Macaroni Pie - It's not ordinary

>> Saturday, 4 October 2008

Here in Barbados, the ability to make a “proper” dish of Macaroni Pie is testament to your ability to cook and some say it even makes you eligible to be a good wife! You may think I'm joking but macaroni pie-making is a serious matter in these parts. Click here to read the rest of the column and find out if I'd make good wife material (lol)

The pasta of choice for Macaroni Pie is Bucatini but I prefer elbows because of the shape and also because I think more of the sauce gets incorporated into the dish.

In an interview with a friend and fellow food-blogger a couple of weeks ago, I was asked to name my favourite cookbook. My response: food blogs of course! and I know that many of you would agree with me. This dish here of fried beef and potatoes is testament to that answer.

While blog visiting, I saw Salt and Turmeric's Daging Goreng Kanyit (Dry Fried Beef with Potato) and inspiration struck for the beef in my fridge. In less than 30 minutes, I was eating my adaptation of her dish.

On a different note, you may have noticed that I did not visit you this past week and apart from being extremely busy with work, I had some problems with my laptop and I also lost all of my subscribed feeds to your delicious blogs :( I am in the process of going through my previous posts to re-subscribe to your blogs so please bear with me.

Over at Forgive Me My Nonsense... Journalism is not exclusively learnt and taught in a classroom.

60 comments:

VeggieGirl October 04, 2008 2:21 PM  

Wow, so vibrant!!

So worries about not visiting blogs last week - hope the busyness settles down for you!!

Maven October 04, 2008 2:24 PM  

Your picture looks absolutely mouth watering. I love reading about how culture and food come together.

Shelliza October 04, 2008 2:24 PM  

I'm not good wife material, I'll be honest. I can't make macaroni and cheese to save my life. i don't know what it is but it just doesn't work for me. I do believe that I'll be hitting you up for a recipe soon, though.

DaviMack October 04, 2008 2:34 PM  

Oooh, yum. That's a dish that we make quite well ... and have to make quite infrequently!

Hope you're well, even though you're busy!

Jude October 04, 2008 2:49 PM  

I love bucatini.. LIttle hollow pasta :)
Such awesome pictures of delicious food..

Kevin October 04, 2008 2:52 PM  

That macaroni pie looks good! I have yet to try baking macaroni and cheese. I will have to get to it.

meeso October 04, 2008 3:52 PM  

That macaroni pie sounds good... I'm gonna have to go over and read whole column on this one!

Laurie October 04, 2008 4:14 PM  

I have always loved bucatini since it was sunday pasta of choice when we visited my nona's house growing up.. but you made the pasta pie well with elbows too!! Everything you make always looks delicious Cynthia! :)

Meeta October 04, 2008 4:24 PM  

mac and cheese - soeren will love you for this! i love you for that beef - and for you!

Rosa's Yummy Yums October 04, 2008 5:10 PM  

Two delightful dishes! That Macaroni Pie looks absolutely scrumptious and ever so beautiful!

cheers,

Rosa

glamah16 October 04, 2008 5:13 PM  

This looks how we blacks in the states cook up macoroni and cheese. Baked goodness. That beef and potato is looking good to. I think Im good wife material but Im still waiting to make it legal. Maybe I'll start witholding food:-)

Helene October 04, 2008 6:53 PM  

Everytime I look at your pictures I'm so hungry. You do so well with the writing also.

steph- whisk/spoon October 04, 2008 7:11 PM  

i think any man would say you are good wife material with a mac pie like that! yum yum!

indosungod October 04, 2008 9:31 PM  

I am sure the macaroni and cheese would be loved by the kids but only if I can make half a beautiful as you have there :)

Nags October 04, 2008 10:01 PM  

i believe you when you say that pie is not ordinary :D

Sue October 05, 2008 2:24 AM  

Yummy!

Computer problems are such a pain!

Ivy October 05, 2008 3:13 AM  

Don't worry for not visiting. I wonder how you manage sometimes. Your recipes look delicious.

Happy cook October 05, 2008 9:32 AM  

Hi hi cynthia you are so going to be disowned by your mom :-) if she read your this weeks comoumn :-)
I am sure aunty olga must have cursed her self for saying that sunday she only wanted to have a little of the pie.
Beautiful pic cynthia.
Well I am not a good wife material as i have never ever made macroni.

Laavanya October 05, 2008 9:47 AM  

THat macaroni pie is perfect so no doubt you are a great wife! :) I second you about foodblogs being the best cookbook...

Half Baked October 05, 2008 11:36 AM  

I had to laugh when I read about the macaroni pie. My friends from Barbados have told me that making macaroni pie is an art and science. They say they can't properly duplicate it here in the U.S.
Yours looks srumptious! You are definitly great wife material;)

Nazarina A October 05, 2008 1:29 PM  

Girl, you have passed with flying colors!!!

Keva,  October 05, 2008 7:16 PM  

Ok. Although I don't really care for macaroni & cheese/ macaroni pie, Cynthia, your's looks nice and fluffy. :-) The beef with potatoes looks VERY tastey.

Peter M October 05, 2008 8:51 PM  

Your mac & cheese is stunning, be it bucatini or elbow mac.

Meredith Teagarden October 05, 2008 10:15 PM  

Looks fabulous, and i am sure any man would be glad to have a woman who can cook like you :)!!

Tom Aarons October 05, 2008 10:57 PM  

Hi Cynthia! I'm stunned at how good you've made that beef look! Brown foods are so hard to photograph, but you've done it perfectly.

Thanks for your recent support, too. It meant a lot. :)

Aparna October 05, 2008 11:04 PM  

I make a mac and cheese which I have adapted to our taste, and I add onions, some veggies, mustard and some herbs and yes, only elbow macaroni will do. I also don't make a roux but use a cheese sauce and lots of breadcrumbs.
Btw, I didn't know it was called this but my daughter has always called it macaroni pie! :)

Cham October 06, 2008 1:18 AM  

Whatever u name it, the gooey pie is a winner :)

NĂºria October 06, 2008 10:28 AM  

woooooaaaahhhh! This macarrones are perfection in a tray, Cynthia! Delicious picture :D. I bet you are a super-woman-wife, he, he!

Ups and thanks so much for sending me the recipe for the curry chicken!

Salt N Turmeric October 06, 2008 10:42 AM  

There's 1 american thing tht i sometimes would crave for and its mac & cheese. can you believe tht? but mine always came straight fr the box. lol. And yup, id add salt and pepper to mine too!

I see tht uv tried my dry-fried beef. I hope you liked it. ;)

Chocolate Shavings October 06, 2008 12:19 PM  

Hi Cynthia, it's been a while! I have been switching servers and my blog is now on blogger! I'm still figure out its features, but I like it so far! Any advice fron a fellow user?
And by the way, that macaroni pie looks amazing!

Natashya October 06, 2008 12:55 PM  

I had no idea that macaroni pie was so venerated in the Caribbean. After making Ina Garten's, I find I like it with some Swiss cheese. (The mustard you mention sounds good too, I like sharp flavours)
And I agree with you - salt is important! There is an old fable, "I love you as much as the salt in my food".

TavoLini October 06, 2008 1:38 PM  

I am so impressed that a well known chef put ketchup in the macaroni pie--I always put ketchup in my macaroni and cheese! (and everyone usually makes fun of me for doing so) Very fascinating article.

Deborah October 06, 2008 3:53 PM  

I am always on the lookout for Bucatini - but I can never find it here! And I've only made macaroni & cheese once since I've been married - does that make me a bad wife?? :)

Del October 06, 2008 8:33 PM  

Cynthia you are most definitely wife material. I cannot wait to be at the wedding, I just hope it'll be Caribbean style. That's some good looking comfort food and you sure had my hubby drooling.

Suma Rajesh October 07, 2008 2:37 AM  

pic r tempting me ..looks really divine..

Bellini Valli October 07, 2008 7:52 AM  

Macaroni Pie is perfect for the season Cynthia...but so is the beef and potato dish.....hmmmmm. I guess I make good wife material....but I'll share it with my daughter for now:D

Meg Wolff October 07, 2008 9:32 AM  

Cynthia,
My Mom used to do a version of macaroni pie. It definitely was NOT ordinary!

Proud Italian Cook October 07, 2008 11:08 AM  

One look at that picture and I want nothing but, to put a big spoon down into that cheesy goodness! Now that's comfort food to the 10th degree!!!!

OhioMom October 07, 2008 12:33 PM  

Here we call it Mac-n-Cheese, and the key is in the cheese :) Yours looks wonderful!

Sireesha October 07, 2008 2:11 PM  

Thats amazing and suppper dupppper pie cynthia:)

Rosie October 07, 2008 2:25 PM  

Oh wow that macaroni pie does look good. Beautiful photos :)

Rosie x

Anamika:The Sugarcrafter October 07, 2008 5:58 PM  

hi cynthia
you will certainly make good wife...the macoroni pie is really not ordinary and i love the way you have portrayed it..really, i had not thought about it. well written post.

Mochachocolata Rita October 08, 2008 5:03 AM  

i haven't tried making macaroni and cheese yet. hmm i probably should not say this out loud eh? :)

Bake your cake and eat it too October 08, 2008 6:02 AM  

That's interesting about the macaroni pie being a dictator of whether you are wife material. Good thing we're all foodies huh? Your food looks stunning and SO inviting!

Lori Lynn October 08, 2008 1:10 PM  

I agree with you Cynthia. Many a dinner here has been inspired by what I read on the blogs that very morning.

Nice pie too!

SweetBites October 08, 2008 3:14 PM  

hi Cynthia, sorry to hear bout ur laptop,it happened to me sometime ago & i lost nearly all my data. enjoyed reading the story behind macaroni pie & believe me u will make a excellent wife with that awesome macaroni dish.*wink*

ANJALI J. October 08, 2008 4:25 PM  

Lovely pics.macaroni looks too good.will get it frn the grocers very soon

Lisa October 08, 2008 11:25 PM  

Stop it! You are making me soo hungry!

Heather October 09, 2008 12:34 AM  

I think this macaroni pie would land you a husband in the States, too. :)

Uma October 09, 2008 4:36 PM  

Yes, this isn't ordinary! It's heavenly! aah, I want that macaroni pie now!

toni October 09, 2008 11:31 PM  

I'm glad I read this AFTER dinner, 'cause I would have been salivating for that mac and cheese!

Gattina October 10, 2008 11:47 AM  

Can I marry you :D
tell you C, everytime I come to your blog, I sure wet my shirt (by drooling to much).

Pooh October 10, 2008 11:58 AM  

what a sweet story :)

The dried beef with potato reminds me of irish stew.

Curry Leaf October 11, 2008 11:25 AM  

Thanks for your comment on Shepherdess pie.Coming from a esteemed and versatile blogger like you,I take it as a compliment.I always visit ur blog and am awed by some of the dishes,but I feel I am a very small fry to comment on those wonderful dishes.Thanks and thanks again.Cheers

Paz October 11, 2008 1:25 PM  

I have the same answer for favorite cookbook -- food blogs! Yes!

As always everything here looks delicious.


Paz

Dawn October 12, 2008 9:03 AM  

I just love looking at your photographs. I always love coming here with my morning coffee and just scrolling at all the glorious photos.
I have a whole package of bucatini just waiting to do something....

n33ma October 15, 2008 2:53 PM  

Macaroni pie...hmmmmm thats so beautiful.

southstore.in October 19, 2008 2:03 PM  

Looking at your blog seems really good, Great effort !!!!!

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