Pimento Cheese

Pimento cheese — sharp cheddar cheese grated and mixed with diced pimento peppers (roasted red peppers) and mayonnaise into a thick, spreadable paste — is called "the pâté of the South" and "Carolina caviar" with equal affection. The spread appears at every Southern gathering: on crackers, in sandwiches (the pimento cheese sandwich on white bread is the simplest and most satisfying sandwich in the South), on celery, stuffed in jalapeños, melted on burgers, and — at the Masters golf tournament in Augusta — sold in the most famous sandwich in American sport. The origins are debated (a Northern commercial product adopted and improved by Southern cooks, or a Southern creation from the start) but the cultural ownership is not: pimento cheese is Southern.

A thick, spreadable mixture of grated sharp cheddar cheese (the sharper the better), diced pimento peppers (the small, sweet, red peppers sold in jars), and mayonnaise. The texture should be rough — grated cheese and diced pepper clearly visible, not smooth or processed. The flavour should be sharp (the cheddar), sweet (the pimento), creamy (the mayo), and optionally spicy (cayenne, hot sauce, or diced jalapeño in many recipes). Some versions add cream cheese for extra creaminess; some add Worcestershire for depth; some add garlic. Every Southern cook has a version and the variations are guarded.

On Ritz crackers. On white bread. On celery sticks. Stuffed in jalapeños and baked (the jalapeño popper variation). On burgers. On grilled cheese. With fried green tomatoes. Pimento cheese is versatile — its rich, sharp, creamy character complements anything that wants cheese.