Some of you (very faithful!) may recall that years ago, we struggled mightily to re work our #1 selling item—World’s Best Buffalo Tenders—when Kraft Original BBQ sauce changed their “original” recipe, adding fake smoke to compete with Sweet Baby Ray’s—but elected not to tell anyone and, get this… didn’t change the name! That’s right. They changed the “original” recipe but chose to keep the words “original recipe” on the label. If that’s “legal” it shouldn’t be! Capital D dumb.
Anyway, 10% of our secret recipe included Kraft’s (original) Original BBQ Sauce. And Frank’s Hot Sauce, and butter, and, and….
We got it all figured out eventually. Painstakingly, but eventually. Lisa T says that they’ve never been the same. But also, she’s a hard ass. Just sayin’
Queue 2019 and here we go again!
Story goes that…some 20 years ago, I read of a very successful chef using Cabot dehydrated cheddar powder in his mac and cheese recipe. I loved the idea and started working on a recipe of our own using the same. As you probably know, Cabot makes some hella-good cheese and their dehydrated version was no different. POW-like flavor.
We created a great version, and for the past couple of decades, (yes, we’re old, like decades) that dish has remained one of Cobblestones most crave-able, one of a handful that we would call our most iconic! “Best ever” has been a common comment on cards and in talking to guests, for many years.
Well. Cabot decided last year to discontinue that delicious—and what has proven to us to be—necessary product. For months we have tested all kinds of other powdered cheese brands. And like, Kraft’s new original recipe, there has been something “off” each time. Too salty, too sweet, not enough cheese flavor, etc. It has been making me crazy. We will forever say “no” to underwhelming and falling short of our guest’s expectations.
But unlike Kraft’s (original) original recipe, we have been unable to find a suitable replacement to Cabot’s brand. So, I am here to announce that, heading towards year 2020, we have finally, sadly, decided to throw in the towel, “blow up” that unique recipe, and begin testing the style of mac and cheese that we would open with today, sans powdered cheese as though we had never have known about Cabot, dehydrated.
We ARE in fact, using beloved, sharp Cabot cheese in the new recipe—the still hydrated, can-put-it-on-a-cracker version—and finally, we are very happy with the results.
So far feedback has been great. It’s more traditional, gooey, cheese-strandy and baked than it’s predecessor (RIP), but we hope you love it just the same.
That said, if you didn’t know, now you know.
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