The Perfect Thanksgiving Memento... Pimento!

The Patè of the South

When we say “pimento cheese” to most non-Southerners, they don’t know what we’re talking about. True,
part of it is the pronunciation (pa-men-uh) that is confusing, given the Southern fondness for mangling the
English language when convenient. But pimento cheese has been a staple of the cuisine down here for ages
because of its easy preparation and extraordinary versatility. Spread on crackers, served in celery slices, used
as a topping for hamburgers or steaks or fancied up into a cheese ball, pimento cheese is one of those dishes
that always has a place at a Southern gathering - even Thanksgiving.

Even if you’re not from these parts, if you bring pimento cheese to a party, they’ll think you’re a local. And
there are as many ways to prepare it as there are to serve it, from classic to the “designer” variety. Thomas Keller of
the French Laundry restaurant in Napa puts crème fraîche in his. Southern food writers Matt and Ted Lee
make theirs with grilled red peppers and cream cheese. Garden and Gun insists on using Duke’s Mayonnaise,
while Southerner Craig Claiborne (the dearly departed food editor of the NYT) added garlic, lemon, and green
onions. Paula Deen throws in both Monterrey Jack and cream cheese, and serves it with a platter of crudités. 

All of the authentic recipes recommend that for correct consistency, you should run your cheese through a
food mill. No time for that? Get out the Cuisinart. Really in a hurry? Avoid that stuff in the supermarket and
go pick some up at Lowcountry Produce downtown. Their pimento cheese has been properly run through a
food mill and it comes in regular and hot. Here’s a basic recipe to get you started. Dream up your own
variations for this Thanksgiving!