Pimento Cheese

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Believe it or not this was my first time ever making pimento cheese. Pretty incredible considering it's a staple item for almost any Southern gathering, particularly those involving tea sandwiches. From showers to ladies luncheons to church picnics, pimento cheese, usually in sandwich form, is guaranteed to make an appearance. I have to confess though, that I just never really cared for pimento cheese...at all. However, Hubs loves it. He asks for it all the time and I always find a reason not  to make it. Somehow pimento cheese came up recently in conversation (we talk about food a lot!) and once again Hubs said how much he loved the stuff. I just happened to have all the necessary ingredients on hand,so I thought I'd surprise him with some homemade pimento cheese. To find a recipe I thought I'd start right at the top and consult the godfather of Southern foods, Chef Frank Stitt. I'll admit that if my first experience with pimento cheese was this pimento cheese, it wouldn't have taken me so long to make it.

Frank Stitt roasts fresh red peppers, peels and chops them to make his pimento cheese but since I didn't have any red peppers on hand I subbed them for a jar of chopped pimentos. I think I'd like to try making it with the fresh roasted red peppers. I'm sure it's even more fabulous, but I will say, using the pimentos from the jar made making this recipe a breeze!

Pimento Cheese
source: Frank Stitt's Southern Table: Recipes and Gracious Traditions from Highlands Bar and Grill (adapted)
1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 pound cream cheese, room temp.
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 7oz jar of  chopped pimentos
1/4 cup best-quality mayonnaise
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
 hot sauce,  to taste, 4-5 splashes
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
pinch of salt

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Blend together thoroughly. Refrigerate until chilled through. Traditionally served as a sandwich topping on white bread but pimento cheese also makes a party dip, topping for burgers, or omelette filling.

What are your feelings on pimento cheese?? Yeah or nay?