Mac and Cheese

Macaroni pasta in a rich cheese sauce, typically a béchamel base enriched with sharp cheddar (American or English), sometimes with Gruyère, Monterey Jack, or American cheese added for meltability. Baked versions get a breadcrumb top and develop a crusted cheese skin; stovetop versions stay creamier. The signature is concentrated dairy fat: butter, cream, and aged cheese. With the pasta providing carbohydrate weight. Often served as a side; in soul food and barbecue contexts, often the star. The wine must handle dairy fat, salty aged cheese, and pasta weight without the tannin fighting the soft texture.