Being the superstitious type, I have strict rituals I observe when I run away from home to work on my novels. I always burn my favorite red currant aromatherapy candle while writing. I always plot longhand on a yellow legal pad with a fine-tip Sharpie. And I always have the same thing for lunch, which I make at the beginning of the week and then eat every day. Sometimes it’s tuna salad. Sometimes it’s egg salad. Often, it’s this pimento cheese, which I like slathered on thick white bread topped with slices of ripe tomato. I really like to tuck one of these sandwiches wrapped in wax paper in my jacket pocket, as a treat after a beach walk. Be sure to use good-quality Cheddar that you’ve shredded yourself. The preshredded cheese is coated with a stabilizer, which makes for an inferior sandwich spread.
4 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1 (7-oz.) jar diced pimentos, drained
⅔ cup mayonnaise (we tested with Duke’s)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Generous dash of hot sauce
Freshly ground pepper
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a fork. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.