Pimento Cheese Recipe

Does anyone have a pimento cheese recipe. I usually just grate some cheddar and add mayo and pimento's but that seems a little boring.

Thanks
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Paul--didn't MayhawMan mention one once?--i may be wrong but i seem to recall that because i went out and bought some after hearing of his love of it.Glad i did---spread on crackers-

Paul---found this from JiminKty on another thread.
This pimento cheese recipe is popular in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky:


Gourmet Pimento Cheese

1 (4-oz ounce) jar chopped pimiento, drained

1 cup homemade mayonnaise

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Spice Islands hot dry mustard *

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 to 2 cloves garlic, crushed

8 ounces colby cheese, grated

8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated

Mix well with a rotary beater, adding cheese last. Continue beating until smooth. Store in tightly sealed crocks in refrigerator. Makes 4 cups.

Recipe copied from Bluegrass Winners: A Cookbook , published by The Garden Club of Lexington, Inc. 1985.

From the kitchen of JimInKy, Lexington, Ky. May 2003

* Spice Islands was purchased by McCormick, who reportedly discontinued the name.

Thanks Tiki. I tried the search but I guess I was not specific enough as I had enough threads to search to last me the entire day.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Good morning, Paul. My pimento cheese recipe is elaborate, but worth it, even if you don't do the homemade mayo. The hot mustard powder is the mustard served for egg rolls in Chinese restaurants (hot mustard powder + water). Co-ops sell it cheap.

Did you ever make it over to Fresh Market for the deli pimento cheese? It seems like I've mentioned their recipe as the best I've ever eaten. I've stopped at FM many times on the way out of Knoxville or when passing through, just to get the pimento cheese and the fresh baked 7 Grain Bread to bring home.

You know this looks good---think i will make some up!

JimInKy: I got you recipe and I am lacking some of the key ingredients. I am in Maryville this afternoon watching the Busch race with a friend and I will pass by the fresh Market on my way to dinner with some friends this evening. I will stop by and purchase the pimento cheese and 7 grain bread plus I may get their gelato which others have indicated was very good.

Thanks
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

The Fresh Market is one of the things I really miss about Knoxville... And their pimento cheese is excellent!!

quote:

Originally posted by pogophiles

The Fresh Market is one of the things I really miss about Knoxville... And there pimento cheese is excellent!!

I miss Fresh Market too. They scouted Lexington for a store a few years ago, but didn't come here. Whole Foods did arrive, opening last Fall. I was very dissapointed in it's deli and bakery. Food is made at an out-of-town commissary and shipped to the store. Same with bread; it's only put in the oven here.

I'm hooked on Fresh Market's pimento cheese and 7 grain bread combo.

I'm an addict!

I'm not totally understanding this thread. I think Sundancer should bring some of this cheese spread and seven grain bread with him when he comes to Nashville this week. After all, we only have about nine restaurants scheduled in about a 24 hour period. We might need some snacks.

quote:

Originally posted by Poverty Pete

I'm not totally understanding this thread. I think Sundancer should bring some of this cheese spread and seven grain bread with him when he comes to Nashville this week. After all, we only have about nine restaurants scheduled in about a 24 hour period. We might need some snacks.

lol----really wouldnt want you folks to starve on those long trips between the food!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Poverty Pete

I'm not totally understanding this thread. I think Sundancer should bring some of this cheese spread and seven grain bread with him when he comes to Nashville this week. After all, we only have about nine restaurants scheduled in about a 24 hour period. We might need some snacks.

Mr. Poverty, we will take care of you. If not the pimento cheese and 7 grain bread, we will try to get you some hushpuppies to go to last you inbetween stops. That might hold you for a few minutes.

We will stuff a few extra pieces of fried chicken and catfish at Monells in the briefcase. That will help you for a after breakfast snack till we get to first que stop.

Paul E. Smith
knoxvklle, TN

JimInKy: I made your pimento cheese recipe last evening but I must tell you that finding spice Island dry mustard was a trip. I finally found it in Mamaw Smith's spice cupboard way in the back behind about a hundred other spices.

Very unique taste and I can truthfully say that I have never had another like it.

I wonder what would happen if I added a combination of jalapeno, bell pepper and onions to this mixture. Probably just too much stuff huh?

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Go for it Paul. Sounds like my quest to develop the perfect spicy pimento cheese recipe. Next stop: wasabi!!

JimInKy: I made another round of pimento cheese using your recipe. This time I added onions and jalapeno peppers. Next time I will back way off on the onions. I used to much and they dominated. I threw it out and the crows loved it.

Fortunately, I was making small portions.

Some day I will get it right.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Use your favorite recipe BUT use Jarlsberg cheese.

A gentleman (in North Carolina) made and sold pimento cheese in his grocery store until he retired about 3-4 years ago. He then gave out his recipe.
In this case I believe "less is more"
His recipe is to use only:

1 lb. of hoop cheese
1 jar pimentos
1 small jar (1/2) Duke's mayonnaise

grate cheese, add other ingredients, mix and store in the refirgerator for 12-24 hours before serving.

It's the only thing I'll use Duke's for. Otherwise I'm for Hellman's.

Scarlett

JimInKy, I made your pimento cheese recipe today - delicious!

I like the pimento cheese sold at the Fresh Market, but there is a brand sold in the Carolinas at select stores called Stans. It is really good, chunky with extra spices, especially black pepper.
If you are in the Carolinas try to find some of it and try it.

I like pimento cheese on celery especially.

My mother's pimento cheese is similar to Scarlett's, but she uses Velvetta and Miracle Whip. Let the cheese sit at room temperature for a bit to warm, then sprinkle a little sugar on it (if you like), mash with a potato masher or just throw it in the food processor. Then add some pimentos and miracle whip to taste. Mmm, flashbacks to childhood! Thanks!

Maybe it's just the location and the history, but the pimento cheese sandwiches sold at the Masters are super. And they are still $1.50. The recipes above all look good, however, I make mine with the sharpest cheddar I can get and use Publix Miracle Whip in place of mayo.

Sorry to reopen a dormant thread, but I just gotta say how much I love Tiki's recipe. For the second night running, I'm enjoying a midnight snack of Santitas tortilla chips and pimento cheese, a favorite high school nosh of mine that I hadn't enjoyed for years.

Something that shocked me when I moved to New England was the discovery that tubs of pimento cheese -- a staple I took for granted throughout my southern born and bred life -- are not to be found in New England supermarkets. Accordingly, I made some changes to the above recipe, since what I was going for was not homemade pimento cheese, but supermarket pimento cheese. To wit:

quote:

Supermarket Pimento Cheese

1 (4-oz ounce) jar chopped pimiento, drained

1 cup Hellman's Low-Fat mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice squeezed out of a plastic lemon

1 teaspoon Penzey's hot dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon Penzey's ground ancho pepper

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic

8 ounces Cabot Hunter's cheese (their extra-extra sharp), grated

8 ounces Cabot Habanero cheddar, grated

Mix everything but the cheese together with a whisk, then fold in cheese with spatula. Refrigerate 6 hours to mellow.

Things I'll change next time: I'd never used Cabot's habanero cheddar before, and brother, they're not kidding. While I was looking to replicate the burn of a quality pimento cheese with jalapenos, once you factor in the mustard -- and I was using, as specified, the hot Chinese style -- and the increased amount of ground pepper, I got something that I thought was pretty swell, with a nice slow burn that's partially alleviated by the creaminess of the cheese and mayo. However, my wife can't eat it, and she's NOT a chile wuss. Given that part of the point was to introduce her to the joys of one of my childhood faves, this won't do. I think I'll dial it back to the Cabot pepper jack next time, and I might dial the sharp cheddar back to just the extra sharp, not the super-duper sharp.

Still, big thumbs up.

Hey yall,

I use the sharpest cheddar cheese, a little Worcestershire (I really wish it was spelled like it sounds!) a little Texas Pete, enough Dukes just to coat and my secret ingredient: a real roasted red pepper, which is what pimentos are supposed to be. The sweetness of the pepper makes it good.

Stan's pimento cheese here in North Carolina rocks; there is no homemade product that can compete...it is addictive!

I just made some pamena cheese today! Yum.....

I will get the pimento cheese and bread at The Fresh Market in Chattanooga this weekend, hope they have some...there is a good recipe for pimento cheese in the Blue Willow Cookbook, it is a bit different and it has cream cheese in it i believe...Laurie

JimInKy,

Is your pimento cheese recipe the same as the Fresh Market's? If not, any ideas on how it might differ?

quote:

Originally posted by JimInKy

Good morning, Paul. My pimento cheese recipe is elaborate, but worth it, even if you don't do the homemade mayo. The hot mustard powder is the mustard served for egg rolls in Chinese restaurants (hot mustard powder + water). Co-ops sell it cheap.

Did you ever make it over to Fresh Market for the deli pimento cheese? It seems like I've mentioned their recipe as the best I've ever eaten. I've stopped at FM many times on the way out of Knoxville or when passing through, just to get the pimento cheese and the fresh baked 7 Grain Bread to bring home.

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

Does anyone have a pimento cheese recipe. I usually just grate some cheddar and add mayo and pimento's but that seems a little boring.

Thanks
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I have to admit, pimento, for all its beauty and rainbow range of colours, not to mention its wonderful nutritive values, is not my favourite vegetable to eat, and when I do, its usually either roasted with a lot of other veggies or used in ratatouille. So sadly I don't personally have a pimento cheese recipe to contribute but I did find this whilst I was looking for something else on the net and thought I would include it : http://www.courier-journal.com/features/food/iso/2003/20031010iso.html

Actually, thinking about it, I guess a mixture of roasted pimentos and maybe a couple of roasted chillies would not be too out of place in a pimento cheese recipe ? Anyone tried it ?

Hi everyone, I've enjoyed the discussion and the recipes. But I have a question: does anyone have the recipe for the delicious pimento cheese made and sold at Roberts Grocery in Wrightsville Beach, NC? I stop and buy a tub every summer during our annual beach trip, but would love to make the stuff at home.

Thanks, cindyd

quote:

Originally posted by tiki

* Spice Islands was purchased by McCormick, who reportedly discontinued the name.

Not exactly. Spice Islands is owned by Tone Brothers which was recently aquired by Associated British Foods of London. The brand is alive and well, at least in CA and AZ. If not where you live, you can buy their products at http://spiceadvice.com/product_guide/index.html