Macaroni [and] Cheese - Kraft Box vs Lidl Sachet vs Home Made
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- Опубліковано 27 вер 2024
- Testing a couple of 'instant' Macaroni & Cheese offerings against each other, and against my own home made version of Macaroni Cheese.
There are of course numerous other ready-made or instant versions of this concept - which would include just packets of instant cheese sauce, cartons of sauce or chilled ready-made meals - too numerous to include in this video. Let me know if you want me to test some of those.
I mentioned that Babatunde was going to make a version of this with a Nigerian twist - at this time, he's still having trouble sourcing cheese, so that video hasn't happened yet. Meanwhile, I'd be very happy and grateful if you could still show him your support for other videos on his channel: / @africa_everyday
For a cheese sauce recipe with exact measurements (unlike mine which is sort of feel-your-way), here's a good place to start: www.bbcgoodfoo...
*Afterthoughts and Addenda*
*The Kraft Mac & Cheese is out of date* - Yes, I know. I don't think it matters. I'm certain it won't have made a huge difference to the experience. Products that start with years or months of expiry duration can be used months, probably years after that date.
if you're curious, the box recipe probably uses that method because, simply, it's more reliable, and less likely to produce tough dishes to clean, with even the worst treated kitchenware. In the US the number of people who know the basics of sauces are pretty few, and overall, there was a huge reduction in the overall number of people who knew advanced techniques throughout the 80's and 90's. While, luckily, the US is gaining many new and aspiring cooks in the last 10 years thanks to information sharing on the internet, and a reevaluation of home life and quality of life, kraft mac and cheese has not changed.
so yeah, that's what I think about it. In no way is this a scientific take on the subject, but kraft mac and cheese was probably targeted at parents of toddlers to preteens-who can't always watch dairy on the stove- so by having the noodles boiling in water, and the sauce added off the heat, you ensure that you cannot burn the sauce if you need to run after a kid suddenly, there's no dairy to boil over so you reduce possible cleanup needs both for the pot and stove, and as for the cheese- well it's no secret- people are actually surprised to learn it's not completely artificial - we all proper cheese to it so you totally made it in the US way XD
as for good mac and cheese- I make it with real cheese, then keep the kraft mix around when I don't have the right kind of cheese. I add that to it, and a little less of the wrong cheese and it evens out the flavor nicely. I also use wondraflour, because there's something really nice about some slight gritty texture in thick cheese sauce. mix in nutmeg to taste, and top it with oil-soaked panko and put it in an air-fryer in the bowl you'll use to eat if you have one bowl's worth.
if you can't find elbow macaroni- shell pasta is also VERY good for macaroni and cheese.
In the UK we have “best before” (after which product may be going stale but isn’t going to be dangerous to health) and “use by” (usually for fresh products that could become nasty after this date). This US made box says “best if used before”, which mixes both those concepts.
@@broadsword6650 in the US that's generally for non-perishables- but we technically, outside of medicines and baby formula, don't necessitate out dates. Most companies do provide them, though- especially companies that sell food that, as you say, could really mess someone up, or for international trade. "best if used before" is NOT a safety date, it's literally just the "best before" date. individual states are free to have their own rules, and most companies DO test their packaging and provide extremely conservative (very beginning of degradation) out dates as the "best before" or "best by" dates, while most farm-fresh things like eggs and meat will have a packaging date for reference.
But, as it says on the US food and safety service website, "Food products are generally safe to consume past the date on the label, and regardless of the date, consumers should evaluate the quality of the food product prior to its consumption." and I honestly think it's for the best. It's in a company's best interest to overestimate food quality, so even in the case of regulation, you should be checking- and in the US, food safety is really commonly taught. I had to get a food service license because I worked a booth that sold novelty lollipops once. annoying, but informative. I still follow it in my home kitchen.
@@broadsword6650 In Switzerland we, too, have these "best before" and "use by" concepts. Although the "best before" is called "Mindestens haltbar bis ..." (in German, or the equivalent in our other national languages), which translates to "will keep at least until ...", so it's not quite the same as "best before". Using your senses and common sense, you can usually tell whether your food is still good. Natural, unsweetened yoghurt, for example, will usually be perfectly fine to consume for weeks after the "best before" date, if properly chilled.
£3 3 course meal
I could imagine this guy surviving in the middle of the forest and somehow managing to create lasagna within 3 days
Don't tempt him 😆
@@slickl9608 Do tempt him!
@@slickl9608 id pay to see that
I’d love to see that challenge
dont temp him
also hi
The benefits of adding mustard to a cheese sauce cannot be overstated. If you only take one thing from this video, make it this.
Agreed, even if you don't like mustard. Avowed mustard haters will eat it in mac & cheese and be none the wiser.
@@Arismas Yes its a cheese enhancer rather than a flavour, i also add a shake of Wostershire sauce.
Mustard and cheese together 😩😩including Dijon mustard
Onion sizzled in the fat before you add the flour if you can't find a chicken 😉😋. Must have the mustard too. Amazing how mustard changes when heated.
This I didn't know, going to do it the next time
Your videos just have that vibe that lets you tune out everything else going on. For a few minutes there only exist foraged mushrooms, homegrown (infinite) basil and that chicken you roasted last week. It's like a glimpse into a life I won't know, or a conversation with a completely different friend that enriches both of your minds. Truly special and nothing I want to miss.
Perfectly put. Thank you! 👍🙂
even when scambaiting people it still retains that vibe 🤣
never change mr shrimp, never change
This is a very kind yet extremely accurate description of what keeps me returning time and again. And, mostly, really glad I found the channel in the first place. I find AS very relatable, being a fellow Brit - speaking of which, Atomic, if you do happen to find urself or are planning a trip to the (mid-) Northern Climes, well, East Midlands, drop me a line and would be glad to host ur good self & companion(s). In the meantime, keep on keeping on and I’ll keep watching.
😭😭😭
That is very beautifully put 😍
**Tastes American mac 'n cheese**
"It's not very cheesy."
**Adds real cheese**
"There, now it tastes like cheese."
Home made is always superior
Adding cheese to it fixes most everything.
Note that the Kraft instructions are dead wrong as well. It comes out much better (at least double) if you make the sauce separately and pour it on the pasta.
@@plektosgaming Like the Kraft Deluxe,which I don't know if they still sell.
@@plektosgaming It also comes out better if you use way more butter than the box says.
@@patricialavery8270 yeah... Mac & Cheese in a box was designed for camping, cabins, and emergency supplies, but caught on when people realized you could put things in it like mustard, hot sauce, hot dogs, bacon, and more. It really is more like cheap ramen in that it's a base to add things to.
it never stops to amaze me how much sauce can be made with such a small amount of roux. At first it really doesn't seem enough, and then it thickens half a litre of milk! Incredible.
you could use even less actually
I grew up with any kind of white base sauce made without a roux, I’ve tried it but just can’t get it to work lol, a couple of tbsp of cornflour and dried milk powder mixed to a paste with cold milk, then keep adding the rest of the milk and some water bit by bit and a knob of butter as it warms up or whisk in hot milk to get it going faster. It’s foolproof (which is always a bonus where I’m concerned) I never get even the tiniest of lumps, it’s so much easier and I think it tastes creamier due to the milk powder, is smoother and tastes better without regular flour but that’s just me 😁
We call it bechamelle sauce in Italy and that’s actually what’s put on lasagna, even tho so many Americans and Brit’s think that we use ricotta instead ( ricotta is used only for cannelloni)
@@HAIRHOLIC_1 you know I've never personally liked lasagna here in the U.S. because of the ricotta cheese (I've even seen someone use cottage cheese) but now that you've mentioned using a bechamelle I think I'll try that next time I get the urge to cook Italian for dinner.
@@necroticneurons9555 yes it taste weird with ricotta cheese, I had American lasagna too (if I can call it that) and it was disgusting, they use the ready made tomato sauces with sugar which gives the whole lasagna a weird taste. You need to use plain passata which is just smoothies tomatoes, you can buy the canned tomatoes and then use the food processor to mush it up. Here is a really good authentic Italian recipe if you’re interested, you can skip the home made pasta and just use ready made ones, the fresh sheets work better, and don’t even need precooking, enjoy and please let me know how you like it. The video has English subtitles you just have to activate them.
ua-cam.com/video/wxrH-WS59Us/v-deo.html
"That's 140g of cheese there, it would be silly not to make it up to 150 wouldn't it?"
My kinda guy!
I love how you wear that bordering-on-authoritarian-leftist political compass like it's something to be proud of..
@@Fr33zeBurn looking at your subscription list is like looking at me 10 years ago. I used to be an edgy "skeptic" like yourself, drifting ever further right. I escaped, and so can you. And trust me, you'll be so much happier for it. These people thrive on feeding your fear and anxiety. I recommend watching Shaun and Hbomberguy, their videos really helped me (and many others) escape the mind prison built by people like Sargon and Shapiro. Don't get me wrong, it's hard. You'll feel like you're cutting off part of yourself. But it's worth it. I'm not saying you'll turn into an ancom like me (although that would be cool), just that you'll be free of the fear that these grifters peddle.
@@RaunienTheFirst I'm a few squares lower than you on the centre line maybe a touch left. I used to think I was a communist/socialist then events in my life (outside of UA-cam), including learning a bit more about political history and witnessing leftists in action, made me realise that it destroys almost everything it touches. I also had a dream that I feel was a vision, of what a world in anarchy would actually feel like. Anyway now I'm a centre Libertarian, live and let live type of guy. Unless you're a commie revolutionary, or an actual Nazi then I would prefer not to let you live.
@Tony Benn (Real) Communism is the antithesis of meritocracy so I don't need to read theory to know it's shite. Have you heard of the great purge? The Great leap forward? Fuck the theory bro look at what they do in practise.
Still about 650g short compared to my recipe lol
Hello Mr. Shrimp, As a science & nature nerd, I really appreciate your content. Also, as a person struggling with an ED, watching you cook, sometimes in the woods, really helps me enjoy a meal. Bless you ☺️
Sending hugs your way, I hope you are well 💗
Adds cheese to the Kraft Macaroni Cheese, "Now it tastes like cheese".
I always add real cheese to Kraft Mac & Cheese box mixes that use the powder. Now if it is one of the boxes that has a packet of soft cheese I don't add any extra cheese.
from a german viewpoint, your pronunciation of Emmentaler was as perfect as possible.
Today's episode is sponsored by the question "What If?"
What If? I were to purchase fast food and disguise it as my own cooking? Delightfully devilish, Seymour!
i remember seeing a video of a culinary fair. some guy offered mcnuggets as high class cuisine to fool the experts there. worked pretty good to ground them when he told afterwards.
You certainly can, if it's really good fast food. Most fast food is disgusting to me though, but good fast food certainly exists.
in all fairness, pimping a deep-fried pizza with extra cheese and meats and spices is technically kind of that too, isn't it?
sure, noone is going to assume you actually made the pizza from scratch, but it'll still stand out
I was half-expecting a reference to XKCD.
SEYMOUR!!!
🎶 Let me tell ya 'bout the herbs and the bees and the macaroni cheese
💛 NICE 💛 I wish I had commented this😂
Kraft and LIDL don’t go over or above,
And it’s home-made I LOVE…
Ha ha I like it.
When I was an undergrad and grad student in the 1980’s, the boxed variety of mac&cheese could be purchased for as little as $0.10 in the central and western US. We learned to add things like tuna, peas and cream of mushroom soup to stretch it and give it more flavor and nutrition. A decent meal could be prepared for under $1 per person, which mattered in those days.
Still definitely does
Mushroom soup was the only one I knew ,lol
Wow! That's mind-blowing. I was born in 1981, the Romanian currency was really strong too, unfortunately we had mostly empty shops
Yeah add sliced hot dogs in it too!
oh definitely! you can add all sorts of stuff to blue box and make it really filling
i love how you can hear Mike smiling whenever he says somethings "really good"
Kraft does actually market the same thing here in the UK - but it's called "Cheesy pasta" - and it's in a red and yellow box - only close inspection reveals that it's made by kraft - and as a Canadian (where we call this stuff simply KD) - I can attest that cheesy pasta is pretty much the same as KD
:D - the american version is a bit different though.. I think they're allowed to use certain flavours/colours that we're not allowed in Canada and the UK.. I always put diced jalapeño in my KD
Is that still available though? I know what you're talking about, not seen it on shelves for a long time though and seems to have been replaced with this blue box stuff that has bigger macaroni and without all the delicious chemicals. As you say, Cheesy Pasta was the same as KD.
“Emmymade,” she did a video recently comparing Canada’s KD to the US Kraft Mac&cheese. It was interesting because she had about five different Canada KD Booster packs that are made to add to the KD. Though one was cotton candy, making it sweet and pink in color, yuck. But, other packs were poutine, and a spicey hot one, etc.
macaroni and cheese is a side dish, not an dinner.
@@stapuft maybe where you're from
@@NunontheRun naah m8, everywhere, its nothing but noodles and cheese sauce... that is nowhere near a complete meal....anywhere, except maybe prison......or north korea...
There are some (at least here in the USA) that take the ritual or method of preparing their Kraft Macaroni & Cheese or in Canada where it's known as Kraft Dinner very seriously - it's almost as though it is a religious experience. Honestly, for me I enjoy it a couple times a month and the rest of my immediate family turns their noses up at it - I suppose it is one of those childhood experiences I had a lot growing up as a "latch key key" (left home alone between the hours after school was let out and parents arriving home from work) - if you had some unspoiled milk and some butter or margarine and the skill to boil water (safely) you were in for "dinner" - I remember fondly watching Doctor WHO (Tom Baker) while eating a heaping bowl of that golden deliciousness - followed up with some Soft Batch cookies warmed in the microwave for 9 seconds....
@Lenia Carter My mom used to add tuna and peas. Wasn't too excited about that as a kid, but now I get a craving for it from time to time.
yeah im one of those serious people. i have a method that makes it taste cheesier without any added ingredients. and as it were, we were also latchkey kids.
While the flavor is, at best, an acquired taste, one thing I like about the Deluxe option is that no milk or butter need be on hand... just water and the box (well, and a pan and a spoon). Homemade is far superior, of course, but... when one doesn't live within easy walking distance to a grocery store, it can be nice to have something 100% shelf-stable. And yeah, tuna and peas can be nice.
Food is commonly used as an insult or classism to separate oneself from "the poor people" who eat the stuff. People call food like Spam, instant box dinners, etc. trash food and turn their noses to it not because of taste, but because of what it means socially. Its very similar to the practice of hunting in the US. In the US, hunting is more associated with poorer folk and looked down upon by the middle class (I know its different across the pond).
I still enjoy a box of kraft mac and cheese sometimes, maybe once every couple months. Its simple and its nostalgic for me.
Ijs we to love KD with cut up hotdogs and small squirt of ketchup.
What I love about your videos is how comfy they are. It's like I'm in the same room with you. Awesome content, man.
When he's stirring the home-made sauce, you can see he's in his shorts and stocking soles! Soooo laid-back, yet packed with interesting & useful information & skills. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Just for your reference:
I can confirm, Kraft mac & cheese is perfectly ubiquitous here in the states.
Just about every store, from gas stations to big box stores to certain hardware stores that also sell groceries, all carry that exact box.
The blue/yellow box is iconic and recognizable by most Americans at a glance, and it's design has not significantly changed within half a century.
It is synonymous with "busy mothers of young children who want a simple, quick and affordable meal"
Even the generic store brands tend to have very similar style packaging so its obvious what's inside, its that common
What the hell
In the UK our largest mac and cheese brand is 'Batchelors' they're known for instant soups and pastas. But I think their biggest seller is broccoli and cheese pasta, I see it more often than mac and cheese.
At my university in the UK I live with a Canadian it's pretty much all he eats I had one once and what Americans consider Cheddar astounds me. Mind you im from Cheddar in the UK
@@blaser80 broccoli and cheese bachelor's is good
Heads up that Kraft Macaroni and Cheese is not the same as Kraft Dinner. They're close but the ingredients are different because of the differences in regulations between American and Canadian food agencies. If you want a mac and cheese product closer to the sachet you're familiar with - Knorr Sidekicks has a great cheddar macaroni option as well as a broccoli white cheddar one.
??? As a Canadian i did not know this. They aren't????
I was about to comment this exact thing.
Kraft also makes a deluxe version that is closer to real macaroni and cheese, at least in my opinion. The cheese is a thick liquid in a pouch. This version readily lends itself to added ingredients. I'm surprised that I don't see any other comments about this.
Used to make Kraft Deluxe with pan fried kielbasa sausage. Yum!!!
Kraft has a "thick and creamy" version which remedies the issue of the runny, grainy sauce. Makes it very smooth as like Atomic's homemade. But I'm sure the similarities end there 😁
kraft deluxe tastes like shit
@@pppantz yep it's so nasty
@@wendylissolo9783 me too!!👨🍳
My friends and I love watching your content. It's so relaxing but at the same time informative as hell.
The Kraft ones are ideal to take camping as an alternative to those expensive dehydrated meals that camping shops sell. I had one this summer after a hard days bikepacking, so made it without butter and milk, and I think the cheese flavour was even more intense. A bit like when you make chocolate mousse or an omlette with water.
You could also carry a bit of oil.
I always take the Velveeta mac and cheese just because the cheese sauce doesn't need dairy added
When we hiked and brought Mac and cheese we usually added anout 1/4 of powdered milk to the cheese powder. And these sprinkles called butter buds not sure you can buy the butter buds any longer.
But I agree we did usually grab the Mac and cheese deluxe instead when we could afford it.
We have noodles that come like your British version in a packet with everything together that calls for water, milk and butter to be cooked down. The 2 main brands are Knorr/ Lipton (yes that Knorr and the tea people combined forces)
One of the main reasons people use the Kraft stuff if not just the obvious convenience but price. The cost of Kraft is only pennies more than plain noodles and sometimes cheaper because it goes on special so often. Cheese is expensive in the US for some reason a half kilo of basic name brand cheese is $10+ so Mac n Cheese is actually kinda spendy to make from scratch so lots of people don't
It's the one thing that is weirdly cheap here in the UK, even though people in the states can grow/farm/make the food on massive scales super cheap, our food prices are actually really cheap.
It's something I've seen come up a few times on Reddit
@@ryanmg92 part of the benefit of colonizing dozens of countries
@@ryanmg92 a lot of it is because we use ethenol in our fuel. So a goodly percentage of our best cropland is used to grow fuel corn. A lot of the rest is sold to other countries who come in and farm whatever to ship home while we import a large percentage of our food instead. This in turn leads to us farming places like california for a good percentage of our other food and tbis is further compounded by just how much of our good crop land is owned by the government as government lands and is not allowed to be farmed. Additionally we allow a lot more chemicals in our food which lets them be cut a lot further which further makes things more expensive.
Granted thats a gross oversimplification but its the nut shell version. There are also a ton of tax and water rights issues mixed in there as well.
Cheese isn’t that expensive where I live.
Don't know where you're shopping, but a pound of cheese shouldn't cost $10+. I get 1 pound blocks of cheese for around $5 and I don't even live in a dairy state.
Even though I don’t eat dairy, I still really like your videos because of normality and soothing-ness of your content. Loving your videos
Well, I don't scambait myself but still watch his videos 🤣🤣🤣
I bet your “fancy” garnish dried flowers would make a great furikake mix and on top of rice??? Sounds yummy to me.
I love the idea of spending an hour collecting tiny flowers among the herbs and bees and you ended up with that sweet little bottle of dried flowers. Then sprinkled them on a boxed Mac and Cheese lol.
Kraft mac is just one of those things you have to have grown up eating from childhood. It's not good--it's nostalgic and comforting. I grew up in the US but have purchased it here in the UK when I've felt homesick.
which kind of makes me think about the question "how can mcdonalds be so successful, despite the customer service being so gash (for US standards) and them literally doing research on how to make it just shitty enough so the customer leaves soon after the purchase"
not that i hate mcdonalds with a passion or anything, but it's rarely great, now is it? gotta get them young lol
I've yet to find Kraft dinner in the imports section in Germany. I've had a craving for it for months now and it's been torture, so glad you've been able to get some. It seems the UK has quite a bit more in terms of US import products than here.
But maybe I've just had terrible luck!
@@PoptartParasol nah i think you may be right, as a dutchman we lack quite a bit of the imported stuff too
my only guess is because germany is alwyas a huge industrical/economic powerhouse of western europe, it does most of the things in-house
in the netherlands the competition between grocers is insane, so you'd find a knock off of an american product first before finding the real thing
or you'll pay out of the ass for the actual thing in some highly specialized import shop
is it irony that kraft is a german brand and you can't find it in germany? :D
I can eat it anytime honestly, even while I'm an adult
@@PoptartParasol Käsespätzle should be easier to find, especially in the south. In my experience the rough surface holds more sauce.
US here. I share the opinion that kraft mix doesn't taste very cheesy on its own, but so many kids grow up with it here that it still holds that nostalgic flavor.
I like adding a slice of muenster or other meltable cheese when I add in the cheese mix, really boosts the flavor.
Wisconsin here, for Kraft M & C, I skip the milk, one tablespoon of margarine, and two tablespoons of Merkt's Sharp Cheddar cheese spread. Perfect thick sauce every time. You can skip the milk, because of the cheese spread. We usually don't have milk around our place, so I improvised one day and it actually turned out great. Now, I make it this way every time. I usually put a little Tabasco sauce on mine, but not while cooking, only to taste as you eat it.
in The U.S we have something called "pasta-roni" that comes in tonnes of different flavors, but it's prepared like the UK Mac... it's usually pretty good
Hamburger helper is like that too
I always add a small amount of blue cheese like Stilton, Gorgonzola or Roquefort to a cheese sauce. Just like mustard, a small amount of it tends to elevate and lift the cheese flavour. Just like the Emmental don't overdo it though, as it can also be far to overpowering. A small piece of it, goes a long way...
BTW, Worcestershire sauce is also good for lifting the flavour of cheese, although it does tend to turn a cheese sauce slightly brown. It would have been great splashed on top of the bacon and cheese topped, mac n' cheese you did though.
A bay leaf in the white sauce too adds a nice depth to the finished cheese sauce!
That’s taken me back to the advert with Worcestershire sauce atop cheese on toast bubbling under the grill.....
Everyone knows: Hot roux, cold milk, no lumps! It also helps to add the milk in small quantities first but do as you please, after all, you are the crafty Winner of your homemade Kraft Dinner
You sound like a fan of Chef John. Remember, the roux can sense fear 😎
Chef John fans unite!!
Warm milk, like 30-45 secs in a microwave or 45-60 if you have a clove stuffed onion for making bechamel. Never fails. Helps to sieve the flour too but isn't essential if you know what you're doing.
Using cold milk will just slow down the whole process meaning you could totally overcook the flour for a really glutenous, foul tasting sauce as well as double your time thickening it. Not so bad for home cooking, but not when you're prepping a base white for 50+ covers.
I'm a fully qualified chef btw.
@@pittibarlin8692 I was just about to say that, I find that my trick in not getting a lumpy bechamelle sauce is to use the right amount of butter per flour and cook it thoroughly before adding the milk, I also like to put a drizzle of nutmeg in my bechamelle 👌
The "use by" date on that kraft is a little suspect, although I suppose since it's all dry it doesn't really matter.
Yeah, I bought it quite a while ago when it was in date (although not by much)
@@AtomicShrimp Oh wow you replied before I even finished the video. Was this project intended to be done much earlier and got pushed back?
Your homemade version has just been copied in Munich and it tasted great! Good thing I managed to get a hold of some Cheddar, Double Gloucester and Blue Stilton (I‘m not a fan of Emmentaler) in a Iceland supermarket in Tenerife last week (as traveling to the UK is a bit of a pain at the moment). Great Channel, thumbs up, thank you & danke!
Stilton, nooooo!!! 😅
Wow! I'd have never thought of using those cheeses in macaroni and cheese, I'm a cheese board enthusiast. Was it delicious?
@@sandgrownmanc6614 my exact initial reaction
My Husband (a time served Chef) always adds a small amount of blue cheese, mustard and nutmeg to cheese sauce for macaroni cheese, which is always made using plenty of butter and very mature cheddar. Incomparable!
If there's one American instant mac and cheese you should try, it's velveeta shells. It's much more flavorful than the kraft macaroni IMO, and the kraft mix is more of a Canadian staple anyway
Velveeta is awesome!
Agreed! Velveta mac is WAY better, I should admit though, I've never liked kraft mac n chesse lol
You can't call it mac and cheese if it's using velveeta, as i recall it's not really cheese.
@@TheErador Yup, I was like "Hold on a minute. Velveeta makes cheese now?"
I reside in USA, born and raised... I absolutely never understood the infatuation with this Kraft Macaroni & Cheese garbage. Your review is spot on and I love that you added cheese - "Hmph, now it taste like cheese". Great video!
Describe the UK's attitude towards the metric and imperial systems in one sentance: "I used about 500ml of my pint of milk"
It's about the only thing we are bilingual at.
@@jca111 sprich für dich selbst, matey.
@@pittibarlin8692 ja ich cola trinken and Fortnite spielen yippie!
I have a feeling Babatunde's version will have a lot of Scotch Bonnets in it!
The instructions on the Lidl packet say to add the contents to the *boiling* water/milk mixture.
Only of you're microwaving it. Cold for hob, hot for microwave
@@sully4576 Nope. I've just checked the packet, and you are wrong.
Take 100ml milk and 250ml cold water. Bring to the boil, then add contents of packet.
My grandma always used to put a fair amount of onion in her macaroni cheese, in sizeable pieces so that they don't disappear in the sauce, and of course my mum does the same. I think that really takes it to the next level. Sometimes she would also top it with slices of tomato along with a layer of cheese, to go a bit crispy in the oven. And the cheese used, well I'm pretty sure it was always a mature cheddar, and nothing else.
I do that with the tomatoes as well its lovely.
When the cheese hits the whisk and you stir it in quick. That's a mornay.
Ooo, you are quite saucy, aren't you? 😘
I invited my eldest son (who loves mac cheese) to watch this video with me. I didn't expect him to watch the whole video but he did and we both enjoyed it. I always bake our mac cheese because I love a bubbled cheese topping.
Michael as a macaroni and cheese fan this is the content i needed!!!
During the aftermath of a bad hurricane here, we were without power for a week or so, and a lot of neighbors were displaced, no groceries available etc. So after several days we discovered a friend who had electricity and was hosting people for showers, warming up, whatever and i took the contents of my thawing but still cold freezer and cooked it all for everyone. One of the biggest hits was a giant dish of macaroni and cheese with a very random assortment of cheese bits and pieces. I have made mac and cheese under much pleasanter circumstances but that is my favorite memory of making it and sharing it with friends under extraordinary circumstances.
When you make the version being baked in the oven, I highly recommend adding bread crumbs on the top along with the cheese, and freshly cracked black pepper. very important. Once you tried it this way, you will never ever go back to just cheese on top ever again.
Same with Lasagna.
In french we call that dish "Pates au Gratin"
My mom put bacon (American style)on top when she did homemade mac n cheese. Also crushed potato chips (crisps for UK audience) are nice or French's fried onions as a topping. You are spot on about the relationship of mustard and cheese. Always a great combo.
Those dried flowers are SO DELIGHTFUL in that little bottle
I wonder how good of a Mac n Cheese, Atomic Shrimp could make on his own? Cause you have truly inspired me to be more frugal! (I made stock from vegetable peels the other day, hoooo boy is my typical Norwegian "Kjøttsuppe" so much better for it).
Thanks for the chill content!
What is Kjøttsuppe? Just curious
@@NHarts3 hearty stew made with root vegetables and meat (my mormor used to make it with reindeer when I’d visit her in Trondheim) it’s great
@@Aenima308 oh indeed it is, can absolutely attest to the method of keeping peels for stock making.
Ooh sounds great. I've never eaten reindeer but we make stew with lamb and veggies every week. So interesting to hear about reindeer stew
@@NHarts3 if you ever get a chance to try it, I highly recommend it. I’ve never gotten any here in the states, but my mormor used to always have loads in her freezer. It’s extremely lean, but surprisingly tender. Kinda tastes like a mix of lamb/beef.
My grandad who has just passed dedicated himself to being a milkman after his time serving, my mum and uncle on that side have some wild stories growing up with that lifestyle. Long live the glass bottle and foil cap :) Don't forget, behind the novelty is a story and industry.
I've suggested we get oat milk delivered at work, big corporate lot, though at home and to support the community and farmers (even for the taste alone), find your milkman! :D
Big fan Atomic. Coming out of my internet lurker phase, over a decade now. Hope I won't annoy ya.
Here in Canada we usually mix in extra cheese to the Kraft dinner from the magical Cheese whiz jar . 😂👍
Vomits a little
Your channel is literally about everything and I love it.
As you found out, the cheese in the American (and Canadian) version of Mac & Cheese is more of a thickening, colouring and flavouring agent - I don't really consider it cheese...
I love this! As someone who can cook I really enjoy someone else who can cook try food for people who cannot/don't want to cook!
I tend to do the home made version but often with spaghetti, just the way my mum used to do it, sprinkle with breadcrumbs before baking. As well as english mustard a small amount of either curry powder and/or nutmeg and of course more cheese.
Elbow macaroni... Likewise a pain in the arse to find over here in Eire! My sympathies Monsieur shrimp and props for another fab vid. PS I think you will find that reading Conan the barbarian aloud in Spanish is the perfect accompaniment to Kraft Mac n cheese.
look for shell shapes pasta. it also does not form rafts, and even if your recipe calls for draining, it will keep some pasta water, allowing some very nice sauces all around.
This is an epic video! Thanks so much for doing the compare and contrast with the cross pond versions as well as the a home made version. As always with a shrimp twist for the dried flowers. Your videos are incredibly fun and easy to watch.
the idea of importing kraft mac and cheese and garnishing it with flowers from an herb garder is just very funny to me
You seem (justifiably) chuffed with your basil setup. You should explore the weird and wonderful basil spectrum! There's so much more beyond sweet and genovese, from cinnamon to thai, purple to lemon etc. Very easy to have three or four varieties sharing a pot (I write the names on the respective quadrants of the pot in marker pen), and no reason you couldn't propagate each as you do normally.
Oh Thai basil is wonderful!
@@maxinecalyptus1639 It is :) Have you tried lemon basil? It really is shockingly lemony, amazing smell just brushing one's hand over the plant. Smaller leaves than other varieties but they really pack a punch!
Kraft Mac and Cheese is called Kraft Dinner in Canada. I’m a picky eater, and KD was always my fave food. I used to come home from school and cook a pot. As an adult, it was still my fave. Sometimes I’d make it almost soupy; sometimes thick. It was cooked just until the ends of the pasta turned white, so firm without being flabby. Cheese and butter mixed in til melted, then milk just before serving, so it stays hot. I’m salivating just thinking about it.
Everyone ate KD. It got kids through uni before noodles came on the scene; it was a stretcher for poor people living month to month.
But they changed the cheese powder some time ago. I mean, I loved it all my life, and suddenly couldn’t eat it anymore. It just tasted like some kind of chemical sweepings from a nuclear plant. I kept trying every new brand of it I could find that taste, to no avail.
Every year or so, I’d try KD again, hoping they changed the recipe back. The last time I tried it, even the pasta was changed, it’s smaller.
Kraft Dinner, in Canada, which was 79 cents, is just inedible now. I’m reduced to eating real macaroni and grated medium cheddar cheese. Not good when your fave food of 50 years is disgusting.
That box of American Mac and Cheese looked pretty good.
Thanks for your experimenting. I’m amazed you can still get bottled milk, and get it delivered.🌸
I always find poultry Schmalz needs way more flour that the same amount of butter. I assume it is due to the fact that it’s missing the 20% water/milk that Butter still has.
Great video as usual.
You can't beat fresh milk delivered to your door step. No horrible plastic, no waste ,the ultimate re-cycling and in Wales, the milk is produced and bottled within a small radius. Also, if you have arthritic hands, it's so easy to open.
Macaroni and cheese goes particularly well as a main meal with homegrown carrots.
A common addition to the Kraft Cheese and Mac is sliced hot dogs, cooked along with the macaroni. When I was a kid that was a special treat. And it was, after all, Chandler Bing's favourite dish.
Annie's Mac and Cheese is the way to go - not seen it in the UK, though.
Add a little hot sauce or mustard and it's extremely good.
My kids grew up eating Kraft macaroni and cheese. Was a quick and easy to make and they loved it.
I had a traumatic experience at a young age with this stuff. My mother made me finish a plate which then promptly was returned to the plate. Never cared for it since. I was probably 2 or 3 years old.
@@Farquad76.547 Yes, I'm a terrible parent. I'll tell my kids.
"He's going to say it's salty," I said. And yes he did! Americans have gotten used to insane amounts of salt in prepared foods. I believe it's the cause of much high blood pressure in this country.
Honestly tho- I kinda was like what!? When he said it was bland and salty because I honestly think it tastes really good- but again with what you said I might just be so used to it, and he isn't
I definitely have a lower preference level for salt than some other people, probably even compared to my local peers. I used to buy Smith's Salt& Shake potato crisps, then eat them without adding the salt, so I could taste the potato
@@Farquad76.547 maybe-
Watching this made me realize two things: One, I haven't before watched any English cooking channels, so my vocabulary needs updating, and two: I never thought I would crave something as American as Mac'n'Cheese, but after watching you cook it, I do.
Kraft mac and cheese isn’t popular in the US for its flavor, it’s mostly popular because it’s nostalgic due to pretty much every kid having eaten it as a child as a quick meal tired parents would cook. To be fair though I’d say most canned and boxed quick food is likely popular due to that fact alone
This video came out at just the right time for me. I had some mac n cheese last night and I just had the leftovers for lunch today. I'll have to use this video for reference next time
Ah yes, the good old Lidl Mac and Cheese. Thank you for feeding me during my undergrad years!
13:35 Do the same thing, save fat from all roasts etc.and use them to fry. Saves on palm oil, money and the fatbergs.
Any really old oil/fat I smudge it up with oats for bird food,save it, and put it out in winter.
Anyhow great vid.
I absolutely love this channel. Please keep these up Mr. Shrimp. Thank you for the entertainment.
Having milk delivered to you in a glass bottle sounds amazing!
Do you know I have never eaten macaroni and cheese, I must be the only person in the UK! Glad you saw my suggestion from last week's vid re drying the flower heads, you didn't actually say, did you find that drying them makes the taste stronger? If yes, will you be making the honey again with dried flowers?
As a North American I always think of Kraft blue box as filling three main rolls. 1) Shelf stable for when a blizzard hits and you are snowed in. 2) Picky child needs food. Salty cheesy noodles are palatable to basically any picky child. 3) You are drunk and hungry. Easy to make and you won't appreciate something better anyway.
It isn't really good, it just isn't really bad either. It just is what it is.
When I used to eat Kraft Mac and Cheese - as a college student around 40 years ago - I found that the secret was to add a few cubes of Velveeta cheese. That's what made it palatable.
The way to make US Kraft more cheesy is to cook only 2/3 to 1/2 of the pasta, thoroughly drain the pasta until its not wet, and either don't add much milk, or add a spoon of sour cream, whatever adjusts the consistency to your liking.
Your homemade mac&cheese looked really good! I personally would've just added some freshly ground black pepper.
I’ve never tried the cheese and mustard thing, but it totally makes sense. I’m gonna try it
wait.....they still have milk delivery in the UK? wow.
I'm happy to see this video! I remember the Macaroni Cheese name discussion when you received that Kraft package many months ago. Great video!
I love your cooking and food related videos. Thanks a lot for keeping to make these!
The continental alfredo instant pasta was always a highlight of camping trips. Quick, easy and tasty as the sun drops, the night sky appears and the smoke from the fire makes eyes water.
never really been a pasta lover myself, though after watching this i may consider giving it a go.... homemade version
Yes, I make cheese sauce very similarly, and I have always never understood them packets because I don't find them quicker or easier to prepare. I like to add nutmeg in my sauce. The bacon roses looked so lovely on top! I'm excited to see Babatunde's version- I wonder if he will end up using cheese powder if fresh cheeses are not available. Thanks once more mister Mike. Enjoy the weekend ❤
I live in the states and the Kraft is quite common. There is also a Velveeta version that is a lot creamier and cheesier, even though Velveeta is more of a "processed cheese product" than real cheese. I VERY much prefer homemade as it isn't really that difficult to make. One variation that my old roommate favored was the addition of buttered bread crumbs on the top before baking or herb and garlic croutons. It gave the dish a lovely crunchy texture as well as flavor. Sometimes she even mixed cooked and crumbled bacon in before the final bake. There is so much that one can do with a base recipe for this dish.
I've lived off these and once you do this a few times you start to learn how to cook it in a way that makes the sauce thick and cheesy and the pasta cooked.. adding onions and garlic, pepper.. more milk/less water..
By the way, egg yolk may help in blending cheese into liquids (but make certain you temper it before adding it to the pot or it will obviously harden). Egg yolk contains an excellent emulsifier.
I went ahead and made some Krap Mac n Cheese from an identical box for lunch to eat while I watched this. It's like virtually reality for my mouth.
Edit: When making the instant junk I use some of the pasta water instead of the milk and it helps to thicken the sauce.. Also mustard helps with the blandness.
One of the few food videos that actually makes me hungry..
Gosh I’ve been so hungry all day, it was a mistake to watch this, I’m so close to pop my allergy pills and to drive to the next gas station to get all the mac’n cheese ingredients I’m not allowed 😂
Bad news: I've made a vegan mac'n cheese with fake cheddar 3.5/10 it was okay but wouldn't do it again.
Nutritional yeast powder could be the answer.
ETA if you have lactose intolerance you may find that you can tolerate parmesan. Dried parmesanwould be even easier. The more mature the cheese the less lactose.
@@rosacanisalba Yes, I like both nutritional yeast and parmesan chese powder in my version of mac & cheese in the US.
I always add a handful of shredded cheese (Cheddar, mozzarella, whatever I have on hand) to packet/box mac'n'cheese. A little real melted cheese makes a world of difference
is the infinite basil conveyor mentioned somewhere in more detail in one of his videos? I would love to learn more!
It's in one of his random videos.
ua-cam.com/video/fvSqp96DCfc/v-deo.html
@@kjdude8765 Thank you for doing the hard work
this absolute wizard made me enjoy a mac and cheese taste comparison video
I make craft a lot, but I tend to make the 3 cheese shells. I always add a little more milk and butter than is recommended, along with melting in some real cheese. It's a big step up.
As an American, I recommend Annies boxed Mac n Cheese. Also, most Americans I know add the butter and milk in the warm pan while the noodles drain to melt the butter, then we add the cheese powder and mix. Then add the noodles back in after its mixed and add some pre-grated cheese.
is this just "mandala effect" or was there a Kraft mac and cheese in a similar box but like the 2nd packet had the luminous powder in the same pack as the pasta here in the UK? I'm sure I remember that when I was a kid, which was quite a while ago.
Eyeballing the béchamel is my preferred method too. I don't add mustard to my cheese sauce though, I should try, but the wife would freak out if I did "mustard = bad" in her books. I just chuck a load of black pepper in there instead, as that also has a similar effect. I am also the type of person to add milk gradually, not a fan of the yolo method, even though the results are ultimately the same.
Speaking of the wife, I made Cauliflower cheese - not cheese made out of cauliflower - yesterday, and this morning she discovered a variant with Macaroni in it, as if it was some kind of revelation. I think I'll make that next time.
Looking forward to seeing Babatunde's version too, that guy is awesome.
Mandela effect... Or is that him now..?! curses Mandela! 😅👍🍻
@Neffers don't tell her it's a bechamel add mustard anyway and serve. My son "hates" mustard, but loves deviled eggs and homemade mayo and mac (&) cheese. Take care that she doesn't see you add the hated ingredient
@@ollieb9875 Haha, fair game. Damn me and my spelling lol.
@@Neffers_UK it could have been I just remembered it that way, of course. 😂🍻👍
Really love your videos so informative and friendly a great watch after a hard day.
Thank pal 😁
I grew up on Kraft dinner (KD Canadian - better than American) and I have to say that I prefer the British packet version - of the two. Real is best. Love your sense of humour and the infinite basil conveyer - which is how I found your channel.
I love cheese, I love pasta, I love melted cheese on the top of food...but I really dont like macaroni cheese!! The one you made yourself looked much nicer than the packet ones.
My baked macaroni and cheese recipe has a pound of cheese. One third in the cheese sauce, one third in layered in the casserole pan and one third on top halfway through baking. It’s amazing!
Normally I don't care about different names for things from different countries, but this one does bug me a little. Macaroni Cheese sounds like a type of cheese rather than a dish. Your homemade recipe looked outstanding!
Why do they call it macaroni cheese but no one is saying bangers mash?
Nothing beats homemade mac and cheese! I put a smidge of freshly grate nutmeg in my cheese sauce to add depth of flavour and put a mix of panko and parmesan over the top and bake it until crisp and golden! yummy, now I want mac and cheese!
Sounds delicious. I'll be over at eight.