4th of July weekend started off great, with a celebration of my friend Lisa's birthday on Stinson Beach, a wonderful place off of Hwy. 1 in Marin County. My plan was to drive up there on Friday morning, with a picnic in tow.
I turned to one of my favorite new cookbooks, "Screen Doors and Sweet Tea" by Martha Hall Foose. It's where I found my Strawberry Cupcakes recipe and is full of ideas with drool-inducing pictures, keeping with tradition but adding enough of a twist to be interesting.
Since I would be arriving in the late morning, I decided on Blueberry Muffins, Pimiento Cheese Sandwiches, and Deviled Eggs, a brunch of sorts. All of them were very simple, with easy to find ingredients, and packed up well.
Pimiento Cheese is one of those things that has remained in the South, for what reason I am not sure, but I know that many of my friends in California had never heard of it. You either love it or you hate it, but what is great about it is that it crosses all boundaries of age, race, economic status, and whatever else separates us - Pimiento Cheese is for everyone! Spread on white bread, it is one of my favorite summertime treats. This version has a lot a flavor and a nice, subtle kick.
Pimiento Cheese
- 1 C. Mayonnaise
- 1 t. finely chopped sage
- 1 t. fresh lemon juice
- 1 t. dry mustard
- 1 t. cayenne pepper
- 1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce
- 8 oz. Colby cheese, grated
- 8 oz. Sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 4 oz. jar chopped pimientos, drained
- Salt, freshly ground pepper
- Hot pepper sauce
Add the two cheeses and pimientos, blending thoroughly to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
You can make them into traditional sandwiches, as I did for our beach picnic, or cut them into fingers for a party, as I did for our 4th of July celebration the next day.
What a good time we had. Food always tastes better outdoors, especially when you are surrounded with a lovely day and good friends.
