On on the seventh day, the food gods made pimento cheese. Sometimes it is best to leave well enough alone. Doesn’t it seem like everyone is trying to reinvent this classic southern staple?  Chefs and foodies everywhere are trying to improve on perfection with by using the latest in culinary trends and turning it into some new, jazzed up version.

Enough already. Just give me my traditional bowl of sharp, creamy cheese heaven and get out of my kitchen. Straightforward. Simple. Southern.

But if I have to grant anyone grace in this area, it would be Hugh Acheson, the author of The New Turn in the South.  He created his own version that incorporates smoked paprika and grilled red peppers. I shook off my skepticism and tried out his PC recipe this 4th of July and found the smoky addition to be nothing short of amazing. Oh, and while we were flipping through the book, we found a nice little recipe for Southern Pimm’s Cup.  It was the perfect libation on this hot summer day .

Thanks to Hugh, I am no longer a snobbish pimento cheese purist. My family and I thank you, Mr. Acheson.

Photography by Evelyn Laws. Pimento cheese image by Rinne Allen