Seattle, Washington

Mac & Cheese is all grown up with this recipe.  Quality ingredients like the nutty, cow’s milk cheese from Beecher’s in Seattle and fire-roasted Hatch Chiles inspire a unique combination.  The cheese melts perfectly into a creamy béchamel, then luxuriously coats each morsel of penne.  It is then spiked with roasted chiles, peppers and corn.

MAPPING THE DAY

Seattle was merely a quick stop for our Alaskan cruise in May.  We had been there many times before, so our tight schedule was limited to the airport and coach transit to the cruise ship.  No time for a Mariners game, downtown shopping or even a stop at Pike’s Place Market.

LOCAL STORY

The longstanding farmers market that overlooks the Puget Sound has always been our favorite destination in the Emerald City.  The market is filled with unique vendors who sell their made- or grown-in-the-Northwest goods. Fresh seafood and vegetables are a dream come true for Seattle-style cooking.  If only we had a local kitchen.  And a visit to Pike’s Place is not complete without a stop at the corner cheese shop for cheese-making inspiration and a cup of melty macaroni and cheese.

VIEW FROM THE TABLE

Our cruise was now complete and we were back at SeaTac Airport.  Cruises notoriously require early rising on the last day, so a cup a coffee can be difficult to muster before disembarking.  By the time we had checked our bags and had been were through security, we were ready for a little something.  But ugh, airport food can be so awful.

Then we saw a culinary oasis.  Beecher’s Homemade Cheese was right there in the airport scooping up its glorious Mac and Cheese.  We ordered two: original and a new “Mariachi” version.  Airport food has never been so good.

RECIPE

Grown Up Mac & Cheese with Fire-Roasted Hatch Chiles, Red Bell Pepper and Corn