1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to brain Stuff, a production of I Heart Radio, 2 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:10,240 Speaker 1: Hey brain Stuff, Lauren bog obam Here. Pimento cheese maybe 3 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: a scrumptious staple. It's super popular in the South, but 4 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 1: this creamy cheese dish actually got its start up north 5 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: in New York, of all places, just before World War One. 6 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:25,120 Speaker 1: Fortuitous timing is what brought this comfort food, A simple 7 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 1: spread made with pimentos, shredded cheese, and mayonnaise into being 8 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 1: as soft, spreadable, mild tasting cream cheese, which was the 9 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 1: original ingredient in pimento cheese, hit the market in the 10 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: late eighteen hundreds. Spain's sweet red pimento or pimiento peppers 11 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: simultaneously entered America's food aisles. These mild peppers added a 12 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:50,839 Speaker 1: pop of colorful pizzas to dishes without any overwhelming flavors. 13 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 1: American chefs and homemakers appreciated these muted tastes, and they 14 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: were integrating cream cheese into everything from dips to our derves. 15 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:04,639 Speaker 1: As canned pimentos became readily available, they soon fused the two, 16 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:08,039 Speaker 1: and the comfort food category has never been the same. 17 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 1: Of course, there's much more to the story than a 18 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:15,400 Speaker 1: simple marriage between cheese and pimento peppers. The story of 19 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:20,319 Speaker 1: pimento cheese involves mass production, agricultural novelties, and the addition 20 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:25,039 Speaker 1: of the South's signature influence, mayonnaise. Here's a snapshot of 21 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: pimento cheese's history to wet your appetite. So As recipes 22 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: for pimento cheese sandwiches filled magazines and cookbooks, cheese manufacturers 23 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: began to notice they mass produced pimento cheese, and it 24 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 1: soon became available in grocery stores across the country. At 25 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: the same time, the state of Georgia was making headway 26 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 1: with plans to grow pimentos on us soil. The state's 27 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: lead farmers requested seeds from the Spanish consulate in the 28 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 1: early nineteen hundreds, and in nineteen sixteen they had their 29 00:01:56,760 --> 00:02:01,919 Speaker 1: first successful harvest. As the peppers proved fruitful, pimento cheese 30 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 1: grew in popularity across the South, and some Southerners and 31 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 1: towns and cities might have had access to canned pimento 32 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: cheese spread, but other folks would have had to make 33 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:14,840 Speaker 1: it themselves, and that's likely when mayonnaise made its way 34 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: into pimento cheese. We spoke with Kevin Clark, the co 35 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:23,079 Speaker 1: owner of an Atlanta restaurant called Homegrown, Georgia, popular for 36 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: its Southern style breakfast, fair and diner food. He said, 37 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 1: growing up in the South, cream cheese wasn't something we ate. 38 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:33,800 Speaker 1: It just wasn't available, So mayonnaise was a substitute. We 39 00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 1: used mayonnaise on everything. It's just what we had. Pimento 40 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: cheese saw its popularity spike before World War Two, but 41 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:47,160 Speaker 1: the enthusiasm waned post war. While others forgot about the cheese, 42 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: the Southern chefs began experimenting with their own recipes in 43 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:53,919 Speaker 1: the years following. It became part of Southern culture, and 44 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: Clark says that families now boast their own special Southern 45 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 1: pimento cheese recipes, and his family's recipe is, of course 46 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 1: his favorite. He said, family recipes have more meaning to 47 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: you anyway. Honestly, I don't think there are really a 48 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 1: lot of differences and recipes other than one may have 49 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 1: sharp cheddar or mild cheddar. It's just a personal preference. 50 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: Clark introduced his pimento cheese recipe to the world at 51 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:20,799 Speaker 1: Home Grown, which has been serving up Southern comfort food 52 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: in Atlanta since At first, pimento cheese wasn't even on 53 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 1: the menu, he said, Pimento cheese slipped my mind, but 54 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:31,240 Speaker 1: a customer would come in every week and ask for it. 55 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 1: I finally put it on the menu and it took off. 56 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 1: We probably go through some fifty to sixty pounds of 57 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: cheese every week. That's about twenty three to twenty seven 58 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 1: kilo's not too shabby. Pimento cheese is a simple recipe, 59 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 1: and Clark says that that's one of the best things 60 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 1: about it. Today's most popular recipes call for shredded cheddar cheese, 61 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: pimento peppers, mayonnaise, and ground black pepper, although some cooks 62 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: add flair with ingredients like halapenos and hot sauce. It's 63 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 1: typically served cold as a dip or a sandwich spread, 64 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 1: although per customer requests, Clark now serves his hot too. 65 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: He says customers come in from all corners of the 66 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:12,440 Speaker 1: country to try distinct Southern cuisine, and while it may 67 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:15,000 Speaker 1: not be the first thing that comes to mind, pimento 68 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 1: cheese is an unexpectedly great way to enjoy authentic Southern fair. 69 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 1: Clark said people are always taken aback by a cold 70 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 1: cheese spread, but I say just try it. It's really 71 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 1: easy to make and you don't have to use fancy ingredients. 72 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:32,480 Speaker 1: It's good cold or heat it up. There are just 73 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:35,719 Speaker 1: so many ways to use it. To make your own. 74 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:40,040 Speaker 1: Clark recommends this recipe. Combine two cups of shredded sharp 75 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:42,479 Speaker 1: cheddar cheese, a half a cup of mayonnaise, a half 76 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 1: a cup of diced pimento peppers, a teaspoon of ground 77 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:48,040 Speaker 1: black pepper, and two to four dashes of crystal hot 78 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:50,600 Speaker 1: sauce and a mixing bowl and stir until the mixture 79 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 1: is smooth and spreadable. Then cover and chill before serving. 80 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: Let's stand at room temperature for thirty minutes or so 81 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 1: and stir well. It can be stored in air container 82 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: in the refrigerator for up to a week if it 83 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 1: lasts that long. Today's episode was written by Stephanie Vermillion 84 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 1: and produced by Tyler Clang. For more in this month 85 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 1: of other topics, visit how stuff works dot com. Brain 86 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:18,600 Speaker 1: Stuff is a production of iHeart Radio. For more podcasts 87 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 1: in my heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, 88 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.