Welcome to brain Stuff, a production of I Heart Radio, Hey brain Stuff, Lauren bog obam Here. Pimento cheese maybe a scrumptious staple. It's super popular in the South, but this creamy cheese dish actually got its start up north in New York, of all places, just before World War One.
Fortuitous timing is what brought this comfort food, A simple spread made with pimentos, shredded cheese, and mayonnaise into being as soft, spreadable, mild tasting cream cheese, which was the original ingredient in pimento cheese, hit the market in the late eighteen hundreds. Spain's sweet red pimento or pimiento peppers simultaneously entered America's food aisles. These mild peppers added a pop of colorful pizzas to dishes without any overwhelming flavors.
American chefs and homemakers appreciated these muted tastes, and they were integrating cream cheese into everything from dips to our derves. As canned pimentos became readily available, they soon fused the two, and the comfort food category has never been the same. Of course, there's much more to the story than a simple marriage between cheese and pimento peppers. The story of pimento cheese involves mass production, agricultural novelties, and the addition
of the South's signature influence, mayonnaise. Here's a snapshot of pimento cheese's history to wet your appetite. So As recipes for pimento cheese sandwiches filled magazines and cookbooks, cheese manufacturers began to notice they mass produced pimento cheese, and it soon became available in grocery stores across the country. At the same time, the state of Georgia was making headway
with plans to grow pimentos on us soil. The state's lead farmers requested seeds from the Spanish consulate in the early nineteen hundreds, and in nineteen sixteen they had their first successful harvest. As the peppers proved fruitful, pimento cheese grew in popularity across the South, and some Southerners and towns and cities might have had access to canned pimento cheese spread, but other folks would have had to make it themselves, and that's likely when mayonnaise made its way
into pimento cheese. We spoke with Kevin Clark, the co owner of an Atlanta restaurant called Homegrown, Georgia, popular for its Southern style breakfast, fair and diner food. He said, growing up in the South, cream cheese wasn't something we ate. It just wasn't available, So mayonnaise was a substitute. We used mayonnaise on everything. It's just what we had. Pimento cheese saw its popularity spike before World War Two, but
the enthusiasm waned post war. While others forgot about the cheese, the Southern chefs began experimenting with their own recipes in the years following. It became part of Southern culture, and Clark says that families now boast their own special Southern pimento cheese recipes, and his family's recipe is, of course his favorite. He said, family recipes have more meaning to you anyway. Honestly, I don't think there are really a lot of differences and recipes other than one may have
sharp cheddar or mild cheddar. It's just a personal preference. Clark introduced his pimento cheese recipe to the world at Home Grown, which has been serving up Southern comfort food in Atlanta since At first, pimento cheese wasn't even on the menu, he said, Pimento cheese slipped my mind, but a customer would come in every week and ask for it. I finally put it on the menu and it took off. We probably go through some fifty to sixty pounds of
cheese every week. That's about twenty three to twenty seven kilo's not too shabby. Pimento cheese is a simple recipe, and Clark says that that's one of the best things about it. Today's most popular recipes call for shredded cheddar cheese, pimento peppers, mayonnaise, and ground black pepper, although some cooks add flair with ingredients like halapenos and hot sauce. It's typically served cold as a dip or a sandwich spread, although per customer requests, Clark now serves his hot too.
He says customers come in from all corners of the country to try distinct Southern cuisine, and while it may not be the first thing that comes to mind, pimento cheese is an unexpectedly great way to enjoy authentic Southern fair. Clark said people are always taken aback by a cold cheese spread, but I say just try it. It's really easy to make and you don't have to use fancy ingredients. It's good cold or heat it up. There are just so many ways to use it. To make your own.
Clark recommends this recipe. Combine two cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, a half a cup of mayonnaise, a half a cup of diced pimento peppers, a teaspoon of ground black pepper, and two to four dashes of crystal hot sauce and a mixing bowl and stir until the mixture is smooth and spreadable. Then cover and chill before serving. Let's stand at room temperature for thirty minutes or so and stir well. It can be stored in air container in the refrigerator for up to a week if it
lasts that long. Today's episode was written by Stephanie Vermillion and produced by Tyler Clang. For more in this month of other topics, visit how stuff works dot com. Brain Stuff is a production of iHeart Radio. For more podcasts in my heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.