1 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Savor Protiction of iHeart Radio. I'm 2 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 1: Annie Reese and I'm Lauren Vocal Bomb, and today we've 3 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: got an episode for you about pimento cheese. Such an episode. 4 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 1: You know, this is a shockingly long outline for something 5 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,479 Speaker 1: that I thought a few weeks ago, like, could we 6 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: make a whole episode out of this? The answer is yes, absolutely, yes. 7 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: It turns out people have a lot to say about 8 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:41,559 Speaker 1: pimento cheese. Gosh, they do. Yes, yes, And we are 9 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:45,159 Speaker 1: following up on the listener request that we read I 10 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:47,200 Speaker 1: believe in our listening realm a couple of episodes back 11 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 1: UM for pimento cheese. And as I said in response 12 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 1: to that, my family loves pimento cheese. It was sort 13 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 1: of a rare, special occasion food in our house. Yeah. 14 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 1: We usually got it homemade from like local markets, especially 15 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 1: if we'd stop at a farmer's market or something while traveling. Um, 16 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 1: and that's in my experience, is usually chunkier and brighter 17 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 1: than the stuff that you would get at the store. Um. 18 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:14,400 Speaker 1: And I actually do like pimento cheese and small amounts 19 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:18,559 Speaker 1: um despite the mayo. Sure, okay, yeah, it's a mayo 20 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 1: flavor strong. I do not like it. Also, I feel 21 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 1: like it's just a very rich food, so I have 22 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: a hard time consuming large amounts of it. Yeah yes, yes, 23 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:33,080 Speaker 1: uh yeah, It's a food that I cannot really eat 24 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 1: because one of the ingredients is sweet peppers, which give 25 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:41,400 Speaker 1: me all kinds of problems. Uh so, so I do 26 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 1: not consume it. The day that I realized what pimentos 27 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: are our day that I had pimento cheese in a 28 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 1: food and I was like, wait, hold up, no, what 29 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: are what are pimentos? That was It was a bad day. 30 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 1: Only we had done this episode before that. This was 31 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 1: a long heck and time ago. This was This was 32 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 1: very long ago. But wait, way before even food stuff, 33 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: even even before we were calling it eat stuff, so 34 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 1: which all of our folders are still called stuff, which 35 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 1: is very funny to me. It was never officially called that. No, no, 36 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: um and yet and yet uh yeah. This is also 37 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: a food that I did not grow up with. I 38 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: don't believe that I was aware of its existence until 39 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 1: I moved to Atlanta. Yeah so, like like many Southern foods. Uh, 40 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: the part of Florida that I'm from is not the 41 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 1: south and right, but April nine is apparently National Pimento 42 00:02:55,440 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 1: Cheese Day, so it has a national day that we 43 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 1: whisked right by. We did as for usual, Sometimes we 44 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: get it, but usually we don't. Um and see our 45 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:13,559 Speaker 1: cream cheese episode because that one actually is pretty informative 46 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 1: to this one. UM and other cheese episodes and our 47 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 1: Mayo episode. If you want to hear a lot of 48 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:26,959 Speaker 1: vitriol from me about how I despise, Oh wow, yeah, 49 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: after our after our Dr Pepper sponsorship, I wonder if 50 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: we could get a Mayo brand to sponsor us and 51 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 1: to torture ourselves with trying to please another sponsor that 52 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 1: that you objectively disliked the product of. I have a 53 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 1: some Dr Pepper in my fridge and it's the source 54 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: of great anger that was sent to me. I did 55 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: not buy it. No, no, as a thank you, I 56 00:03:57,040 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: think for doing for doing that ad read they want 57 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 1: to do well, you know what, any companies out there, 58 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: Mayo companies, don't you want to advertise with us? Come on? 59 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 1: I would give a glowing review to Duke's any day. 60 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:17,679 Speaker 1: Any day I would sit silently in the background. Okay, okay, 61 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: But I suppose this brings us to our question. Yes, 62 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 1: pimento cheese. What is it? Well, pimento cheese is a 63 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,279 Speaker 1: type of sandwich spread that can include It can include 64 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 1: many things, but but at its base, it's a shredded 65 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:41,040 Speaker 1: cheese and chopped pimento peppers and some kind of creamy 66 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:46,040 Speaker 1: binder to to create a thick and slightly chunky but yeah, 67 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: like just spread herble consistency, So let's let's break that down. Um. 68 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:56,720 Speaker 1: The cheese is often a shredded, short, aged, semihard tangy 69 00:04:56,839 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 1: cheese like cheddar um, often a blend of white and 70 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 1: orange cheddars and or similar cheeses like Colby or Jack, 71 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: or even processed cheeses like Velveta. The pimentos. These are 72 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 1: usually jarred or canned sweet peppers which will have been 73 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:19,039 Speaker 1: up peeled and cooked. No seeds. Yeah, Pimentos are a 74 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 1: type of sweet pepper that turn just bright orange e 75 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 1: red when they're ripe, whereupon they are sweet and just 76 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: a tiny bit tangy like, like little to no bitterness 77 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:30,799 Speaker 1: or vegetal flavors in there. You can also use pickled 78 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:34,799 Speaker 1: peppers or roast your own sweet peppers of whatever variety 79 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 1: you choose. The binder is yes, often mayo often Duke's 80 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:45,360 Speaker 1: brand towards the East Coast and Blue Plate brand more 81 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 1: towards like Louisiana. Sometimes cream cheese may be involved as well, 82 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:53,159 Speaker 1: and right, you generally want to use just enough to 83 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:56,080 Speaker 1: stick everything together, but not enough to make a sandwich 84 00:05:56,640 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 1: kind of soggy or drippy. Right. Also, people will say 85 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 1: that you don't want to overmix the ingredients or it'll 86 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:09,440 Speaker 1: get kind of mushy, which isn't the idea. Sometimes, trying 87 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 1: to go through my rolodex of pimento cheese experiences, it 88 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 1: can it can vary pretty widely. And speaking of to 89 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 1: this base, any number of seasonings may be added. Salt 90 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:26,799 Speaker 1: and pepper, onion powder or freshly grated onion or green onions, 91 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 1: or garlic, worcester shear sauce, hot sauce, apple cider, vinegar, 92 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 1: lemon juice, paprika, cayenne, pepper, chili powder, chili sauce like 93 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: a saracia horserdish mustard. It can also feature kind of 94 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 1: like guest star mix ins um like colapenos or fresh 95 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:50,280 Speaker 1: sweet pepper, dill, pickles, bacon, smoked gooda blue cheese, parmesan, 96 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:55,920 Speaker 1: toasted pecans, chopped pimento stuffed olives. I've seen one recipe 97 00:06:55,960 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 1: call for persciuto. WHOA right, that's that's like a star cameo. 98 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:07,560 Speaker 1: Second fancy pimento cheese. I love it, um and it 99 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 1: does pop visually, um with with the with the red 100 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 1: pimentos contrasted against the pale orange cheese and stuff. Yeah, 101 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 1: it does. But I did see this video right before 102 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 1: I was when I was looking at how to pronounce 103 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 1: something and they did a slow zoom in on pimento 104 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 1: cheese and the lighting just wasn't great and there's no music, 105 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 1: and I was like, oh, this is a very awkward. 106 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 1: I feel strange watching this. It um like like many foods, 107 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 1: you do have to have decent lighting to make it 108 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 1: look not like slimy food can have that like sheen 109 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 1: to it that can be very unappetizing depending on the 110 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 1: photographic quality. Um. Anyway, in real life it usually looks nice. 111 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 1: You usually yes, but but yeah so so the result 112 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: can vary sort of impressively in flavor. And everyone has 113 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 1: a version that they say is the best, and furthermore, 114 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 1: a ratio of cheese to binder that they say is 115 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 1: correct m hm. And if they sell it, no, you 116 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: cannot have their recipe, don't you know. It's a family secret. Um. 117 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 1: But what you've basically got here is a is a creamy, 118 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:33,559 Speaker 1: tangy comfort food that that pairs well with other savory 119 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:36,439 Speaker 1: foods UM, but could also stand on its own alone. 120 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: It's usually served chilled on white bread to form a 121 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:42,960 Speaker 1: simple sandwich, or as a dip for vegetables or crackers 122 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 1: rits preferably, but it can also be served as a 123 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:49,199 Speaker 1: grilled sandwich or a warm dip, and on warm dishes 124 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 1: like burgers or other hot sandwiches, on fried green tomatoes, 125 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:56,320 Speaker 1: on baked potatoes or other potato dishes, UM, in egg 126 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: dishes like omelets, in grits, in mac and cheese, in 127 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: savory bay goods, in cast roles. You can make balls 128 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 1: of it and then bread them and then deep fry 129 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 1: them and then just eat them. Bless your heart. Of 130 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 1: course you can, of course you can. I'm pretty sure 131 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:19,200 Speaker 1: I would just get like a spoonful and I'd have 132 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:22,360 Speaker 1: one spoonful and I was dead and that was it. Yeah, okay, 133 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 1: pretty nice. Yeah. Uh. These days it is very much 134 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:30,320 Speaker 1: a Southern thing. Um. It's sometimes called the Carolina caviare 135 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 1: and or the patte of the South. Um. It's a 136 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 1: popular topic at some iconic Atlanta restaurants like The Varsity, Homegrown, 137 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:43,440 Speaker 1: and the Vortex. According to the country's being producer of 138 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:46,800 Speaker 1: canned Pimento's Moody Dunbar, most of their sales do take 139 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 1: place in the South, with the Carolina as being their 140 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 1: top consumers. So eating all this pimento cheese, what about 141 00:09:56,160 --> 00:10:01,239 Speaker 1: the nutrition? Uh? Well, you know, che ease and mayonnaise 142 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:05,079 Speaker 1: and or other binders are you know, calorically dense foods 143 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:07,960 Speaker 1: um And you're not really getting enough pimento in there 144 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 1: to like really see a nutrient boost. Also, vegetables that 145 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:14,559 Speaker 1: have been canned tend to lose a bunch of their 146 00:10:14,559 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 1: original nutrients. Always choose fresh or frozen vegetables when you can. Uh, 147 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 1: but fimento cheese does have a good punch of protein 148 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:24,719 Speaker 1: and fat, so it'll fill you up and help keep 149 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:27,560 Speaker 1: you going. You know, eat a eat a vegetable, a 150 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:33,560 Speaker 1: real vegetable. I know you're talking about the pimentoes, But 151 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:37,080 Speaker 1: cheese doesn't count as a vegetable. Cheese, No, neither does 152 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 1: cream cheese, neither does mayonnaise. Well, I also love that, 153 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 1: like I think at the places I mentioned the restaurants 154 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 1: that put it on as a topping. It's always really 155 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:49,640 Speaker 1: Southern dish that you can. Yeah, and so it often 156 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 1: has like a fried green tomatoes, probably some bacon bacon, 157 00:10:56,480 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 1: and then like the burger patty or whatever. It's a lot. 158 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:03,840 Speaker 1: It is often a lot. It is it is. It 159 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 1: is a celebratory food. Yeah, I would, I would agree 160 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:12,559 Speaker 1: with that. UM, we do have some numbers for you. Yeah. 161 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: Pimento cheese, as you may have garnered from from the 162 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 1: description above, is often homemade, but you can buy prepackaged versions. UM. 163 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 1: And the FDA does have codes for pasteurized processed pimento 164 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:29,360 Speaker 1: cheese which dictate that the weight of the pimentos shall 165 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 1: be not less than zero point two per cent of 166 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:39,440 Speaker 1: the total weight of the finished product. Wow. Yeah, so 167 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 1: so technically very little pimento needs to go into pimento cheese, 168 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: very little. UM. South Carolina based Palmetto Cheese is America's 169 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:54,520 Speaker 1: top she spread company. And you can get a pimento 170 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 1: cheese passport in South Carolina, like when you enter if 171 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 1: you want to go on a pimento cheese tray all 172 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:04,800 Speaker 1: for you. And that's great. UM. As of twenty nineteen, 173 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:08,640 Speaker 1: UM the brand Palmetto Cheese was sold in over nine 174 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: thousand grocery stores in forty states. Yes. Um, but they 175 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 1: recently got in some hot water when the founder called 176 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:21,040 Speaker 1: Black Lives Matter a terrorist organization. Yeah. He later apologized 177 00:12:21,080 --> 00:12:24,480 Speaker 1: after Costca removed the product from their shelves and people 178 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:28,560 Speaker 1: boycotted it. Boycotted the product. The company also began facing 179 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 1: out their mascot, which, in a similar vein to Aunt 180 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:35,880 Speaker 1: Jemima and Uncle Ben, relied on racist stereotypes. This is 181 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 1: all ongoing. Well, hey, progress progress, slow progress that probably 182 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:44,120 Speaker 1: should have been made earlier. But I'm I'm always glad 183 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:48,439 Speaker 1: when progress happens. Mm hmm um. According to Kevin Clark, 184 00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 1: co owner of Atlanta restaurant home Grown, they go through 185 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 1: about fifty to sixty pounds or twenty two point six 186 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:58,680 Speaker 1: to twenty seven point two ms of Pimiento cheese per 187 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 1: week and I leave. He discussed how originally he didn't 188 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:04,520 Speaker 1: put on the menu, but people kept asking about it, 189 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:06,360 Speaker 1: and so finally he was like, Okay, I'll try it 190 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 1: on the menu, and then it became like a top 191 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:14,360 Speaker 1: selling Yeah. Yeah. Homegrown is a breakfast slash diner kind 192 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:18,320 Speaker 1: of place. Um. Local here in Atlanta, and right right, 193 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 1: it's a it's a very very small, very homy, but 194 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:27,280 Speaker 1: very iconic Atlanta restaurant. Yes, yes, yes, um. We just 195 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:32,720 Speaker 1: missed the Pimento Cheese festival in North Carolina. Why there's 196 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 1: a pimento cheese eating contest, which sounds to me for 197 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:40,720 Speaker 1: many reasons, but especially like the heat. Oh no goodness. 198 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 1: And there's a sculpting contest, which I'm way more into. 199 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 1: Yes um. And I really like this quote from food 200 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 1: writer and Burn, who did a whole piece of pimento cheese. 201 00:13:52,800 --> 00:14:01,560 Speaker 1: Pimento cheese is just that cheese, peppers and possibilities, yes um. 202 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:05,480 Speaker 1: But yeah, there have been a lot of shifting parts 203 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 1: in the story of pimento cheese. There have been, and 204 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:11,920 Speaker 1: we are going to get into that history. But first 205 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:13,800 Speaker 1: we are going to get into a quick break for 206 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:25,920 Speaker 1: a word from our sponsor, and we're back. Thank you, sponsor, Yes, 207 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 1: thank you. Okay, So I just want to put in 208 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 1: here I love all of the extreme headlines for the 209 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 1: history of fimento cheese. We're talking like the shocking history, 210 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:40,440 Speaker 1: you won't believe the history, the sandwich controversy that rocked 211 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:45,760 Speaker 1: the Masters. Cheese is a big deal. I would agree, 212 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 1: but I was like, what am I getting into here? 213 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 1: People have strong feelings about this stuff, they do, and 214 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 1: as the headline suggest, there is some debate about the 215 00:14:57,240 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 1: history of this one, particularly its origin. Um. And as 216 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 1: you might imagine, pinning down the specifics of when a 217 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 1: spreadable cheese, mayo and sweet pepper mixture whenever that first occurred. Uh, 218 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:13,360 Speaker 1: that's tricky. Um. According to Robert Moss, a serious eats 219 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 1: who did a whole piece on this and it was 220 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 1: very helpful. A lot of this is informed by it. 221 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:19,160 Speaker 1: Go check it out if you want to learn more 222 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 1: about fomento cheese. Believe it or not, there's even more 223 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:26,000 Speaker 1: than we're putting in here. Oh yeah, yeah. Um. This 224 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 1: iconic Southern food was actually invented in New York in 225 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 1: the eighteen seventies, a product of industrialization, um, which is 226 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 1: where a lot of the controversy comes in. But Boss 227 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: himself was like, you know, another thing about it that's 228 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 1: really not food? Does this all the time? Yeah? So, 229 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 1: as we discussed in our cream cheese episode, at this time, 230 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:55,040 Speaker 1: farmers in the North were making soft, unripened cheese is 231 00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 1: inspired by French nou chateel. Um. And Philadelphia became the 232 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 1: city prime early associated with these American cream cheeses, and 233 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 1: the Craft Cheese Company eventually acquired the top producer, Phoenix 234 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:14,480 Speaker 1: Cheese with their Philadelphia brand cream cheese. Simultaneously, a new 235 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:20,080 Speaker 1: product became available in the America's Spanish imported sweet red peppers. 236 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 1: In her seven book Miss Parallela's Kitchen Companion, the author 237 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 1: describes them as much milder than bell peppers and that 238 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 1: they were delicious when stuffed and baked um. Within the 239 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:36,720 Speaker 1: next few years, these peppers were being sold canned um, 240 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 1: introducing them and the Spanish name pimientos to a larger 241 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:45,160 Speaker 1: consumer base. The eye in that word was for the 242 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 1: most part dropped by the beginning of the twentieth century, 243 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 1: though I do still see it sometimes in in in 244 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:55,840 Speaker 1: these are modern Internet days, and I'm very confused every 245 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:59,000 Speaker 1: time I do see I thought it was another scupper 246 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:03,440 Speaker 1: knog situation in where I've I've been missed spelling it 247 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:05,880 Speaker 1: this whole time, and it's a Southern pronunciation that I've 248 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:11,920 Speaker 1: just absorbed. But yes, I guess both do still exist. 249 00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:18,080 Speaker 1: Can get confusing, m Um. One group in particular, we're 250 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 1: big fans of both of these new to America products 251 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:30,080 Speaker 1: domestic science or home economics practitioners. This was a social 252 00:17:30,119 --> 00:17:32,920 Speaker 1: movement run by women with a primary focus of increasing 253 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:38,760 Speaker 1: efficiency in the home using science, particularly when it came 254 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 1: to cooking um. And they were also concerned with having 255 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:48,160 Speaker 1: a good looking dinner table. They liked new scientific innovations 256 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 1: in the food space, like cream cheese. The fact that 257 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:53,800 Speaker 1: it was white, which in their minds symbolized purity, was 258 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 1: just another plus. Um. They came up with all kinds 259 00:17:56,840 --> 00:18:01,639 Speaker 1: of recipes to use cream cheese. And yes, they loved 260 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: canned pimentos to the mild flavor coupled with the eye 261 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 1: catching color. The Boston Cooking School magazine featured a recipe 262 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:13,360 Speaker 1: for a cauliflower and pimento salad and noting on account 263 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:15,879 Speaker 1: of their brilliant color, pimentos are a pleasing addition to 264 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:18,920 Speaker 1: many a salad, and when you sparingly, their sweet mild 265 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:25,399 Speaker 1: flavor is usually relished. Likely usually in there, Usually you 266 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:32,520 Speaker 1: know could be anything, could be, could be. And I 267 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 1: just want to put in here. I had to take 268 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:36,360 Speaker 1: home back in high school, and I was furious. I'm 269 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:38,640 Speaker 1: still mad about it. I know how to crack an egg. 270 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:41,800 Speaker 1: I might not do it with funness, but I can 271 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:45,680 Speaker 1: do it. I wanted to take Auto one oh one, 272 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:53,399 Speaker 1: but no anyway my outrage segment. Oh goodness, Well I okay. 273 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:57,159 Speaker 1: So I also had a home mack class for like 274 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 1: a quarter a single quarter of a year in middle school. 275 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:05,760 Speaker 1: But it was alongside, like there was another quarter that 276 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:09,679 Speaker 1: was like a like a robotics course. Uh, and another 277 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:14,800 Speaker 1: quarter that was like music appreciation or something. Getting angrier 278 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:24,000 Speaker 1: and angrier anyway. Um, so not a long after all 279 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:27,840 Speaker 1: of those people were adding pimentoes and cream cheese together. 280 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:31,080 Speaker 1: Like in nineteen o eight, there was this Good Housekeeping 281 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:35,200 Speaker 1: recipe for a sandwich filling made up of cream cheese, chives, mustard, 282 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 1: and minced up pimentos. Eva Green Fullers up to Date 283 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: Sandwich Book contained a simple recipe for a pimento cheese 284 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:47,080 Speaker 1: sandwich combined cream cheese and camp pimentoes and served between 285 00:19:47,119 --> 00:19:51,160 Speaker 1: bread easy um. Leading up to and directly after World 286 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 1: War One, a lot of very similar recipes to that 287 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:59,080 Speaker 1: one were published. Manufacturers saw an opportunity to make money 288 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:02,960 Speaker 1: with a new product, so they started adding chopped mementoes 289 00:20:03,119 --> 00:20:06,240 Speaker 1: with a little bit of red pepper and neuchatel Kurds 290 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:10,480 Speaker 1: against selling it in nineteen and this was popular enough 291 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:15,639 Speaker 1: that it went nationwide fairly quickly. For example, an add 292 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:18,720 Speaker 1: from that very same year out of Minnesota red pimento 293 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:26,720 Speaker 1: cheese something new, Yes, I love it, straight to the ford, Okay. 294 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:30,800 Speaker 1: While the primary manufacturers were located in Wisconsin and New York, 295 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 1: it only took a year for the product to start 296 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:37,280 Speaker 1: showing up in the western and southern United States. In 297 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:41,119 Speaker 1: add out of Augusta, Georgia claimed pimento cheese. You know 298 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:44,160 Speaker 1: how fine it is. This is good with a period. 299 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:50,200 Speaker 1: I love that so much, and it was sold either 300 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:55,399 Speaker 1: in slice form or by the jar speaking of the South. 301 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:01,119 Speaker 1: The South was the hub of the pimento canning industry. 302 00:21:01,119 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 1: While all of this was happening, Spanish imported pimentos could 303 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:08,680 Speaker 1: be quite expensive, so farmers associated with the Georgia Experiment 304 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:14,080 Speaker 1: Station began trying their hand at domestic cultivation. In nineteen eleven, 305 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:17,879 Speaker 1: they requested seeds from the Spanish consulate, and they were 306 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:21,879 Speaker 1: the first American farmers to cultivate them that we know of. 307 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:26,880 Speaker 1: In nineteen sixteen. This resulted in the true heart Perfection 308 00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 1: pimento also great. They also innovated around a roaster that 309 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:36,840 Speaker 1: sped up the process of peeling the peppers. This in 310 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:40,040 Speaker 1: turn led to the growth of the pimento industry in 311 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:44,400 Speaker 1: the area, and we're talking twenty five thousand acres dedicated 312 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:49,159 Speaker 1: to cultivating pimentos by turning out ten million cans that 313 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 1: were shipped all across the country. A former teacher and 314 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:56,480 Speaker 1: seed salesman started canning company Moody Dunbar, which we mentioned 315 00:21:56,520 --> 00:21:59,439 Speaker 1: at the top, in Tennessee in nineteen thirty three, and 316 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:03,719 Speaker 1: they hand old most of this pimento canning. The company 317 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:06,720 Speaker 1: also made and sold a canned pimento cheese spread that 318 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:08,640 Speaker 1: was fairly easy to find in the South, but not 319 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:15,640 Speaker 1: necessarily affordable to everyone, also possibly not accessible in rural areas, 320 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:19,879 Speaker 1: really rural areas. Some speculate this is why pimento cheese 321 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 1: is so synonymous with the South. Um. The height of 322 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 1: pimento production from the nineteen forties does line up with 323 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:31,119 Speaker 1: an explosion in popularity of pimento cheese, and of course 324 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: the two things could be related the increased availability and 325 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:38,280 Speaker 1: lower cost of pimentos, meaning that more pimento cheese is 326 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: being made and sold at lower prices. Whatever the case, 327 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:46,359 Speaker 1: by the nineteen hundreds Southern farmers had experimented and perfected 328 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:49,639 Speaker 1: their own varieties of pimento cheese, and it was fairly 329 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:54,600 Speaker 1: easy to find in the South. Still, and all the 330 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:57,680 Speaker 1: hundreds of recipes published prior to World War Two, none 331 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:00,640 Speaker 1: of them make it out to be a Southern thing. 332 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:05,119 Speaker 1: It was described as more of a technical innovation or 333 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:10,199 Speaker 1: a scientific food breakthrough. Very modern um. Great on a 334 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:14,080 Speaker 1: sandwich for a quick, easy, satisfying lunch. Most of these 335 00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:17,040 Speaker 1: recipes called for store bought pimento cheese, so it wasn't 336 00:23:17,119 --> 00:23:19,760 Speaker 1: really a thing most home cooks were making, or at 337 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:26,200 Speaker 1: least that's not what was in the not in the literature. Yeah, 338 00:23:26,359 --> 00:23:30,160 Speaker 1: pimento cheese is. Popularity declined after World War Two, and 339 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:33,199 Speaker 1: some of the brands faded away entirely. Some of these 340 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:37,320 Speaker 1: brands making pimento cheese um. But those Southern farmers and 341 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:41,480 Speaker 1: cooks continued to make and sell homemade pimento cheese as 342 00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:45,240 Speaker 1: the manufactured options grew less and less. Robert Wilbanks wrote 343 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 1: in his work Gads in Alabama, Stories of the Great Depression, 344 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:51,800 Speaker 1: the fimento cheese did not come from a store, but 345 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:54,639 Speaker 1: was made at home by cutting and mixing hoop cheese 346 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:57,920 Speaker 1: and pimentoes from a jar. And that's probably how a 347 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:01,639 Speaker 1: lot of Southerners made it. Um. Pimentoes were ubiquitous in 348 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:04,000 Speaker 1: the region, and you could get a lot of hoop 349 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 1: cheese for not that much money. Possibly rural areas didn't 350 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:11,440 Speaker 1: have easy access to manufactured pimento cheese, if it was 351 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:15,680 Speaker 1: available at all, so they had to make it themselves. Um, 352 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:18,800 Speaker 1: yeah and uh. Note on hoop cheese. Hoop cheese is 353 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:21,520 Speaker 1: a is a type of fresh cheese made by pressing 354 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:24,680 Speaker 1: cheese curds in a in a hoop um to remove 355 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:27,480 Speaker 1: the watery liquids. That is the way until you're left 356 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:32,400 Speaker 1: with a kind of firm but like still soft cheese. Um. 357 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:35,280 Speaker 1: And then it's not aged so it stays soft. It's 358 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:38,640 Speaker 1: creamier than a cheddar, more like American cheese, but not 359 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:44,840 Speaker 1: so processed. Yeah. Rights, and using hoop cheese and store 360 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:48,320 Speaker 1: bought cheese is like cheddar instead of cream cheese was 361 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:53,119 Speaker 1: key in the evolution of pimento cheese and in making 362 00:24:53,119 --> 00:24:57,119 Speaker 1: it a Southern thing, because the grated cheese needed to 363 00:24:57,119 --> 00:25:00,480 Speaker 1: be blended together. Another Southern favorite was bought into the mix, 364 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:07,959 Speaker 1: the mayonnaise. The mayonnaise cream cheese might not have been 365 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:10,240 Speaker 1: as available or popular in the South at the time 366 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 1: home cooks started adding other ingredients to their taste, from 367 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:18,240 Speaker 1: pickles to helpinos. It was a popular food to bring 368 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:21,119 Speaker 1: to pot luck's funerals to serve on. Sandwiches or crackers 369 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:26,399 Speaker 1: are very communal kind of gathering food. Yeah. The story 370 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:29,760 Speaker 1: goes that the founder of Regional Mayonnaise Dukes, Eugenia Duke, 371 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 1: sold pimento cheese sandwiches to soldiers in South Carolina before 372 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 1: nineteen seventeen, which is when she actually started selling her mayonnaise, 373 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:40,480 Speaker 1: and in fact, the popularity of the sandwiches and the 374 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:43,359 Speaker 1: mayo used in them maybe the reason she started selling 375 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:49,359 Speaker 1: her mayonnaise first place. They're Duke's marketing maybe one reason 376 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:51,879 Speaker 1: pimento cheese is so popular in the Carolinas as well. 377 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 1: Perhaps the most national attention pimento cheese has ever gotten, though, 378 00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:03,280 Speaker 1: was due to the Master's Golf Tournament, which takes place 379 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:08,919 Speaker 1: every April and Augusta, Georgia, where pimento sandwiches are a 380 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:13,480 Speaker 1: popular choice at this event. Um, here's where the sandwich 381 00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:20,440 Speaker 1: controversy comes in from. Luke Fader or fought perhaps at 382 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:24,840 Speaker 1: Atlas Obscura, an event so wedded to perfection, so shrouded 383 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:27,320 Speaker 1: in its own tradition, is surely one of the last 384 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:31,719 Speaker 1: places you'd expect to find successive episodes of food based 385 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:40,200 Speaker 1: spite politics. Here we are politics. I love that good, alright, 386 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:47,000 Speaker 1: So let's let's get into this white politics. Yeah yeah. 387 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:50,760 Speaker 1: Pimento sandwiches have long been a popular option at the Masters, 388 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 1: with attendees lining up to get their hands on one. 389 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 1: In the beginning, these sandwiches were made by one man, 390 00:26:57,680 --> 00:27:01,159 Speaker 1: South Carolinian, Nick Rangos, who is very active in the 391 00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 1: Greek community around Augusta. Several caterers tried to crack this 392 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:08,959 Speaker 1: code around his secret recipe and get to the bottom 393 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:12,800 Speaker 1: of the secret ingredients. Many speculated he must have used 394 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:15,919 Speaker 1: dukes mayo since he was from South Carolina, and or 395 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:20,160 Speaker 1: that he may have used Greek seasonings m hmm. One 396 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:23,400 Speaker 1: recipe published by the Junior League of Augusta suggested using 397 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:27,000 Speaker 1: blue cheese and light mayo. This did not sit well 398 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:32,040 Speaker 1: with many people, especially people from Rango's home state of 399 00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:38,000 Speaker 1: South Carolina, where only dukes is acceptable. Rangos caught the 400 00:27:38,040 --> 00:27:40,760 Speaker 1: attention of the Masters in the nineteen sixties due to 401 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:43,920 Speaker 1: the fan base he'd built by selling his pimento cheese 402 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:47,800 Speaker 1: sandwiches out of his South Carolina drug store. The Masters 403 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:50,399 Speaker 1: organizers got rid of the husband and wife duo that 404 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:53,480 Speaker 1: had been in charge of catering previously for this event 405 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:56,520 Speaker 1: and for forty five years. Rangos and his children Billy 406 00:27:56,560 --> 00:28:00,040 Speaker 1: and Stella, made enormous amounts of homemade pimento cheese of 407 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:01,720 Speaker 1: the tournament, and from what I read, they would like 408 00:28:01,800 --> 00:28:06,720 Speaker 1: drop it off at the border. Take the cheese. People 409 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:10,040 Speaker 1: loved it and it became an icon itself, like that 410 00:28:10,119 --> 00:28:13,199 Speaker 1: was the thing you got when you went to this event. Yeah. 411 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:17,480 Speaker 1: According to journalist Andy Bull, the Master's pimento cheese must 412 00:28:17,520 --> 00:28:24,160 Speaker 1: be the most famous sandwich in all of sport. Yeah. 413 00:28:24,359 --> 00:28:28,000 Speaker 1: About twenty years ago, the Masters decided not to renew 414 00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:32,600 Speaker 1: Rango's contract. The reasoning is unknown, but Rangos was very 415 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:37,159 Speaker 1: unhappy about it. Rangos took the recipe with him to 416 00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:44,240 Speaker 1: the grave despite repeated request for it. His replacement, Ted Godfrey, 417 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:47,280 Speaker 1: who ran a chain of fried chicken joints called Wife Safer, 418 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:51,120 Speaker 1: did his best to mimic the recipe, a process that 419 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:55,680 Speaker 1: took months and a lot of cheese. Yeah. It is. 420 00:28:55,720 --> 00:28:59,080 Speaker 1: It is a blend of multiple cheeses, and apparently he 421 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:01,760 Speaker 1: went through thirty three different cheeses trying to find the 422 00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:06,560 Speaker 1: right blend. Yes. Yes. When he continued to struggle to 423 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:09,440 Speaker 1: get to the bottom of this, a tournament worker gave 424 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:12,720 Speaker 1: him a batch of Frangos pimento cheese that they had frozen. 425 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:16,360 Speaker 1: Godfrey did his best to reverse engineer this, but the 426 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:21,120 Speaker 1: Master's committee still is not satisfied. So Godfrey went to 427 00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 1: the original supplier for an ingredients list, but still the 428 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:31,440 Speaker 1: result did not meet expectations. Then, according to him, the 429 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:37,440 Speaker 1: secret ingredient came to him in a dream. Finally he 430 00:29:37,680 --> 00:29:41,920 Speaker 1: nailed it down and people had no idea about the switch, 431 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:49,880 Speaker 1: the sandwich switch. He also refused to share the recipe 432 00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:54,920 Speaker 1: when he was replaced by in house catering, and the 433 00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:58,680 Speaker 1: thinking on on this switch from Godfrey to in house 434 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:01,560 Speaker 1: catering was that it was best to use all in 435 00:30:01,680 --> 00:30:05,960 Speaker 1: house vendors for like health inspection purposes, but Godfrey was 436 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:08,920 Speaker 1: real salty about it. He says that he offered to 437 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:11,719 Speaker 1: sell it to them in exchange for a couple of 438 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:16,560 Speaker 1: series badges Master's series badges, which um are these high 439 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 1: demand tickets that grant you admission for all four days 440 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:22,040 Speaker 1: of the Master's Tournament, and which are only sold to 441 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:25,760 Speaker 1: patrons of the tournament, which is an exclusive list that 442 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:27,680 Speaker 1: I don't think you can even apply to join at 443 00:30:27,680 --> 00:30:31,880 Speaker 1: the moment, Like someone has to die in order in 444 00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:33,840 Speaker 1: order for a spot to be opened up, and then 445 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:37,160 Speaker 1: if they have a living spouse, the spouse is offered 446 00:30:37,160 --> 00:30:39,760 Speaker 1: the bat anyway, Um, it's a whole thing. And even 447 00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:42,760 Speaker 1: if you are a patron, you have to apply to 448 00:30:42,840 --> 00:30:45,400 Speaker 1: buy a badge, and it's not like guaranteed that you're 449 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 1: going to get one, like the plastic badges from previous 450 00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:53,360 Speaker 1: year's events are collectors items anyway, Like it was like 451 00:30:53,560 --> 00:31:01,360 Speaker 1: kind of a big ask and they said no, yeah, 452 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:07,440 Speaker 1: So he left and not happy and he this him 453 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:11,000 Speaker 1: leaving caught the attention of patrons and the national news. 454 00:31:11,640 --> 00:31:15,720 Speaker 1: Neither of their families, god Freed or Ringos will comment 455 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:19,280 Speaker 1: when I asked about the recipe. A reporter for ESPN 456 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:22,480 Speaker 1: interviewed Godfrey that same year in an expose that came 457 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:26,320 Speaker 1: to be known as Pimento gate Um. While Ringos once 458 00:31:26,360 --> 00:31:30,480 Speaker 1: claimed there was no secret to the recipe, Godfrey told ESPN, 459 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:33,640 Speaker 1: I cannot tell you what the secret is, but there's 460 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 1: a secret there. I love that. That's so good. It's 461 00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:44,600 Speaker 1: like sibling stuff, right U yep, um, Now that they're dirty. 462 00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:48,200 Speaker 1: Pimento cheese sandwich laundry was out because again, this is 463 00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:51,480 Speaker 1: the event that prides itself on being like so meticulous 464 00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:55,800 Speaker 1: and everything being under their control. Employees at the Master's 465 00:31:55,800 --> 00:32:00,080 Speaker 1: struggle to recreate the recipe with fans knowing what is 466 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:02,160 Speaker 1: going on, so they had like this added pressure of 467 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:06,040 Speaker 1: now people are really going to be paying attention. UM 468 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:09,240 Speaker 1: Food bloggers took on the project as well, including blogger 469 00:32:09,320 --> 00:32:13,240 Speaker 1: Gina Dixon, who in took a crack at reverse engineering 470 00:32:13,240 --> 00:32:16,200 Speaker 1: the recipe based on the ingredients list printed on the 471 00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:18,840 Speaker 1: back of one of the rappers that she had. It 472 00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:21,880 Speaker 1: only took her a few hours according to her um 473 00:32:22,120 --> 00:32:25,080 Speaker 1: and she is somebody who has been a lifelong attendee 474 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:28,640 Speaker 1: from like childhood of the Masters and enjoy or of 475 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:33,720 Speaker 1: their Permento cheese sandwich. Her recipe, in her words, is 476 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:36,280 Speaker 1: pretty close to the real thing um of note the 477 00:32:36,360 --> 00:32:39,760 Speaker 1: sandwiches and has pretty much always been a dollar and 478 00:32:39,800 --> 00:32:45,120 Speaker 1: fifty cents. Yeah. The brand that's responsible for putting together 479 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:48,440 Speaker 1: the tournament is called Augusta National and uh, yeah, they 480 00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:51,680 Speaker 1: keep the food at the tournament inexpensive in general, I 481 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:54,240 Speaker 1: think as a as a non to tradition, and also 482 00:32:54,320 --> 00:32:57,560 Speaker 1: to avoid customers who have already paid a premium for 483 00:32:57,600 --> 00:33:00,720 Speaker 1: tickets feeling like they're being gouged on snacks. Um. They 484 00:33:00,760 --> 00:33:04,320 Speaker 1: apparently pull in just ten million dollars a year from concessions, 485 00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:07,960 Speaker 1: but that's of a total of a hundred and twenty 486 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:14,200 Speaker 1: million a year and so small, small percentage. Yes, um, 487 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:17,880 Speaker 1: And I I was really tickled by in that Atlas 488 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:21,280 Speaker 1: Obscura article about this. Um. He called out one of 489 00:33:21,280 --> 00:33:25,880 Speaker 1: his friends who tried to spend forty dollars on food 490 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:29,040 Speaker 1: at the Master's and I couldn't do it and got 491 00:33:29,080 --> 00:33:33,040 Speaker 1: really sick. Oh no, yeah, so everything the food is 492 00:33:33,040 --> 00:33:37,480 Speaker 1: pretty cheap. Nothing else, but nothing else but right. As 493 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:41,520 Speaker 1: more and more Southern authors started writing about pimento cheese, uh, 494 00:33:41,720 --> 00:33:44,240 Speaker 1: this pimento cheese that they had grown up with, that 495 00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:47,160 Speaker 1: had been made by family members, something they were nostalgic for. 496 00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:51,120 Speaker 1: Had this fondness for pimento cheese became more well known 497 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:56,520 Speaker 1: and garnered more respects. Yeah. Starting around in the nineteen nineties, 498 00:33:56,640 --> 00:34:01,640 Speaker 1: recipes began appearing in cookbooks again. As Wayne wrote in 499 00:34:01,720 --> 00:34:04,680 Speaker 1: his listener mail that inspired this whole episode. The Southern 500 00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:07,960 Speaker 1: Food Ways Alliance hosted the Pimento Cheese Invitational and Oxford, 501 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:12,520 Speaker 1: Mississippi in two thousand three. UM. Over three hundred folks 502 00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:16,160 Speaker 1: submitted recipes and wrote essays about their experiences with pimento 503 00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:19,200 Speaker 1: cheese what made it special to them. The winning recipe 504 00:34:19,239 --> 00:34:22,120 Speaker 1: from Nan Davis used her ants recipe that called for 505 00:34:22,200 --> 00:34:25,720 Speaker 1: homemade mayo and a blend of Worcester sauce, onion powder, sugar, 506 00:34:25,920 --> 00:34:31,760 Speaker 1: and red pepper. M Um and yeah. As the Southern 507 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:35,880 Speaker 1: cuisine trend heated up in the twenty odds and teens, 508 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:45,960 Speaker 1: um meno cheese spread sorry, I'm sorry, um more widely 509 00:34:46,040 --> 00:34:48,520 Speaker 1: across the United States, um to the point that it 510 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:53,960 Speaker 1: was listed by Bonapetite as a food trend in Oh. 511 00:34:54,719 --> 00:34:57,960 Speaker 1: I would love to hear from other listeners outside of 512 00:34:58,000 --> 00:35:02,000 Speaker 1: the South if there's truth to that, or pimento cheese 513 00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:08,760 Speaker 1: is infiltrated other areas. I so, oh goodness. I forget 514 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:11,239 Speaker 1: what article I was reading this in, but there was 515 00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:15,520 Speaker 1: one piece I I read preparing for this episode that 516 00:35:15,760 --> 00:35:20,000 Speaker 1: was talking about how Southerners have seen pimento cheese referred 517 00:35:20,040 --> 00:35:23,080 Speaker 1: to outside of the South, and about how like about 518 00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:26,719 Speaker 1: how like you can get dishes that include it in 519 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:29,520 Speaker 1: you know, like anywhere in the country, but it might 520 00:35:29,560 --> 00:35:37,680 Speaker 1: be called like pimentos and cheese or like or like 521 00:35:37,719 --> 00:35:41,239 Speaker 1: a cheese and pimento spread or something like that, where 522 00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:43,760 Speaker 1: it's just like it's like, well, you were real close, 523 00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:55,320 Speaker 1: you were, you got you got near it? Right. Oh yeah, Well, 524 00:35:55,360 --> 00:35:57,680 Speaker 1: once we are able to safely start traveling again, we'll 525 00:35:57,719 --> 00:36:00,920 Speaker 1: have to keep an eye out. Oh yeah, yes, but 526 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:02,640 Speaker 1: I think that's what we have to say about pimento 527 00:36:02,719 --> 00:36:05,960 Speaker 1: cheese for now. It is uh and we do have 528 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:08,040 Speaker 1: some listener mail for you, but first we've got one 529 00:36:08,080 --> 00:36:18,839 Speaker 1: more quick break for a word from our sponsor. They 530 00:36:18,840 --> 00:36:21,960 Speaker 1: we're back, Thank you sponsor, Yes, thank you, We're back 531 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:34,680 Speaker 1: with this listener. Yes, excellent. Have I mentioned I'm terrible 532 00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:46,040 Speaker 1: at golf? Yes, I have listener mail chimes with golf thieves. Uh. Yeah, 533 00:36:46,239 --> 00:36:50,000 Speaker 1: I also am. I even suck at putt putt like 534 00:36:50,040 --> 00:36:53,279 Speaker 1: I'm not. I'm just generally yeah, i'd like just never 535 00:36:53,360 --> 00:36:57,240 Speaker 1: learned how to do it. I cannot hit a golf 536 00:36:57,239 --> 00:37:01,160 Speaker 1: ball with a full swing with the golf club I 537 00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:05,160 Speaker 1: think that's impossible and that people who do it are magic. 538 00:37:05,440 --> 00:37:10,200 Speaker 1: So Valerie wrote, I listened to the root beer episode 539 00:37:10,200 --> 00:37:12,399 Speaker 1: in some letters about whether or not people like root beer, 540 00:37:12,480 --> 00:37:14,400 Speaker 1: and everybody talks about it as if there is a 541 00:37:14,440 --> 00:37:18,360 Speaker 1: single flavor called root beer. But in my experience, different 542 00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:20,879 Speaker 1: types of root beer taste very different from each other. 543 00:37:21,239 --> 00:37:24,000 Speaker 1: I don't drink sugary beverages anymore, but back in my youth, 544 00:37:24,239 --> 00:37:26,960 Speaker 1: hires an a and W root beer were sweeter and 545 00:37:27,120 --> 00:37:30,160 Speaker 1: entirely differently flavored from barks. The two flavors are so 546 00:37:30,239 --> 00:37:32,440 Speaker 1: different that to me, they might as well be entirely 547 00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:36,719 Speaker 1: different beverages. To me, Bark's taste very medicinal and unappealing 548 00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:39,719 Speaker 1: all my childhoodself like hires an A and W quite 549 00:37:39,760 --> 00:37:44,240 Speaker 1: a lot. The sugar ear the better. That makes sense. 550 00:37:44,400 --> 00:37:48,040 Speaker 1: That makes sense. That's sort of the you know not 551 00:37:48,239 --> 00:37:50,640 Speaker 1: everyone has a strong opinion about this. But the Coca 552 00:37:50,640 --> 00:37:54,000 Speaker 1: cola pepsi debate were there pretty similar. But to me, 553 00:37:54,040 --> 00:37:58,560 Speaker 1: pepsi is sweeter. Back when I drink soda, Coca cola 554 00:37:58,719 --> 00:38:03,600 Speaker 1: was the only way. I think that's also a very 555 00:38:03,640 --> 00:38:07,080 Speaker 1: Atlanta thing, um, because here you you grow up with 556 00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:11,000 Speaker 1: coca Cola products in more restaurants than not. And so yeah, 557 00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:14,920 Speaker 1: I coming from a family from the north, grew up 558 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:19,759 Speaker 1: with Pepsi products and so as like a teenager when 559 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:22,600 Speaker 1: I started seeing more like like I went to the 560 00:38:22,680 --> 00:38:25,880 Speaker 1: University of Florida and that is a Coca Cola campus, 561 00:38:26,040 --> 00:38:29,520 Speaker 1: and I was kind of like, what is this and 562 00:38:29,560 --> 00:38:36,040 Speaker 1: why my eyes wide in an outrage. That's like a system. 563 00:38:36,120 --> 00:38:41,640 Speaker 1: I talking to a pepsi person should be clear. Again, 564 00:38:41,680 --> 00:38:49,359 Speaker 1: I don't even drink either, but still, yes, um Coke 565 00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:51,879 Speaker 1: if y'all didn't know, is is based in Atlanta, so 566 00:38:52,040 --> 00:38:56,759 Speaker 1: it's a it's a very Atlanta thing. Yeah, at any rate, 567 00:38:57,200 --> 00:39:00,239 Speaker 1: uh Bob wrote, just heard the episode on set. Me 568 00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:02,279 Speaker 1: enjoyed it a lot. But when I heard you talk 569 00:39:02,320 --> 00:39:04,600 Speaker 1: about the uses for sesame, I noticed you left out 570 00:39:04,680 --> 00:39:07,880 Speaker 1: breakfast and our home here in China, a frequent addition 571 00:39:07,920 --> 00:39:10,319 Speaker 1: to the breakfast lineup that our Sun would choose before 572 00:39:10,360 --> 00:39:14,000 Speaker 1: leaving for college was glutinous rice balls um there as 573 00:39:14,040 --> 00:39:17,120 Speaker 1: the name implies, small white, somewhat squishy balls about the 574 00:39:17,120 --> 00:39:19,799 Speaker 1: size of ping pong balls and filled with those sweetish 575 00:39:20,160 --> 00:39:23,320 Speaker 1: black sesame filling. Other fillings are available, but the sesame 576 00:39:23,360 --> 00:39:26,440 Speaker 1: one is the most common a k A sweet sesame 577 00:39:26,520 --> 00:39:30,880 Speaker 1: dumplings ps. If you want a recipe for the perfect 578 00:39:31,040 --> 00:39:34,359 Speaker 1: dumpling dipping sauce, at least in my mind, it goes 579 00:39:34,400 --> 00:39:37,880 Speaker 1: like this. A couple of tablespoons of a good dark vinegar, 580 00:39:38,280 --> 00:39:42,000 Speaker 1: a teaspoon of minced garlic, a teaspoon or more of 581 00:39:42,040 --> 00:39:44,960 Speaker 1: homemade red chili oil with plenty of chopped read chilies 582 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:49,080 Speaker 1: in it, and a quarter teaspoon of sesame oil. Throw 583 00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:51,760 Speaker 1: in a bit of freshly chopped cilantro stems, and all 584 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:54,080 Speaker 1: never soy sauce. For me, that's more of a Southern 585 00:39:54,160 --> 00:39:56,919 Speaker 1: China thing. If you don't have any homemade chili oil, 586 00:39:56,960 --> 00:39:59,200 Speaker 1: it only takes a minute to make and the extra 587 00:39:59,239 --> 00:40:01,319 Speaker 1: will keep for a long time. Just put a couple 588 00:40:01,320 --> 00:40:04,080 Speaker 1: of tablespoons of red chili flakes like you might put 589 00:40:04,080 --> 00:40:07,120 Speaker 1: on a pizza, into a shatterproof bowl like the size 590 00:40:07,160 --> 00:40:09,800 Speaker 1: of a rice bowl, and then heat up enough oil. 591 00:40:10,040 --> 00:40:12,880 Speaker 1: Olive oil or some similar light tasting oil will do. 592 00:40:13,560 --> 00:40:16,360 Speaker 1: When it's really hot, like close to boiling or smoking, 593 00:40:16,640 --> 00:40:19,799 Speaker 1: just pour it over the chopped chilies. I usually make 594 00:40:19,840 --> 00:40:22,520 Speaker 1: about three quarters to one cup worth and use it 595 00:40:22,600 --> 00:40:25,120 Speaker 1: on lots of stuff tempted to do it with ghost 596 00:40:25,200 --> 00:40:34,439 Speaker 1: chili flakes too. Yes, all right, goodness, that sounds really 597 00:40:34,440 --> 00:40:38,200 Speaker 1: good to me. Um oh, now I want to try. 598 00:40:38,239 --> 00:40:41,600 Speaker 1: I've never cooked with ghosts chili. Oh no, that could 599 00:40:41,640 --> 00:40:44,719 Speaker 1: be a disaster. I don't feel like or I mean, 600 00:40:44,800 --> 00:40:48,839 Speaker 1: you'd probably enjoy it, but gosh, that's a lot. I'd 601 00:40:48,880 --> 00:40:52,360 Speaker 1: be like when I'm eventually, I feel like the foods 602 00:40:52,400 --> 00:40:54,640 Speaker 1: I make, it's just like how many hot sauces can 603 00:40:54,640 --> 00:40:56,879 Speaker 1: I add them here before? It's ridiculous And I feel 604 00:40:56,920 --> 00:41:01,160 Speaker 1: like that's what would happen. Yeah, yeah, chili flakes, it 605 00:41:01,160 --> 00:41:05,120 Speaker 1: would be kind of a arms race of spice. Oh 606 00:41:05,160 --> 00:41:08,480 Speaker 1: absolutely yeah. And um oh gosh, those are those little 607 00:41:08,640 --> 00:41:12,319 Speaker 1: glutinous rice sesame paste filled things are some of my 608 00:41:12,800 --> 00:41:16,520 Speaker 1: absolute favorite things. Um, I love. I've only ever had 609 00:41:16,560 --> 00:41:20,680 Speaker 1: them in the context of dim sum and uh in 610 00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:28,080 Speaker 1: America mostly. I mean, like, I understand that it's like 611 00:41:28,160 --> 00:41:31,360 Speaker 1: meant to be a brunch kind of situation. Um, but like, 612 00:41:31,400 --> 00:41:33,640 Speaker 1: I've never had it at home, and when I go out, 613 00:41:33,680 --> 00:41:36,120 Speaker 1: it's usually like a like a lunch to dinner kind 614 00:41:36,120 --> 00:41:39,719 Speaker 1: of situation for me and my friends. So right right, 615 00:41:40,040 --> 00:41:44,000 Speaker 1: they are delicious, Oh so good? Any kind of any 616 00:41:44,040 --> 00:41:50,120 Speaker 1: kind of glutinous rice related dumpling is probably my favorite. Yes, 617 00:41:51,960 --> 00:41:57,640 Speaker 1: that was a very sudden craving. I was not you 618 00:41:57,680 --> 00:42:00,520 Speaker 1: know you leave the Fimento cheese episode with with a 619 00:42:00,600 --> 00:42:05,680 Speaker 1: dim sum craving. That's just how it happens sometimes. Um. 620 00:42:06,360 --> 00:42:08,560 Speaker 1: Thanks to both of those listeners for writing in. If 621 00:42:08,560 --> 00:42:10,320 Speaker 1: you would like to write to us, you can or 622 00:42:10,440 --> 00:42:13,360 Speaker 1: emails hello at savor pod dot com. We're also on 623 00:42:13,400 --> 00:42:18,040 Speaker 1: social media. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 624 00:42:18,200 --> 00:42:20,879 Speaker 1: I forgot where we are for a second. All three 625 00:42:20,920 --> 00:42:23,520 Speaker 1: places at savor pod, and we do hope to hear 626 00:42:23,560 --> 00:42:26,200 Speaker 1: from you. Savor is a production of I Heart Radio. 627 00:42:26,320 --> 00:42:28,479 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from my heart Radio, you can visit 628 00:42:28,520 --> 00:42:31,319 Speaker 1: the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 629 00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:33,719 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows. Thanks as always to our 630 00:42:33,760 --> 00:42:36,600 Speaker 1: super producers Dylan Fagan and Andrew Howard. Thanks to you 631 00:42:36,640 --> 00:42:38,359 Speaker 1: for listening, and we hope that lots more good things 632 00:42:38,400 --> 00:42:39,800 Speaker 1: are coming your way