Constant Craving

Yes, that is pimento cheese on fried chicken. I have a disgusting thing to admit. In the past five days I have eaten a pound and a half of pimento cheese. It is an uncontrollable craving...lustful even. It is as if the little human growing inside of me has tapped into my subconscious, whispering "pimento cheese, creamy and delicious" over and over again until I am forced to go the refrigerator and eat more. And more. I imagine pimento cheese is like heroine. There is no having just a taste.

Personally, I prefer pimento cheese on crackers. The classic sandwich is all well and good. It is something I will settle for in a pinch, but I like the spread on a cracker because of the crunch. The added texture, the little bit of crisp, lightens it up a bit.

Pimento cheese has a long history as a Southern snack of choice. It has found its place on grocery store shelves in the South since around 1915. It really took off as a food of choice during the Depression. For more info on pimento cheese and some quality recipes check out the Southern Foodways Alliance. Oh, but pimento cheese is not just some provincial confederate delight. It is a worldly cheese spread. It is very popular in the Philippines, where they refer to it as cheese-pimento. Who knew?

I figure if I eat this terribly wonderful cheese spread on whole grain crackers it somehow justifies the indulgence. Well, actually pregnancy is the perfect justification...but so many store bought pimento cheese spreads are made from processed food stuffs that I have decided to go wholesome with I am on a mission to find the perfect pimento cheese recipe.

This week I will indulge in a recipe of the Southern Queen of Indulgence...the one...the only Paula Deen. I left the house seasoning out of my batch for fear of too much salt. From here I will explore some of the recipes from the Southern Food Ways Alliance Pimento Cheese Invitational. This will a be a six month journey, unless another craving conquers all.



Good Life Recipe # 11/ Bobby's Pimento Cheese / Paula Deen

Ingredients

• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, room temp
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar
• 1 cup grated Monterey Jack
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon House Seasoning, recipe follows
• 2 to 3 tablespoons pimentos, smashed
• 1 teaspoon grated onion
• cracked black pepper

Direction

• Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add all of the remaining ingredients and bat until well blended. It can be used as a dip for crudites or a sandwich filling.

House Seasoning

• 1 cup salt
• 1/4 cup black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic powder
• Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.