Culinary: Pimento Cheese – A Southern Treat and Tradition

Southern Recipe Posted by Whitney Long.

With a post waxing poetic about sweet tea, us Southern C gals couldn’t leave pimento cheese hanging. These two go together like peanut butter and jelly or catfish and hush puppies.

While homemade pimento cheese is always the best at church picnics, baby or wedding showers, family reunions, fishing trips and football games, there are also some really good store bought varieties on the market right now. On any given day, you can find two or three choices in my fridge. Slathered on white bread or wheat toast or just scooped up on a cracker (Saltine or Ritz, of course), pimento cheese is another southern staple that we just love.

For a fun point of view on pimento cheese watch these videos: http://vimeo.com/31515064 and http://vimeo.com/26525873

Next, head to the store for the ingredients to make your own using our recipe. If you don’t have time, we have also listed some of our favorite ready-made selections.

The Southern C Pimento Cheese:

1 (8 oz) pkg. extra sharp cheddar cheese – block style not shredded

1 (8 oz) pkg. Colby cheese – block style not shredded

4 oz cream cheese, softened

12 oz chopped pimentos well drained

1-1/2 cup Dukes or Hellman’s mayonnaise

cayenne pepper and salt to taste

Cut the cheese blocks into pieces about the size of a dice. Place in food processor in batches and use the regular blade. After processing, fold in the cream cheese and mix by hand. Next add the mayo and continue mixing. Lastly, stir in the drained pimentos and cayenne pepper and salt. Mix well but don’t mash it all together. Will last for several days in fridge.

Good choices for ready-made:

My Three Sons Gourmet http://www.mtsgourmet.com/

Palmetto Cheese http://pimentocheese.com/

Callie’s Pimento Cheese http://www.calliesbiscuits.com/

Augusta’s Pimento Cheese http://augustascreations.com/

Enjoy this southern recipe in this collection of our southern cuisine – let’s gather the best southern food ideas for The Southern Coterie cookbook.