Southern Pimento Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is pimento cheese called in the south? ›

Most Southerners have fond memories of a loving aunt mixing up a batch for a church gathering, while Northerners haven't the foggiest idea what pimento cheese even is. Affectionately referred to as “Carolina caviar” or “Southern pate,” it has been a Southern staple for well over 50 years.

It may have become popular in the South because it didn't spoil easily at room temperature, making it easy to pack in lunchboxes, particularly for textile workers. But it was also fashionable as a sandwich in tea rooms.

Believe it or not, this dish originated in the North and was made with pimentos and cream cheese. However, in typical Southern fashion, South Carolina decided to make the dish their own by tweaking the recipe and using only the best locally sourced ingredients.

Something had to be done with all those peppers, so the widespread adoption of pimento cheese as a "Southern thing" may well have been driven in part by our natural industriousness - and love of tasty, creamy, cheesy dishes, of course.

Palmetto Cheese is a trademark for a brand of pimento cheese from Pawleys Island Specialty Foods, a division of Get Carried Away, based in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. It is manufactured and packaged at Duke Sandwich Productions located in Easley, South Carolina.

While it's hard to imagine anyone appreciating the heavenly combination of shredded cheese, mayo, and diced red pimentos as much as Southerners, the delicious spread actually got its start up North—in New York, specifically.

It's made with shredded Cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, and pimento peppers, though cream cheese is often added for texture and taste along with a few seasonings and spices. And while it may not be the most attractive-looking spread in the world, it wins big time for its cheesy, tangy taste and creamy texture.

Whereas pre-packaged pimento cheese can last up to four weeks in the fridge, the homemade version will not last quite as long due to the lack of stabilizers and preservatives — it will only last for about one week.

Costco reportedly pulls Palmetto Cheese after founder calls Black Lives Matter a 'terror organization' Costco has reportedly removed Palmetto Cheese from store shelves after the owner of the pimento cheese brand called Black Lives Matter a "terror organization."

Several products packaged there were recalled earlier this year due to listeria concerns, though no illnesses were reported. Ruth's products are back on the shelves and again made exclusively in Charlotte, still with the same recipes from its early days off Wilkinson Boulevard.

Where is the pimento cheese capital of the world? ›

While pimento cheese is a staple in many Southern homes, Charlotte has been considered the Pimento Cheese Capital of the World, according to Mental Floss.

Pawleys Island Specialty Foods is a wholesale food company based in Pawleys Island, SC. We are the creators and marketers of the #1 brand of pimento cheese in America called Palmetto Cheese. Founded in 2006, Pawleys Island Specialty Foods continues to develop and market new products for retail customers.

Pimento cheese is most closely associated with Southern cuisine and has been referred to as the "pâté of the South", "Carolina caviar" and "the caviar of the South." Pimento cheese sandwiches have a long history at the Masters Tournament.

Hoop cheese is the name of a mild, semisoft cow's milk cheese originating in the American South. Other names include red ring cheese or baker's cheese.

Hampton Acres Pimento cheese is affectionately known as "the caviar of the South".

While it's hard to imagine anyone appreciating the heavenly combination of shredded cheese, mayo, and diced red pimentos as much as Southerners, the delicious spread actually got its start up North—in New York, specifically.