides. Deeply researched and rich with enticing details, this book uncovers the creativity and resilience that brought a beloved food to our tables. The Epic History of Macaroni and Cheese also shares centuries of recipes—from ancient Roman authors to celebrity chefs, reworked for modern kitchens—that provide a hands-on way to experience the evolution of this iconic dish.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Karima Moyer-Nocchi is a culinary historian specializing in Italian food who teaches at the University of Siena. She is the author of Chewing the Fat: An Oral History of Italian Foodways from Fascism to Dolce Vita (2015) and The Eternal Table: A Cultural History of Food in Rome (2019).

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Paula J. Johnson is a curator and public historian, recently retired from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, DC. She conducted research and collected objects relating to the history and culture of American food and wine and served as the Director of the Smithsonian's Food History Project. Johnson was one of the staff members who collected Julia Child's home kitchen in 2001 and led the team that created FOOD: Transforming the American Table, a multi-layered exhibition that explores the major changes in food production, distribution, and consumption in the United States since the 1950s. She has shaped and contributed to many public programs on food history and the Smithsonian’s annual “Food History Weekend.” Johnson is the author of three books, including Julia Child’s Kitchen: The Design, Tools Stories, and Legacy of an Iconic Space, published by Abrams in 2024. She received the Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar in the Humanities Award in 2020. Johnson is a member of the Association for Food and Society and Les Dames d’Escoffier. She serves as a member of the editorial collective for Gastronomica: The Journal for Food Studies and the Board of Governors of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Maryland.