Pimento Cheese Sandwich

Other regions of the country scarcely think about pimento cheese, but it’s a darling of the South – as a topping for cheeseburgers, as a dip, and as the star of a supercharged sandwich. Honestly, “supercharged” is not quite the right term, for the pimento is the mildest of all peppers (zero on the Scoville scale used to measure hotness). At its gentlest, pimento cheese is nothing more than soft orange American dotted with bits of red with only a whisper of pepper flavor. Many chefs give it punch by adding horseradish and seasoning, olives, or onions. At its most potent, it is a rugged weave of jack and cheddar shreds with a substantial pepper kick: delightful on a self-effacing canvas of plain white bread, even better when the bread is buttered and grilled, best with slices of bacon and tomato added.