Homage to Mac & Cheese

One thing that I happened to miss when living in the UK was macaroni & cheese. And not just any old mac & cheese, but Kraft Dinner. Sure, I can boil pasta and make my own cheese sauce for a gooey, carb-heavy dinner and it's probably better for me. But for some reason, nothing quite beat the taste of Kraft Dinner. Personally, I think it's the powdered fake cheese that gives it its unique flavour.

Although not something I ate extensively as a child, Kraft Dinner has made a meaningful contribution to my life. I credit it as my gateway into cooking. What better way to learn how to cook than with three simple steps? 1) Boil water 2) Cook pasta 3) Mix in butter, cheese sauce, and milk. I've come a long way since then, as many of my university friends can attest. However, now back in Canada, Kraft Dinner has come back into my life.

After five years of not having the stuff, I thought I'd never be able to stop eating since moving back. Kraft Dinner also has an association with student living in North America much in the same way as beans on toast does in the UK. Given that I'm a grad student, it's only natural that my cupboard is constantly stocked with these little blue boxes. And tonight, the unthinkable has happened. I am so sick of Kraft Dinner!

I think I can no longer stand the stuff because of what it represents to me. It's definitely a 'go to' option for dinner when I haven't had the forward planning to defrost some meat from the freezer or make it out to the markets and grocers. (I find living a 3 minute walk from work makes a trek to the grocery store seem like a proper expedition.) When I'm living on my own and don't have anyone to cook for, the quality of my dinners tends to drop drastically out of a lack of care and motivation. I have to say that I miss those days in Roosy Road when I had grateful housemates to share dinner with, or my last ditch efforts of trying to teach Tom how to cook before he got married.

So, for now, the KD will remain in the cupboard for the foreseeable future!

On the topic of food, I thought I'd include a picture of what a Canadian breakfast can look like. I had this last month at a diner not far from the university. It's just as artery clogging as an English fry-up!

Bacon, eggs, sausage, hash, pancake, butter, and maple syrup on the side. Yum!