Hello and welcome back to The Stone Soup Cook–so glad you’re here!
Today, I’m wrapping up my week on “found” and leftover food…a day late, but…oh well.
Many, many years ago, I was working as a project manager for a software manufacturing company here in the Valley. I really enjoyed the job–I was good at it and I worked with two of my best friends. It was comfortable and I was well-respected. But, business here in Silicon Valley has its ups and downs. It was probably 2000 or 2001, and the Valley was experiencing one of its most devastating and sudden downturns: the beginning of the “Dot-Com-Bubble” bust. The company I worked for very abruptly laid off about half its workforce and for July 4th week, those of us who were left were all ordered to take the week off without pay.
That first weekend, I went about doing my regular things: cleaning, errands, laundry, etc. But by Sunday evening, I realized that I might be unemployed by the end of the month if things didn’t turn around. I’m not going to lie–it was a scary feeling, and I suddenly felt the sting of an uncertain future. As employment for both me and Mr. Stone Soup had always been solid, it was one of the first times I had had to face potential belt-tightening.
I went to the kitchen to make some dinner and the only thing that I thought would understand us was pimento-cheese:
It seemed to tick all the boxes: frugality (I had all the ingredients I needed on hand), comfort and yummy in our turning tummies. I also found a can of tomato soup, and we were set. We sat down to our humble, yet delicious and satisfying dinner and said our blessing. As we both bit into the soft bread and tasted the tangy, salty and creamy pimento-cheese mixture, I said “WAIT!” Startled, Mr. Stone Soup complied and put his sandwich down.
I dashed out and returned with what was, at the time, probably the most expensive bottle of wine we owned. Mr. Stone Soup’s eyes widened and I said “why not? after all–it’s already paid for!” He grinned and said “yep! you’re right!”
That night, we ate our pimento-cheese sandwiches with a sublime bottle of Pinot Noir from the cool growing region of the Yountville Hills. It felt very good to indulge in such an extravagance at an uncertain time and it not only took the sting out of our situation, but reminded us that we should appreciate what we have and not waste precious time worrying about something we had no control over. Through the years, we have not always been successful in that lesson, but we have more or less tried.
Recipes for pimento-cheese run the gamut from simplicity itself, to overly extravagant. I tend toward the simple side and I hardly ever measure anything. Here’s my basic recipe:
~2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2-3 Tbsp diced pimentos
~1/4 cup crumbled pecan halves
~1/2 cup of mayonnaise (freshly made if possible, but decidedly not required. If using prepared, please, please, please use a good-quality mayo: Best Foods and Duke’s are good choices. And whatever you do, please don’t use the stuff that’s made with the olive oil–with so few ingredients, that icky, rancid taste and smell will stick out like a sore thumb!)
Sliced sourdough bread
Place the cheese, pimentos and pecan pieces in a medium bowl and toss together–make sure the pecans and pimentos get mixed into the cheese evenly. Toss the mayo into the mixture and mix. Add more mayo if necessary–the mixture should be moist with enough mayo to make it spreadable.
Place on fresh sliced sourdough. Enjoy with a gorgeous Pinot and someone you love on a night when you’re feeling fragile.
Please join me later in the week for more fun in the kitchen.
Until then.
Peace, love and good food,
Keri
