Simone Zanoni-style mac and cheese, comté cheese on them

Every country has its own little bible, which chefs like to evoke to signal their attachment to tradition, even if they've never opened it. In France, Auguste Escoffier's culinary guide remains THE reference. In the United Kingdom, it might be The Experienced English Housekeeper, a collection of 900 recipes published in 1769 and written by Elizabeth Raffald, a former domestic turned entrepreneur with a rather incredible career path for the time.
In his book, we find all the great classics of British cuisine, pudding, pies , ways of cooking fish or meat but also what would be the first wedding cake in history, the early use of the barbecue and the secrets to successful mac and cheese.
Today, we associate this comforting and hearty baked pasta dish with American culture. It's become a staple of dinner menus and TV shows that flood our screens. But unlike spaghetti meatballs , it didn't cross the Atlantic with Italian immigrants, but rather with the first English settlers.
Libération