Mac and Cheese: From 'What's in these?' to 'Yes, please!'

06/22/22 • 32 min

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You might think macaroni and cheese is just a quick and easy meal, or a special dish that comes to the holiday table. But Joy and her co-host Buddy are here to tell you that macaroni and cheese is actually a pair of SUPERHEROES!

We’ll trace the history of the dish back to ancient Rome, through the Elizabethan Age, and all the way to America by way of James Hemings, an enslaved chef who cooked for Thomas Jefferson at Monticello.

The modern history of mac & cheese continues with the invention of powdered cheese. And you’ll get a chance to guess the historical order of shelf-stable foods including peanut butter, powdered milk, and instant ramen noodles. Spoons up!

Previous Episode

The rise and fall of fancy men

We can learn a lot about what a culture thinks is important through its fashion. These days, most men don’t wear makeup to work, or lace collars, or powdered wigs, but that wasn’t always the case! Joy and co-host Max go on a journey to the history spa, where they get a 1770s makeover from Frank, the macaroni maven. (What’s a macaroni? Not just a noodle!) Listen as they learn about the ancient history of makeup (we’re talking Egypt here) and why being a fancy man eventually fell out of style. Plus, there’s a new First Things First! Do you think neon clothes, baseball caps, or bellbottom pants came first in history?

This episode was sponsored by:

Outschool (Outschool.com/ForeverAgo promo code: foreverago)

Fabric Insurance (Meetfabric.com/FOREVER)

Next Episode

When baths met soap

Scrub-a-dub-dub, it’s time for the tub! Or is it? You probably wash up with soap plenty of times throughout the week, but did you know that most people throughout history didn’t use soap for their bodies at all?

Joy and co-host Maeve take a trip to Menaka’s ‘Storical Soap Stand, to learn how soap became such a big deal. And on First Things First, we’ll be putting these items in historical order: kids’ bubble bath, shower caps, and rubber duckies.

Don’t forget to send us your time capsule ideas at foreverago.org/contact

Today’s episode is sponsored by:

Outschool.com/foreverago – To save $15 on your child’s first class

Meetfabric.com/FOREVER – Sign up in 10 minutes. Fabric Insurance Agency policies issued by Vantis Life. Not available in New York and Montana. Prices subject to underwriting and health questions.