Pa-minna Cheese (Pimiento Cheese)
Funniest story ever! I called my grandma, who will be 92 next week, because I had a hankerin for some pimiento cheese. I didn’t have clue how to make it but I remember my grandpa making it all the time. The conversation goes like this… Me: Grandma, I want some pimiento cheese, can I have grandpas recipe? Grandma: What? What is it you want? Me: I want grandpas pimiento cheese recipe. Do you have it? Grandma: What? Steffie, I don’t know what you are saying! What is it you want? Me: Pimiento cheese recipe. Grandma: What? I don’t know what that is! (Think very loud, frustrated voice) Me: (voice getting louder) PA MIN TOE Cheese. You know PA MIN TOE cheese sandwich? Grandma: Oh, oh! You mean pa-minna cheese? I’m sorry sweetie I just didn’t know what you were talking about. Pa-minna cheese! Hahaha, my bad! I just didn’t pronounce it correctly!
Pa-minna Cheese Backstory
In the olden days…just kidding. When my grandpa and grandma first met my grandpa was in the navy. Now I’m not 100% sure but at some point he worked at a deli and one of his specialties was the pimiento cheese. Grandma and my Aunt talked over the prized, family secret recipe and got back to me with the following recipe; 2 cups of Velveeta cheese, 4 ounce jar of chopped pimiento peppers, and 1 cup-ish of “salad dressing” also known as ma’ricle whip. (gross)
My grandpa grew up 1 of 7 (I think) kids in Jacksonville TX in the depression. His mamma cooked everything from scratch, rumor has it she made a banging sauerkraut. His Pop worked for the railroad. I feel pretty strongly the original ingredients were a little different. So my rendition is as follows, with real ingredients.
Pimiento Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 ounces chopped pimiento cheese fresh is the yummiest but hard to find, so a jar will substitute
- 1 cup avacado mayonaise I usually make mine but chosen is a good brand
Instructions
- For a smooth pimineto cheese, run all the ingredients through a food processor.
- For a textured pimiento cheese, stir all the ingredients together.
In an effort to go all pure-est on this recipe, I have grown my own pimiento peppers. They are really good and very similar to a bell pepper. They take a loooong time to ripen. Homemade mayonnaise is a very simple condiment to make and you are guaranteed real food ingredients.
Please share with me if you have any funny pimiento cheese stories. It’s kind of a “out of necessity recipe” of old so there has got to be some good stories out there. 😉
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