Macaroni and Cheese

For some people, the Platonic form of macaroni and cheese comes from a blue and orange cardboard box. This book is for everyone else, or at least everyone else who isn't ""vegan, allergic to dairy products, or counting carbs or fat."" For these gravy-blooded souls, the Platonic form of macaroni and cheese might be Noodles with Green Parsley Garlic Butter, a big bowl of egg noodles drowned in herb butter and then tossed with emmanthal or gruyere for a delicious, artery-clogging indulgence. Other macaroni and cheese lovers might choose gooey Macaroni and Double Asparagus Gratin, or old fashioned Tuna-Noodle Casserole, here dressed up with peas, mushrooms and parsley. The author, a London-based food writer, treats macaroni and cheese with the right amount of reverence, acknowledging that ""those who love (it) probably loved it as children, too."" Still, she dares to take this most American dish global with recipes for Pastitsio, a Greek-style pasta, and Falooda, an Indian dessert made with cherries and ice cream. These iterations, alongside such basics as Yankee Doodle Dandy Baked Macaroni and Cheese, are sure to please even the most dedicated mac and cheese purist, while delighting anyone with a soft spot for comfort food.