Photo by biskuit/Flickr CC
This is a sandwich that's been high on my list of late. It's sort of that all-around, all-good-things-in-one, seemingly simple sandwich that would be hard not to love unless you don't like pimento cheese or don't eat bacon.
It's a simple sandwich, really--a whole lot of our pimento cheese, along with a couple slices of Arkansas Peppered bacon, grilled on the Bakehouse's Brewhouse Bread (made with beer from Michigan Brewing).
The cheese isn't really fully melted--just soft--so it sort of gushes out the sides a bit when you eat the sandwich, but what's wrong with that? As long as you can handle licking your fingers a bit to get 'em cleaned up while you're eating, you're going to be good shape.
Down South, pimento cheese is a culinary icon--but up here, it's almost probably less familiar to most folks than Pad Thai.Smoky, slightly spicy Arkansas peppered bacon slices (to quote Rick when we were tasting this together not too long ago: ""Damn, I could eat this bacon all day!") set against the softer, creamier, still slightly spicy richness of the pimento cheese.
I realize in writing that, although it really has become super popular for us at the deli, the likelihood is that most customers in this part of the country, the Midwest, still have no clue as to what pimento cheese actually is.
Down South it's a culinary icon akin to chopped liver for New York Jews or chocolate to Parisians--but up here, it's almost probably less familiar to most folks than Pad Thai. In either case, it's a spread, not something you slice. Everyone's got their own, usually held close to the heart, recipe.
If you don't know it, ours starts with cheddar from Grafton Village in Vermont, enhanced and creamed up with a good bit of Hellman's mayonnaise and roasted red peppers (aka "pimentos"). Mail Order's been shipping a fair bit of it so if you've considered sending a good gift to someone you know who's from the South but doesn't live there anymore, or just someone who likes cheese and likes spicy stuff, this is a good way to go.
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My goodness! And here I thought it would not be possible to improve the pimento cheese sandwich. Some very good bacon is an excellent idea! Pimento cheese sandwiches are one of my favorite growing up in Georgia memories, although mild cheddar and white bread were the things to use then. Now I use extra sharp cheddar and mild, a little cayenne pepper, and any nice bread with good texture. Serving it to friends in California on a summer day is a fine way to get smiles all around. Goes great with a nice gazpacho. As I have vegetarian friends, I'll set the bacon on the side. Good picnic food.
I remember as a boy really hating when my North Carolinian mother would pack a pimento cheese sandwich in my lunch box. In Los Angeles, it was unheard of, and I caught no end of s--- from my friends for having weird sandwiches. In fact, I think I hated pimento cheese more for its 'otherness' in that context than its taste -- although ours was always baconless.
Simply love the stuff now and thanks for resurrecting it in my mind so I can pass on the tradition to my young'uns -- that is, the sandwich and not the taunts. My kids are homeschooled.
Growing up in the wonderful city of New Orleans in the 60's - 80's we did not eat pimento chesse as if it was "the best" to offer. We in New Orleans found our guest enjoyed a wonderful creole tomato sandwich or a cucumber sandwich with with a dash of fresh cracked pepper and a wee bit of cream cheese.
Wonderful way enjoy on a hot humid day in the South. Not heavy but very delish. Enjoy!
I grew up on cheese pimiento sandwiches, it's something Filipinos love to eat with a simple bun (we call the rolls pan de sal). I learned how to make it as I grew up, mashing cheddar with mayo and pimientos, but you can also buy an overly salty processed version in a jar in any supermarket in the Philippines, sort of like a cheese spread with bits of red peppers in it. I prefer the homemade version, adding a bit of mustard to the mix, sometimes substituting ricotta and strained yogurt instead of mayo when I feel like I have to eat healthy.
Just ate lunch, but now I'm hungry again. Nothing better than a good pimiento cheese. Besides a sharp cheddar, add some mozzarella as well.
With the pimientos, add some chopped up pickled jalapenos. And Duke's mayonnaise only! Bacon sounds good, but a big slab of summer tomato and you've got heaven on bread...