The story behind Masters’ famous pimento cheese sandwich

If you are lucky enough to attend the Masters in person at some point in your life, there is a short checklist of things you absolutely must do based on Augusta National: Take in the stunning elevation changes, experience the majesty of Amen cornerand … eat a pimento cheese sandwich.

Of course, there’s plenty more to do, see and enjoy at the Masters, but in the pantheon of event-related food and drink pairings, the pimento cheese sandwich and Augusta National may be at the top. They are as synonymous as peppermint to the Kentucky Derby, or strawberries and cream to Wimbledon.

But how did the connection between the main south and the first major championship of the year begin? Author Rebecca Lang—a ninth-generation Southerner and Georgia native—tells the story in her new book, Pimento Cheese: Southern Spread. Lang grew up on pimento cheese and shared fond memories of sampling the sandwich at Augusta National.

“One of my first dates with my husband — we’ve been married 25 years — was with Augusta,” Lang said in a recent phone call. “And I remember the first time I went, it was so funny because I’m not a golfer, but I appreciate golf and I appreciate being outside. I think that’s the best part of it. But I remember how many sandwiches I ate that day. I mean, it was kind of crazy and it just adds a lot to the atmosphere.”

Pimento cheese first gained popularity in the US in the early 1900s as a newly available combination of cream cheese and canned pimento peppers imported from Spain. As the spread gained popularity over the decades, Georgia became the nation’s largest producer and grower of pimentos, accounting for more than 90 percent of US pimentos, though that number today is a fraction of what it once was.

After World War II, the pimento spread took on a new texture and consistency since it was first introduced, as families began making their own pimento cheese at home, replacing the cream cheese with mushroom cheese—a soft, low-fat cow’s milk cheese—or cheddar and mayonnaise. This is how pimento cheese as we know it today was born.

When Lang decided to write a book about pimento cheese, she said she was inundated with stories about the spread from friends and neighbors.

“The whole time I was writing the book, which was about a year and a half, everybody in Athens — it’s not a big city — everybody here knew I was writing a book on pimento cheese,” Lang said. “I heard from a million people who wanted to tell me their pimento cheese story, which is great, but most people’s pimento cheese story is how their grandmother made pimento cheese when they’re growing up, and they love pimento cheese.”

One day, however, a local woman named Virginia Herndon Stutsman approached Lang while the two were volunteering at a high school football game. Stutsman had an amazing story: her grandparents, Ola and Hodges Herndon, were the first to supply pimento cheese sandwiches to the Masters.

“I’ve known Virginia for years,” Lang said. “She lives in my neighborhood. I see her all the time and she’s so humble, you’d never know. So she tells me this whole story and I’m like, come on, let’s talk about it and let me start taking notes and getting this down.”

In addition to the story, Stutsman shared a box of memorabilia with Lang, including a letter of appreciation from Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts, and a solid brass ashtray of Augusta National’s 13th hole with her grandfather’s name engraved on it. Ashes was a gift to the 57 players who competed in 1948 – and to Herndon.

“It was amazing to see it all,” Lang said. “We spread it all over the dining room table. The sad thing is, she doesn’t have the recipe for the egg salad or the pimento cheese. If her grandmother was like my grandmother, she never used a recipe. It changed a little each time.”

Lang learned that in 1947, the Herndons were approached by Masters and Augusta National co-founder Clifford Roberts to make sandwiches for tournament patrons for 25 cents each. The Herndons, who owned a small restaurant and managed food service at the VA hospital in Augusta, made egg, bacon and pimento cheese sandwiches to send on tour. Ola and Hodges’ son Tom (Virginia’s father) and his Phi Delta Theta fraternity brothers at the University of Georgia helped deliver sandwiches to the club via Berckmans Road as each set finished.

The demands of making all those sandwiches eventually overwhelmed the Herndon kitchen. Local caterer Nick Rangos took over the making of the tour’s pimento cheese until 1998, when WifeSaver restaurant franchise owner Ted Godfrey was appointed. The reign of local pimento-producing cheesemakers ended when Masters brought all the concessions home in 2013. The bargain price, however, remains: $1.50.

Among the cool things about pimento cheese is that, as Lang alluded to, the recipe isn’t set in stone. The ingredients remain the same, of course, but familiar methods and/or measurements are often held close to the vest. Between each transition of pimento cheese to Masters, the previous recipes were not shared.

Luckily for us, Lang has no such qualms about publishing the details of her favorite pimento cheese concoctions. Her new book includes more than 65 recipes: 35 for making pimento cheese and another 30 that include pimento cheese as an ingredient. You can enjoy some of Lang’s favorite pimento cheese recipes below—or click the link to purchase her book for yourself.

Pimento Cheese: Southern Spread

In Rebecca Lang’s new book, the acclaimed food writer gives readers a taste of the history and versatility of the famous spread.

Rebecca Lang’s favorite pimento cheese recipes

Pimento Cheese: Augusta National Style

Makes 3 1/4 cups

2 blocks (8 ounces) sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise
6 tablespoons undrained diced pimentos
2 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt

Grate the cheddar using the large holes of a box grater. Combine the cheddar, mayonnaise, pimentos, cream cheese, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 1 minute.

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Pineapple Pimento Cheese

Makes 2 1/2 cups

1 (8 ounce) block very sharp cheddar cheese
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple in pineapple juice, undrained
1/3 cup roasted red bell pepper strips, drained and roughly chopped
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 spoons of mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus extra for garnish

Red pepper drop

Grate the cheddar using the large holes of a box grater. Place the cheddar, pineapple, bell pepper, cream cheese, mayonnaise, salt, crushed red pepper, and cayenne pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Garnish with crushed red pepper.

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Pickled pimento cheese-okra-packaged

Makes 2 1/2 cups

1 (8 ounce) block medium cheddar cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup diced pimentos, drained
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 small onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 pickled okra pods, drained and thinly sliced ​​(3/4 cup)

Grate the cheddar using the large holes of a box grater. Place the cheddar, mayonnaise, pimentos, Worcestershire, onion, red pepper, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Fold in pickled okra until well distributed. Chill for 2 hours before serving.

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.