I only realized recently that pimento cheese is a very Southern thing. It just never occurred to me that my more Yankified friends didn’t have pimento cheese in their memories of childhood sandwiches, along with pbjs, grilled cheese and blts.

It’s a pity, because I’m not sure that pimento cheese is a taste often acquired by adults… It seems to me that you almost have to have a measure of nostalgia going when you spread this nearly preturnaturally golden concoction on a cracker or between slices of old fashioned sandwich bread.

That being said, once you love this stuff, you’ll always love it. And this version is easy to mix together and stash in the fridge. Along with an array of baked goodies, I’m giving pots of this away for holiday gifts this year — it makes a nice change of pace from all those sweets.

Recipe: Spread: Pimento Cheese with Jalapeños
Adapted from Peace Meals: A Book of Recipes for Cooking and Connecting. Makes 1 quart

8 ounces smoked gouda, shredded
8 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
8 ounces mozzarella, shredded
1/4 cup mayonnaise (preferably Hellmann’s — this is a Southern thing, after all!)
12 ounces roasted red peppers, drained and roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1-2 fresh jalapeños, seeds and membranes removed, finely minced

Combine all ingredients in a mixer and mix until thoroughly combined. Chill until ready to serve.

Wine Pairing: Yes, you certainly can drink wine with pimento cheese — though many in the Baptist church (where they serve a lot of pimento cheese) might disagree. (To quote a recent Christopher Hitchens article, “Believe me when I say that I know my stuff here and have paid my dues.”) My choice? Bubbly!