The Creamy Cheese Worthy Of Being Added To Your BLT

A big part of the BLT's appeal is its simplicity: Bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes all have different textures, but their flavors are all tasty without being especially overpowering (same goes for mayonnaise, that unofficial fourth ingredient). It's hard to mess up a simple BLT sandwich. That said, it's also hard to resist the appeal to experiment, precisely because you can take those straightforward flavors in so many different directions. This can mean swapping out your BLT's mayo for another condiment or Italian dressing, or it can mean spicing up your sandwich (not always literally) with pimento cheese.

Adding anything from a few dollops to half a cup of pimento spread — which is a Southern U.S. concoction of shredded cheddar cheese, small pimento peppers, and even more mayonnaise — can add in a completely new, softer texture while introducing some stronger flavors. Pimento spreads taste sharp (from the cheddar), tangy, and slightly sweet (from the peppers) which slots in perfectly with savory, chewy bacon and sweet tomatoes. There are also spicy variants of pimento spread with added jalapeños and sriracha, if that's more your style, but regular pimento cheese still adds a sharp kick to the sandwich that's worth trying out.

When sandwich aficionados broach the subject of adding cheese to a BLT, pimento isn't the first choice they suggest, but it's not far off: a "grilled cheese" BLT is usually made with cheddar. Pimento cheese is essentially building on basic cheddar by turning it sweeter and creamier. The same way that pimento works as a cheddar substitute for ham sandwiches, which are similarly tame-flavored lunches that demand strong condiments and sharp additions, pimento can serve as a substitute here.

Pimento is affectionately and perhaps a tad ironically referred to as "the caviar of the South." The two spreads share no ingredients (caviar's made from roe, usually sturgeon eggs) but the region holds the spread in high esteem, and it can be included in anything from grits to cheese fries to macaroni and cheese to casseroles. The celebrity chef Bobby Flay adds pimento cheese to burgers because of the melty texture it takes on when grilled, but it works perfectly whether it's hot or not; a BLT tends to be a hot sandwich, although some folks like it room temperature. For true Southern flair, use fried green tomatoes instead of red ones, with pimento cheese on both sides.