Ultimate mac’n’cheese: the state of play

As those of you who’ve followed the Challenge on Twitter will know I’ve extended the deadline for a week - to give a few hard core mac’n’cheese enthusiasts who I know have been struggling to meet the deadline a bit more time to get their entries in (and to see if I can line up the prizes without dipping too heavily into my own pocket!)

The prize I’m after is this brilliant mac’n’cheese dish from Emma Bridgwater which will go (if I can persuade them to donate it) to the creator of the most original recipe.

Of equal if not even greater desirability is the cheese selection being offered by the lovely people at Trethowan’s Dairy which will include their own Gorwydd Caerphilliy, Stichelton, Keen’s cheddar and Ragstone, which will go to the winner of the best use of artisanal cheese category. But as things stand (see below) there aren’t enough entries to justify awarding a separate prize.

The same applies to the picture category and winematching category but if there’s a sudden late rush of entrants - and I hope there is - each of those prizewinners will get a copy of my Cheese Course book.

So far we’ve had 17 entries, 12 of which are in the original recipe category, 3 for photographs, 2 for artisanal cheese and 1 wine pairing Three have sent them in by email, the rest - and you may have spotted some - have been posted on blogs

So if you think your recipe for macaroni cheese is the best, have a brilliant idea for what kind of artisanal cheese to use in it or type of drink to pair with it, you’ve got another week to get your ideas winging my way (the deadline is now 11.59 pm on Sunday January 24th). You could be the supreme mac’n’cheese champion!