Regularly finding its way onto ‘top Southern Food’ lists, Pimento Cheese has been put on par with Collard Greens, BBQ and Biscuits as one of the most recognizable Southern dishes. But, is Pimento Cheese the quintessential Southern Food?
As for me, growing up in the South, Pimento Cheese was as common as banana pudding and sweet tea. Although they weren’t always around, they never felt that far away. It wasn’t until I moved to California that I realized so many food staples at family gatherings and pot-lucks were in fact ‘Southern Specialties’. And, it wasn’t until I met Spencer Spellman that I truly discovered and fell in love with Pimento Cheese (which he had to make for us since it’s impossible to find in SoCal.)
Being ‘made-from-scratch’ and usually enjoyed with Spencer’s collection of bourbon and moonshine, Pimento Cheese became even more of a symbol of Southern Cuisine to us, especially as BBQ and biscuits planted roots in LA. Which is why I was so surprised that Pimento Cheese’s roots are actually in the North.
A Brief History of Pimento Cheese – Don’t Let Its Past Fool You
Pimiento Cheese was the Yankee love child of New England’s Cream Cheese and Spain’s Pimiento Pepper, but it wasn’t born as the think, orange spread we know today. It took four decades and some kitchen counter tinkering to create the modern Pimento Cheese
Sold in grocery stores as early as the 1900’s, Pimiento didn’t become a craze until Good Housekeeping published their own recipe in 1908. After that Pimiento Cheese was everywhere.
As demand for pimiento peppers skyrocketed, US Farmers, especially in the South, began working to develop a domestic pimiento pepper. Pomona Products, based in Griffin, Georgia, finally received the first domestic pimiento pepper seeds from Spain in 1916. Soon after, Griffin became the pepper capital of the US. This is when National ownership of Pimento Cheese began to shift towards Southern ownership.
After World War II, the national demand for Pimento Cheese slowed. This made room for the Pimento Cheese re-mixes that had been concocted in Southern kitchens to take center stage – most notably a massive change in ingredients.
Cream cheese was out, cheddar was in. Maybe it was a depression era substitution or perhaps it just tasted better (it does taste better) but whatever the reason, the Southern Speciality cut out the New England cream cheese, and replaced it with cheddar cheese. This was not the only change though, to bind it all together – mayonnaise became a staple ingredient as well.
Now, mayonnaise has its own peculiarities, which brings us back to the South and specifically to South Carolina. One of the most highly acclaimed pimento cheese mayonnaises is Dukes – known for its ‘rich, creamy’ flavor, which was created and still based in South Carolina. Which is why it’s so fitting that the Pimento Cheese Trail is in Columbia, South Carolina.
Yes, this is a thing you should do.
The Pimento Cheese Trail is a list of 14 dishes in and around Columbia, South Carolina that represent the full spectrum of Pimento Cheese, from simple dips and fries to Filet Mignon and Brisket. It’s all put together in a handy Pimento Cheese Passport.
This is a heavy list that not only gives you a ton of taste but is a great window through which to explore Columbia – taking you through nearly every part of town and all different sorts of restaurants. If you set off down ‘the Trail’, we suggest you do it like we did – choose an area of the city (such at Five Points) and explore there while popping in to sample bites along the way.
Whichever way you choose to try, here are our picks of what not to miss ::
Best Appetizer ::
Spotted Salamander
This cozy cafe feels like a local secret, snuck back away from the main streets and listed on most apps as a catering company. Its homey setting and back porch comfy ambiance is the perfect setting to place an order for pimento cheese as an appetizer.
If you want to double down, the passport also suggests Pulled Brisket Pimento Cheese Sandwich, serving up two southern specialties, the sharp flavor of their pimento cheese is a great balance to the sweet-tangy bbq.
Honorable Mention : Market on Main
While not officially on ‘the Trail’, ordering an appetizer of Pimento Cheese here was one of the best decisions we’ve made while visiting Columbia. Market on Main is centrally located in the city and close to so many downtown attractions that stopping in seems inevitable. Sitting outside with a hot skillet of sharp pimento cheese is an ideal afternoon respite.
Best Side ::
The War Mouth
The War Mouth is one of the definitely modern dining experiences in Columbia. Creating a casual upscale vibe with a focus on artisinal cocktails and chef-forward dining, stopping here can be a full evening out.
Not only is this one of our favorite restaurants in Columbia, it has one of the best pimento cheese concoctions in the state – the smashed Pimento Cheese Yukon Potatoes. Delivered in a heaping bowl, hunks of Yukon potatoes are generously covered and intermixed with creamy pimento cheese.
Best Long Lunch / Brunch ::
Di Prato’s Delicatessen
The simple neighborhood ambiance of Di Prato’s makes relaxing back into your chair and ordering a second or third lemonade necessary. Which is why appetizers are essential, and for that – Di Prato’s is the first place to offer two different Pimento Cheeses, standard mild orange Pimento cheese & Share White Pimento Cheese. If that’s not enough ‘mento for you (it wasn’t for me), order up the Pimento Cheese Burger and save some of your appetizer for french-fry-dipping.
Best Overall ::
Cafe Strudel – Lexington
From the outside, Cafe Strudel looks more like a friendly diner where nearly everyone who walks through the doors becomes a regular, not the type of place to mix up dishes that excited and challenge your palate. However, from the second their Low Country Hash Browns landed on our table, we knew – this is one of the best things to eat not only on the Pimento Cheese Trail but in all of Columbia.
‘Getting a Good Bite’ means layering your fork with a bite of shrimp, a chunk of fried green tomatoes, a sprinkle of bacon, and a piece of a hashbrown – all of this lightly smothered in sharp-cheese pimento cheese. This was one of the last things we ate on ‘the trail’ and will be the first thing we eat when we return.
The Ones That Got Away
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to complete our Pimento Passport, but we’re keeping it in a safe place so that we can finish the quest on our next trip. The two dishes I’m most excited to try are::
Terra
It took me over thirty years to embrace unique pizza toppings. Now that my palate is opened up, the ida of a Pimento Cheeseburger Pizza seems like a great combination of a sharp savory pie.
Solstice Kitchen
If there’s a dish that might rival Cafe Strudel’s Low Country Hash Browns, it’s Solstice Kitchen’s Cornmeal Fried Green Tomatoes. Does lightening strike twice?
