Isabel’s Mac and Cheese

Isabel lived next door when my husband Adam and I bought our first home on quaint North Summit Avenue in Chatham, New Jersey. Isabel was friendly, yet never overt. Her clothes and jewelry were soft yet eclectic, always boasting magnificent colors like orange, magenta, yellow and emerald green. Her lean figure was delicate, her movements fluid. In essence, she was ethereal. She was born in Portugal, but raised in France which gave her the most interesting accent that could not be placed. She and her husband Phil raised three daughters, and their experience as parents and homeowners became invaluable to Adam and myself. When my first son was fussing, she would take him from me, hold him to her and he would immediately calm. I was crushed in a way.

“He doesn’t like me, Isabel,” I said defeated.

She would scoff at my remark as if she just heard the most ridiculous thing ever said. But wasn’t it proof enough that this baby boy stopped crying the minute he was placed in her arms?

When one little boy became three in just five years, she smiled when I bemoaned about how overwhelmed I felt, wisely saying these were the easiest years of raising children. Her advice was to get the boys to bed early so I could enjoy a small glass of port each night. The port became my prize at the end of a day—a day filled with everything from chasing after the boys in parking lots, wading through Legos to move about in the house or running like a madwoman to the backyard to catch them as they attempted to skateboard across the wooden beam at the top of our swing set. When the boys became teenagers, I inquired if I should now have two glasses of port each night, but Isabel firmly stated that one was still enough. 

Isabel’s skill in the kitchen was something to behold. Somehow she managed to marry the cuisines of Portugal and France, which I found fascinating. From soups to shellfish to sautéed vegetables and roasted chicken, all were exquisite. I noted her fearlessness of butter and salt  realizing how critical these ingredients were to the flavor and texture of a dish. 

She willingly shared her recipes and would hand me a photocopy from a magazine or cookbook inevitably with most of the ingredients and preparations crossed out and next to it, her handwritten substitutions. Oil became butter. Shrimp became lobster…1/3 of a cup became a 1/2 cup. Sharp cheddar became gruyere. Even baking became sautéing and oven temperatures were raised and lowered by 25 to 50 degrees. 

Of all the dishes Isabel made, the most popular was her Mac and Cheese, renown at the annual North Summit Avenue Fourth of July block party. Everyone always rushed over to her house for a big scoop of it. Hot dogs and hamburgers be damned! That was quintessential Isabel. 

Isabel was more than a friend; she was an older, wiser sister, and truthfully, like a mother to me at times. She was taken from us far too soon. I must learn to be content with only the cherished memories of one of the best people I have ever met and gratitude for the honor of having her in my life. 

ISABEL’S MAC AND CHEESE

1 stick unsalted butter

6 tablespoons flour

5 cups whole milk

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons salt plus 2 additional tablespoons 

1/4 teaspoon course ground pepper

2 cups mild cheddar cheese, shredded

3 cups Mexican cheese blend, shredded

4 ounces Velveeta, cut into small cubes

1 cup gruyere cheese, shredded

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese

1 pound elbow macaroni

1 cup reserved cooking water from macaroni

Melt butter in a heavy medium pot over medium-low heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly for two minutes. Add whole milk and bring sauce to a boil whisking constantly. Add Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons of salt and pepper and whisk in cheeses until sauce is smooth. Cover pot.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and the macaroni. When macaroni is done, reserve one cup of the cooking water. Drain macaroni. In a large bowl, combine the macaroni, reserved cooking liquid and cheese sauce and mix well. Transfer macaroni to two shallow baking dishes and bake at 350 for 20 minutes until macaroni is bubbling.