UPFRONT/EAT
Quattro Formaggi
Who says mac and cheese can’t be creative? 4 chefs share their versions of a delicious classic
Decadent
CHEESE TYPES: Sharp cheddar, colby jack
OTHER ADD-INS: Béchamel sauce made with a roux (butter and all-purpose flour), milk and heavy cream
ADDITIONAL SEASONING: Dry mustard powder, paprika, salt, black pepper, pinch of nutmeg
COOKING METHOD: Bake in a buttered casserole dish
CHEF: Jennifer Hill Booker, owner of Bauhaus Biergarten, in Springdale, Arkansas
Bacon Praline
CHEESE TYPES: Sharp cheddar, cream cheese, American
OTHER ADD-INS: Milk, eggs, unsalted butter, applewood smoked bacon crumbles; for topping, mix melted unsalted butter, chopped pecans, light brown sugar and dried breadcrumbs
ADDITIONAL SEASONING: Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, ground white pepper, garlic powder, onion powder
COOKING METHOD: Bake in a cast-iron skillet
CHEF: Deborah VanTrece, author of The Twisted Soul Cookbook: Modern Soul Food with Global Flavors
Feta and Jalapeño
CHEESE TYPES: Feta and white American
OTHER ADD-INS: Butter, chopped onion, jalapeño, dry white wine, heavy cream and a blond roux (made with unsalted butter and all-purpose flour)
ADDITIONAL SEASONING: n/a
COOKING METHOD: Stovetop in a saucepan
CHEF: Eddie Hernandez, coauthor of Turnip Greens & Tortillas: A Mexican Chef Spices Up the Southern Kitchen
Vegan Macaroni
CHEESE TYPES: Vegan cheddar and vegan mozzarella
OTHER ADD-INS: Butternut squash, russet potato, vegan butter, unsweetened plain cashew or almond milk yogurt, nutritional yeast, vegetable broth
ADDITIONAL SEASONING: Salt-free garlic and herb seasoning such as McCormick, sea salt, garlic powder; top with paprika
COOKING METHOD: Stovetop in a sauté pan or bake in a casserole dish
CHEF: Tabitha Brown, author of Cooking from the Spirit —Leslie Quander Wooldridge
MY FAVORITE GROCERY ITEM
VIDALIA ONIONS
VIDALIA ONIONS—grown only in Georgia—are sweet and surprisingly good raw. Slice them thickly for a burger, dice to top hot dogs, shave over chicken soup, chop up for salads or use wedges as a scoop for dips. —Alon Shaya, founder, Pomegranate Hospitality