I have never seen Italians eat macaroni and cheese. Pasta, yes, with a light tomato sauce or a light béchamel sauce, but nothing with a yellow glob of cheese on it! So for the color, macaroni and cheese, I prefer to see the golden macaroni colors of Florence, Italy at the Ponte Vecchio Bridge over the River Arno with the locks for those so madly in love or the warmth of the golden macaroni color on the shops of gold on the same bridge.

Why are those locks on Ponte Vecchio Bridge?

Legend has it that if you and your loved one attach a padlock to any surface of the famous bridge and then throw away the key into the Arno River below, your love will last forever. Millions of couples have come to the Ponte Vecchio for expressly this reason, to lock in their love and throw away the key for eternity.

Today, there is a hefty (160 euros) penalty to all who are caught locking or attaching anything to the Ponte Vecchio. Italian authorities have removed some of the locks due to deterioration of the bridge. These days, lovers simply come to the famous bridge and touch the remaining padlocks that have not been removed. Luck has kept them there, locked to the bridge, perhaps some luck will rub off on the hopeful couple as well, and keep their love alive for eternity.

But, back to the macaroni and cheese………   How did this dish become such a staple in the U.S.?

In 1789, Thomas Jefferson experienced a pasta he called maccaroni, in Naples, Italy and again in Paris, France. He asked that the mould machine that made the pasta from Semola flour be found, purchased and sent to Monticello. Following the recipe, macaroni was first served at a presidential function in 1802 with mixed reviews. The mould went by the wayside when Jefferson could buy his macaroni from John B.  Sartori of Trenton, NJ.  But, the question still remains, “Who added that thick yellow cheese to the dish?”

Color your World  is a 4 month long daily blogging challenge event. Each day has a new color theme based on a crayon color in Crayola’s box of 120 crayons.

The challenge runs January 1, 2017 to April 29, 2017. Please join us in this challenge! It’s fun!