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. · Preparation
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.
Using mild cheddar — bland. Using Miracle Whip instead of mayo — a different product that tastes different. Duke's or Hellmann's. Over-processing in a food processor — produces a smooth, paste-like dip that lacks the textural character of hand-mixed pimento cheese.
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.
Using mild cheddar — bland. Using Miracle Whip instead of mayo — a different product that tastes different. Duke's or Hellmann's. Over-processing in a food processor — produces a smooth, paste-like dip that lacks the textural character of hand-mixed pimento cheese.
Pimento Cheese connects to similar techniques: Welsh rarebit (sharp cheddar melted into a sauce — the British ancestor), French *fromage fort* (leftover cheese blended into a spread — same principle of, German *Obatzda* (Bavarian cheese spread with butter, onion, and paprika — the c.
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