Today’s newsletter includes:
The surprising history of classic American macaroni salad with ham and peas
How country clubs, frozen peas and mayonnaise shaped an American icon
My updated Country Club Macaroni Salad recipe with fresh herbs and rye croutons
An exclusive first look into my trip to Africa for my Spilled Milkers
Take a Trip to Africa With Me
A special first look at my trip to Africa for my fellow Spilled Milkers.
Before this experience is announced more broadly, I wanted to share it with this community first. Next year, I’ll be hosting an intimate culinary safari through South Africa for a very limited number of guests.
From private food experiences in Cape Town and world-class wine and dining in the Cape Winelands to luxurious safari lodges in the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, every detail has been carefully curated for travelers who believe food is one of the best ways to understand a place.
This isn’t a tour. It’s an invitation into South Africa’s culinary and cultural landscape through extraordinary hospitality, exclusive access, and unforgettable shared experiences.
Space is extremely limited, and Spilled Milkers are getting one of the very first opportunities to join me before public promotion begins.
If exceptional food, meaningful travel, and once-in-a-lifeti
me experiences speak to you, I’d love to have you along.
The History of Classic Macaroni Salad with Ham and Peas
Macaroni salad with ham and peas sits at the intersection of several distinct American food traditions: pasta salads, luncheon salads and the postwar country club buffet. While no single inventor or origin story exists, its history is well documented through the evolution of American cooking from the late nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century.
How Macaroni Salad Became an American Staple
The foundation is macaroni salad itself, which appeared in the United States during the late 1800s as Italian pasta became more widely available. Early recipes were surprisingly simple. Cooked macaroni was dressed with oil and vinegar or, increasingly by the early twentieth century, mayonnaise. Many of these recipes appeared in church cookbooks, hotel menus and women’s magazines.
The mayonnaise connection is important. Commercial mayonnaise became
widely available after the success of brands such as Hellmann’s in the early 1900s. By the 1920s and 1930s, mayonnaise-based salads had become staples of American entertaining. Potato salad, chicken salad, Waldorf salad and macaroni salad all became fixtures of luncheon culture.
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