Remember when everyone went crazy for retro 60s looks and started having ‘Mad Men’-themed parties? Well I was not immune to this particular trend. Enter pimento cheese dip, thanks to some very hipster friendly edition of Bon Appétit magazine. Many iterations later, I give you my (current) version of pimento cheese dip. I love the play of horseradish and sharp, old cheddar, but if you’re not a fan of hot condiment, do leave it out. Feel free to replace the hot sauce with a pinch of cayenne pepper, to give the dip some warmth, but you might have to give it a little extra splash of lemon juice to make up for the acidity the hot sauce’s vinegar would add. Do your tastebuds a favour and make this dip a day in advance – or at least give it an hour before you dig in.

1. Drain red peppers, reserving 2 tablespoons of liquid. If red peppers are whole, finely chop.
2. To food processor, add shallot, cream cheese, mayonnaise, worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, horseradish, and reserved red pepper liquid, purée until smooth. Add all three grated cheeses the pulse to combine. Finally add, peppers, dash of lemon juice, and pinch of salt and pepper, pulse until just combined.
3. Tip into your favourite dip dish and serve with Ritz crackers, gherkins and olives. Best if made a day ahead and can be made up to 5 days in advance.