Pimiento cheese
Author’s note: We think just about anything dipped in this would be great—raw vegetables, toasted bread, even ham. We use Hook’s 4-year-aged white cheddar, which has a nice tang. That, plus the cayenne and black pepper—which we actually give a measure for instead of “to taste” so it’ll definitely be peppery—is something else.
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. cracked black pepper
1 1/2 cup mayonnaise (Hellmann’s, Best Foods)
1/2 cup diced pimento peppers
2 cups grated aged white cheddar
sea salt
In a large metal mixing bowl, whisk together the cayenne, black pepper, and mayonnaise. Add the pimento peppers and gently fold in the cheese until everything is evenly mixed. Season to taste with salt.
[Reprinted with permission from Cheers to the Publican by Paul Kahan and Cosmo Goss]