If you’re a history buff, then you may have spent some time wondering just what exactly our Founding Fathers liked to eat. For George Washington, one of his favorite dishes was a simple hoecake. But for Thomas Jefferson, it was something a bit more complicated — and something that nobody wants to eat anymore.
The dish is called the “Drunken Loaf,” and yes, alcohol is indeed heavily involved. The base consists of a loaf of bread that has been warmed and soaked with red wine. The red wine-soaked bread is then topped with mac and cheese that has been broiled to get the top nice and toasty. The mac and cheese for the Drunken Loaf is quite simple, only containing a few ingredients: 1 pound of macaroni, 1 tablespoon of butter, heavy cream, and 6 ounces of Parmesan cheese. So, all in all, it makes sense that this dish hasn’t stood the test of time, as it’s all over the place — mac and cheese and wine-flavored bread is not exactly a common pairing.
It’s no surprise that one of Jefferson’s favorite dishes features mac and cheese, as he, famously, is a fan of the comfort dish. As the story goes, Jefferson took a liking to the dish while spending time in France and, when back in America, frequently requested the meal.
Read more: The Ultimate Ranking Of Store-Bought Whole Grain Breads
What To Expect If You Try Jefferson’s Drunken Loaf
Spoon adding mac and cheese to drunken loaf – cookinwithcongress / TikTok
The Drunken Loaf is certainly unique, and if you’re feeling adventurous, you may want to give it a try — you’ll just want to keep an open mind, as it’s likely different from any dish you’ve had before. One TikTok user, cookinwithcongress, made the Drunken Loaf and detailed his thoughts on the one-of-a-kind dish. His main note? “Choose a good wine, cause you are going to taste it,” he said. So, choose a wine that you know that you like — maybe an affordable one so it doesn’t feel too wasteful if you don’t like the dish.
Additionally, the mac and cheese is quite simple and may not be what you’re used to when it comes to the comfort food. Many mac and cheese recipes contain more than one cheese — and if they only have one, it’s usually not Parmesan (cheddar is much more common). If you wanted to upgrade the Drunken Loaf, then the best way to do so would probably be to make a tried and true mac and cheese recipe, such as our baked mac and cheese. A better mac and cheese recipe, combined with a favorite wine, may just result in a version of this dish that isn’t so bad — although you likely won’t be adding it to your weekly dinner rotation.
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Dining and Cooking