Cheddar is not the culprit here
Pimento Cheese is one of my favorite things on the planet. In a future blog post I will write about it and share Mama's recipe for her Pimento Cheese. For now, let's look at an alternate version of this Southern staple.
I visit my sister Paula each September and spend a week at her condo in St. Augustine Beach. If you ever have the chance, St. Augustine is a wonderful place to visit, vacation and rest and recharge. On my visit in 2011, we were invited to her neighbor Jim & Bonnie's for a cookout. During that time I was doing much of the testing for recipes I will include in my cookbook. I came across a very interesting recipe from Matt and Ted Lee.
In their book, The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern: Knockout DIshes with Down-Home Flavor, their recipe for Cheese Relish is suggested as a snack for your favorite cracker or as a filling for a grilled sandwich. I prepared this dish and presented it with a basket of crackers. However, many of the guests were adding it to their hot dogs as a topping. After a taste myself, I have decided this is my preferred way to enjoy this "anti-Pimento Cheese". I imagine it would be great on a grilled burger as well. This recipe is in honor of Matt and Ted, as I prepare to spend next week at their Cookbook Book Camp in Brooklyn.