April 5, 2022
A Master’s Classic: Pimento Cheese Sandwich
The Masters Pimento Cheese may be the most famous sandwich in the sports world. If you’re not a golf fan or a Southerner, you may not even have heard of Pimento Cheese. In 2016, DeLaurenti Foods co-owner Nate Plutko went to Augusta, Georgia, to experience The Masters, the heart of soul of golf. The legendary event, on par with the Kentucky Derby and the Daytona 500, is renowned for its endless pursuit of perfection. And as Southern Belle hats are to the Derby, Pimento Cheese sandwiches are to The Masters. Nate, new to the strange-to-Northerners sandwich, ate his fill. “The food is incredibly affordable,” Nate says. “Amazing times, eating and drinking all day. They really treat you well there.”
Flash forward a few years to late 2019: Lady Jaye opens near the West Seattle junction. The restaurant, smokehouse, and butcher shop quickly became the kind of place Seattle’s chefs, waiters, and bartenders visit on their days off—including a sizable handful of us at DeLaurenti. Dreamed up by four talented veterans of the Seattle restaurant scene, Lady Jaye serves laid-back spins on classic dishes. The hearty portions and vibrant flavors have made Lady Jaye a destination for food lovers across the city. They source all their meat from Pure Country Farms in Moses Lake and use a 2000 pound smoker nicknamed Cletus to smoke up their farm-to-table food. The Smoked Bologna Sandwich—featured in Forbes magazine—is a mouthwatering example.
But meat-forward food isn’t all they do well—they serve impossibly good cocktails—they also make the best Pimento Cheese you’ve ever (or never) had. Their take on what some call “the pate of the South” is savory, tangy, and delightfully spicy. It’s perfect for scooping with a cracker, spicing up your grilled cheese, or adding some kick to your burger.
For those feeling indulgent, Nate learned a sandwich hack while at Augusta National. “While waiting in line, a veteran Masters’ patron ordered both a Fried Chicken Sandwich and a Pimento Cheese Sandwich,” Nate says. “Then he took the fried chicken and folded it carefully into the Pimento Cheese Sandwich to create an amazing collaboration of two great Southern food groups. I had three or four of those that day. Don’t judge me!”
Grab some Pimento Cheese at the store, or order it online, and enjoy The Masters as one should.
