April Showers Bring: Pimento Cheese Sandwiches (and the Masters)

Midwest Southerner
Midwest Southerner
7212
 

The American South was my home for 42 of my nearly 54 years (so far) on this earth. In those aforementioned years, I don’t remember ever not knowing about (and understanding the importance of) the Masters and the sacred institution that is the Augusta National Golf Club. For a true Southerner, attending the Masters is, if not a rite of passage, definitely a bucket list item. That’s probably also a true statement for any avid golf fan.

Since I’m not a true Southerner — now, that’s not to say I don’t have a lot of Southern qualities — 42 years is a long time, am I right?! It was inevitable that I adopt at least some Southern traits. But I digress… As a Damn Yankee™ northerner by birth, I always assumed a forgiveness of sorts for never (ever) caring about golf. Yes, golf courses are (usually) pretty beautiful, and Augusta’s course is second to none. See the photographic evidence below:

Nov 10, 2020; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson walk along the no. 13 fairway during Tuesday’s practice round for the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Davis Tucker/The Augusta Chronicle

Confession: I do miss the trees with all that beautiful, haunting Spanish moss. Sigh, again, I digress…

Yes, I’ve played golf, and several of those times were on very nice courses. It was pleasant to spend time with friends out in the sunshine and sure, it was slightly entertaining to swing the club and see how well I could do. But really, it was a great big “meh” for me.

All of that backstory to get to this gem of an article that was published earlier this month on Atlas Obscura:

The Sandwich Scandal at the Heart of the World’s Greatest Golfing Event

Now, that’s a great headline. Almost as good is the URL slug: /masters-pimento-cheese-sandwich/

Of course, I had to read it, and I was not disappointed. This story has everything:

— Great writing

— Sports Golf (sorry, couldn’t resist)

— Drama and secrets (more than a few)

— A reference to the Keebler elves (what?!)

— “Embittered pimento czars” caught up in “PimentoGate” (I have to know more!)

— Sandwiches (not just sandwiches, but pimento cheese sandwiches)

— and, what is allegedly the recipe for the pimento cheese sandwiches served at the Masters in Augusta

Pimento cheese sandwiches were a staple in my childhood and, for the love of all that is holy, I wanted that coveted recipe. Not ashamed to admit that its connection to the epitome-of-all-that-is-Southern Masters tourney was a large part of the allure. Also not ashamed to admit that I searched for other pimento cheese-related content on the web — and felt really, really Southern doing so. That is, until I found this interesting article that said this:

The first time I really looked into the history of pimento cheese, I wrote a long article that opened, “Pimento cheese has a dirty little secret. The ‘pâté of the South’ isn’t really very Southern at all.”

After devouring that article, this Damn Yankee™ northerner by birth had a good laugh and said, “Well, bless their hearts.”

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  1. Midwest Southerner Coolidge
    Midwest Southerner
    @MidwestSoutherner
    Post author
    5:30 PM EDT ⋅ Apr 17, 2021

    Flicker (View Comment):
    I’d love to know how they spiced it.

    I have no idea … but I’ll ask my Dad if he remembers — he used to help them make it.

    • #61
  2. Midwest Southerner Coolidge
    Midwest Southerner
    @MidwestSoutherner
    Post author
    5:31 PM EDT ⋅ Apr 17, 2021

    Flicker (View Comment):
    I’d love to know how they spiced it.

    I have no idea… but I’ll ask my Dad if he remembers — he used to help them make it.

    EDIT: also have no idea why my comment above posted twice?! ha

    • #62
  3. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker
    5:43 PM EDT ⋅ Apr 17, 2021

    Midwest Southerner (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):
    I’d love to know how they spiced it.

    I have no idea… but I’ll ask my Dad if he remembers — he used to help them make it.

    EDIT: also have no idea why my comment above posted twice?! ha

    It’s that important.  To me at least. :)

    • #63
  4. EB Thatcher
    EB
    @EB
    7:50 PM EDT ⋅ Apr 17, 2021

    Flicker (View Comment):
    Secret: I’ve always loved fried scrapple best.

    Shudder!

    • #64
  5. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat
    4:19 PM EDT ⋅ Apr 18, 2021

    Percival (View Comment):

    Front Seat Cat (View Comment):

    She (View Comment):

    American Abroad (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Hang On (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    She (View Comment):
    I have only two words: Fried Jumbo.

    How do you bread an elephant?

    With a crane.

    And a mighty large dredging plate.

    This is why federalism is important. I have no idea what this secret code means.

    I think it has something to do with elephants. And “jumbo.” As in Mrs. Jumbo, perhaps representing countries who admire elephants as symbols of “strength, endurance, and intelligence.” And “Dumbo.” A scene that often makes me cry:

    Not so secret, after all.

    In any event, fried “jumbo” (baloney, nothing to do with elephants) sandwiches are a Pittsburgh staple.

     

    Didn’t they ban Dumbo?

    I think they may have dropped a warning label on it. There are crows in the movie whose accents have been judged ‘stereotypical” and therefore are verboten. These crows are also just about the only characters that treat Dumbo as if he had value. They are capable of seeing past trivial details of appearance and value others for themselves.

    Imagine that.

    That’s the real story?  Heckel and Jykel?

    • #65
  6. She Member
    She
    @She
    8:59 PM EDT ⋅ Apr 18, 2021

    Hang On (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Midwest Southerner (View Comment):

    Stad (View Comment):

    Blondie (View Comment):

    Ok, so I “googled” fried jumbo. Tell me it’s more than just a fried bologna sandwich. Heck, I had that every Saturday growing up. Got thick slices of bologna from my grandma’s store. Nothing better than a fried bologna burger.

    Don’t forget deep-fried, beer-batter bacon:

    ummmm… not sure what to think of that delicacy idea, seeing how bacon is already fried. Why ruin a perfectly good piece of bacon by adding breading?! ;)

    Beer batter.

    Put onions, peppers, cheese, zucchini or sweet potato in there instead of bacon and I’m all in

    Embrace the power of “and.”

    • #66
  7. Midwest Southerner Coolidge
    Midwest Southerner
    @MidwestSoutherner
    Post author
    10:46 AM EDT ⋅ Apr 19, 2021

    Flicker (View Comment):

    Midwest Southerner (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):
    I’d love to know how they spiced it.

    I have no idea… but I’ll ask my Dad if he remembers — he used to help them make it.

    EDIT: also have no idea why my comment above posted twice?! ha

    It’s that important. To me at least. :)

    Called my Dad yesterday and he was beyond stoked to talk about scrapple! You’d never know he’s 80 years old, but I was a little surprised that he remembered pretty much every detail.

    First thing Dad mentioned was that they never, ever used the “scraps” and other “gross bits.” They always used a pork shoulder, and just a pork shoulder.

    When I asked him about the spices, he said, “We used different spices every time. We liked to experiment. Sometimes it was great, other times it was just okay.” Dad did mention that their experiment using ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, and ground allspice was a complete failure. They never tried that mixture again.

    Here’s his rundown on the spices that were normally used — measurements were never exact, just best guesses.

    • Fresh ground black pepper

    • Garlic powder

    • Ground savory

    • a bit of ground white pepper

    • Onion powder (if you want)

    • Paprika (if you want)

    • Poultry seasoning (if you want)

    • a bit of cayenne pepper (if you want)

    • and, apparently he made it about 6 months ago and added about a tablespoon of Tony Chatcherie’s — said it gave it a fantastic kick (grin)

    So … basically every batch is an experiment. At any rate, it was a 45 minute conversation of Dad walking me through every step of how to make his version of scrapple — peppered with little side stories along the way. Quite a delightful catch-up call. :)

    • #67
  8. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker
    11:23 AM EDT ⋅ Apr 19, 2021

    Midwest Southerner (View Comment):

    Here’s his rundown on the spices that were normally used — measurements were never exact, just best guesses.

    • Fresh ground black pepper

    • Garlic powder

    • Ground savory

    • a bit of ground white pepper

    • Onion powder (if you want)

    • Paprika (if you want)

    • Poultry seasoning (if you want)

    • a bit of cayenne pepper (if you want)

    • and, apparently he made it about 6 months ago and added about a tablespoon of Tony Chatcherie’s — said it gave it a fantastic kick (grin)

    So … basically every batch is an experiment. At any rate, it was a 45 minute conversation of Dad walking me through every step of how to make his version of scrapple — peppered with little side stories along the way. Quite a delightful catch-up call. :)

    Thanks.  I copied this. :)

    • #68
  9. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant
    11:31 AM EDT ⋅ Apr 19, 2021

    Speaking of this thread, I had pimiento cheese “sandwiches” for lunch yesterday. They were good.

    • #69
  10. EB Thatcher
    EB
    @EB
    2:00 PM EDT ⋅ Apr 19, 2021

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Speaking of this thread, I had pimiento cheese “sandwiches” for lunch yesterday. They were good.

    I love pimento cheese as well.  I’m a bit of a purist though – extra sharp cheddar, pimentos, mayo only.  If for some reason I feel lead to  zhuzh it up, I put in a little smoked paprika.

    • #70
  11. Matt Balzer, Imperialist Claw Member
    Matt Balzer, Imperialist Claw
    @MattBalzer
    7:38 PM EDT ⋅ Apr 19, 2021

    Midwest Southerner (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):

    Midwest Southerner (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):
    I’d love to know how they spiced it.

    I have no idea… but I’ll ask my Dad if he remembers — he used to help them make it.

    EDIT: also have no idea why my comment above posted twice?! ha

    It’s that important. To me at least. :)

    Called my Dad yesterday and he was beyond stoked to talk about scrapple! You’d never know he’s 80 years old, but I was a little surprised that he remembered pretty much every detail.

    First thing Dad mentioned was that they never, ever used the “scraps” and other “gross bits.” They always used a pork shoulder, and just a pork shoulder.

    When I asked him about the spices, he said, “We used different spices every time. We liked to experiment. Sometimes it was great, other times it was just okay.” Dad did mention that their experiment using ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, and ground allspice was a complete failure. They never tried that mixture again.

    Here’s his rundown on the spices that were normally used — measurements were never exact, just best guesses.

    • Fresh ground black pepper

    • Garlic powder

    • Ground savory

    • a bit of ground white pepper

    • Onion powder (if you want)

    • Paprika (if you want)

    • Poultry seasoning (if you want)

    • a bit of cayenne pepper (if you want)

    • and, apparently he made it about 6 months ago and added about a tablespoon of Tony Chatcherie’s — said it gave it a fantastic kick (grin)

    So … basically every batch is an experiment. At any rate, it was a 45 minute conversation of Dad walking me through every step of how to make his version of scrapple — peppered with little side stories along the way. Quite a delightful catch-up call. :)

    So how do you prepare the pork shoulder? I’m not seeing how this would differ from either pulled pork or pork sausage unless you add the scraps and gross bits.

    • #71
  12. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker
    7:58 PM EDT ⋅ Apr 19, 2021

    Matt Balzer, Imperialist Claw (View Comment):

    Midwest Southerner (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):

    Midwest Southerner (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):
    I’d love to know how they spiced it.

    I have no idea… but I’ll ask my Dad if he remembers — he used to help them make it.

    EDIT: also have no idea why my comment above posted twice?! ha

    It’s that important. To me at least. :)

    Called my Dad yesterday and he was beyond stoked to talk about scrapple! You’d never know he’s 80 years old, but I was a little surprised that he remembered pretty much every detail.

    First thing Dad mentioned was that they never, ever used the “scraps” and other “gross bits.” They always used a pork shoulder, and just a pork shoulder.

    When I asked him about the spices, he said, “We used different spices every time. We liked to experiment. Sometimes it was great, other times it was just okay.” Dad did mention that their experiment using ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, and ground allspice was a complete failure. They never tried that mixture again.

    Here’s his rundown on the spices that were normally used — measurements were never exact, just best guesses.

    • Fresh ground black pepper

    • Garlic powder

    • Ground savory

    • a bit of ground white pepper

    • Onion powder (if you want)

    • Paprika (if you want)

    • Poultry seasoning (if you want)

    • a bit of cayenne pepper (if you want)

    • and, apparently he made it about 6 months ago and added about a tablespoon of Tony Chatcherie’s — said it gave it a fantastic kick (grin)

    So … basically every batch is an experiment. At any rate, it was a 45 minute conversation of Dad walking me through every step of how to make his version of scrapple — peppered with little side stories along the way. Quite a delightful catch-up call. :)

    So how do you prepare the pork shoulder? I’m not seeing how this would differ from either pulled pork or pork sausage unless you add the scraps and gross bits.

    Yes, do you just grind it like ground pork, or mince it?  And do you half cook it, or mix it raw with the spices?

    • #72
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