Pass the Pimento Cheese Please!

Pimento Cheese has been a staple of Southern picnics and porch lunches since the 1900’s but was relatively unknown to this California girl until a few years ago. Of course I’d heard of the stuff--some strange concoction of shredded cheese glued together by mayonnaise and accented with the red things from the insides of olives. But for someone who hates mayonnaise, it was a no-fly zone for me until it started popping up on menus everywhere! I found it spread on toast and topped with microgreens and radishes (thanks Parson's) and folded into Mac & Cheese (I’m looking at you Honey Butter Fried Chicken)! Suddenly, I was addicted to this questionable cheese product and started whipping it up at home. With just a few staples you probably have languishing in your fridge and a quick trip to the store for the titular pimentos, you too can indulge in a classic taste of the South.

Pimento Cheese

This recipe is a general guideline. Feel free to add in whatever extras you’d like--garlic, herbs, different cheeses, etc.

8 oz softened cream cheese

2 cups extra sharp cheddar, shredded ( I prefer using block cheese and shredding myself for a chunkier texture. This time, I used a bunch of Taco Seasoned Cheese Curds that my husband brought back from a trip to Wisconsin. For the cheese curds, I just stuffed them in the food processor fitted with a large grater blade to shred).

1 tbs mayonnaise (most recipes call for ½ a cup but I still haven’t gotten over my mayonnaise-a-phobia, so a tablespoon is plenty to give the cheese a smooth, rich texture)

1 tbs Dijon Mustard

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 8 oz jar pimentos, rough chopped, diced or minced depending on your preferred texture (I like a rough chop)

A few dashes of your favorite hot sauce

If you’d like more spice, add some minced hot pepper. I tried out a Caribbean Red Habanero from my garden. SPICY!

I love to serve Pimento Cheese with a Ritz Crackers. The salty sweetness of the Ritz pairs so perfectly with the creamy, sharp cheese that I dare you to resist this addictive combination!

For a more sophisticated spin on an old time treat, bake up some Gougeres (I always keep a stash of these French cheese puffs in my freezer), poke a little hole in the bottom and pipe to bursting with some of that delicious Pimento Cheese.