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Aburger topped with pimento cheese makes a great meal. Jedi Chef
Aburger topped with pimento cheese makes a great meal. Jedi Chef
Most everybody has heard of Pimento Cheese. It’s one of those food items that people either love or hate.
Pimento cheese got its start from cream cheese. According to Serious Eats, back in the 1870s, New York farmers started making soft, unripened cheese that eventually evolved into cream cheese. Around the same time, Spain began sending canned red peppers or “pimientos” over to the United States.
Thesepepperssooncaught people’s attention and became a staple of many kitchens across the country. The two ingredients were finally brought together in 1908 in a Good Housekeeping recipe for cream cheese, mustard, chives, and minced pimentos. The combination of cream cheese and pimento was such a hit it started to be mass-produced, primarily in the South.
Soon, Georgia farmers were trying to grow red peppers domestically, roasting them, canning them, and sending out as many as 10 million cans of pimentos a year, spreading the gospel of pimento cheese around the country. After World War II, home cooks started making their own pimento cheese, swapping cream cheese for something called “hoop cheese” and then cheddar and using a good dollop of mayonnaise to bind it all together.
From there, it has become a staple of church picnics and school potlucks and even shows up at some of the South’s finest restaurants. If you’re a fan or maybe on the fence, try this great recipe to satisfies the cheesiest of cravings 2 cups shredded extrasharp Cheddar cheese.
8 ounces cream cheese, softened.
½ cup mayonnaise 1 4-ounce jar diced pimento, drained.
1 jalapeno pepper seeded and minced Optional.
¼ teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper Optional ¼ teaspoon onion powder salt and black pepper to taste.
Gather all ingredients. Place Cheddar cheese, cream cheese, mayonnaise, pimento, minced jalapeño, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and onion powder in a large bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Enjoy. Great variations: try grilled cheese sandwich or put a big dollop in the middle of your hamburger.