The Strange Mystery Behind The Masters $1.50 Pimento Cheese

Here it is: Your 2019 Masters Concessions menu and prices (📷 by @stadiyums) pic.twitter.com/Z0jxABDyHb— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 8, 2019

As The Masters approaches, the smell of azaleas and fresh cut grass hit the air. Some dream of a Tiger comeback. Others miss Arnie’s Army. Spring has officially sprung in Augusta that second weekend in April. And if there is anything for sure those 4 days it’s you will only pay $1.50 for a Coke. Ham and Cheese on Rye: $2.50. $3 domestic beers. And the piece de resistance: $1.50 pimento cheese sandwiches.

The Masters’ pimento cheese is as American as apple pie. It’s a tradition. And we found the recipe through some research that what you get today, is actually the third different pimento cheese recipe served at the Masters.

For 40 years an Aiken, SC caterer named Nick Rangos served what many consider the best of the 3. But, in 1998 The powers that be decided to cancel his contract and go with Augusta local restaurant Wife Saver. Rangos was obviously upset. So, he refused to give the folks at ANGC the recipe and took the secret ingredient he used to his grave. Or, so he thought.

Wife Saver’s owner Ted Godfrey couldn’t replicate the recipe. But, as luck would have it, an employee of the course had frozen some from the year before. And Godfrey found Rango’s supplier and got him to confess to the ingredients.

Funny thing is, Godfrey kept the recipe to himself also. And in 2013 ANGC changed vendors again. And again, Godfrey refused to give up the secret ingredient. Seems according to most, that the new vendor finally figured it out. But, it seems that again, the secret ingredient is unknown.

So, you will find many variations of the “original” recipe, we scoured for consistencies and here is the recipe we came up with. The true pimento cheese should be consistent. Not a glob of wet cheese mess. This is the key to it all.

3 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded yellow sharp cheddar cheese
4 oz crumbled blue cheese
1 (4-oz) jar sliced pimentos, drained
1 cup light mayo
2 tbs Dijon mustard

1 loaf of white bread

Throw cheeses, dijon, and mayo into bowl and gently mix. DO NOT use blender.. let your cheese keep it’s form. Refrigerate covered for 6-8 hours. Then add your pimentos and mix in. Now enjoy!