Peanut-butter

When I was in elementary school, my family was often eligible for the subsidized lunch program.

But all the other days of the year, my lunch was a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich. Grape jelly, of course. If there was a sale at the grocery store, Mom sometimes bought strawberry or peach jam. The taste wasn't very different, though.

So I tend to think of jelly and jam in terms of color – purple, red, or orange/yellow – instead of the actual fruit.

we ran out of birdseed so we put peanut-butter in the feeder and went inside to see what would happen. first the sparrows came and hopped forlornly about looking for seeds. then a bluejay swooped down, scattering the sparrows. it scooped up beaksfull of peanut butter, stopping after each each bite to strop its beak clean on the side of the feeder. finally a tufted titmouse arrived. it too liked the peanut butter. it was a much smaller bird than the jay, but it ate at least as much, and even after we got another sack of seed we kept putting out a dollop of peanut butter for »the peanut-butter bird,« as my son called it.

When I was a child I was known to chant peanut-butter in russian at random people who inevitably thought it was really cool.

Peanut butter creates a dilemma for some people: crunchy, or smooth? Whichever one you choose, it's sure to stick to the roof of your mouth.

During college days I worked in a natural foods store. We had a machine that ground the peanuts unto warm creamy peanut-butter. I use it in place of other fats in gravy and in sauces. I love peanut butter and I love chocolate, but I don't like them mixed. Like in the »cup«.

The all consuming question with peanut-butter is undoubtedly: crunchy or smooth?

chunky peanut butter is superior to all the other types

Secretly, everyone wants to dip a big hunk o' chocolate into a vat of peanut butter and chew like there's no tomorrow.

There is no opposite to peanut-butter. Peanut-butter simply IS. And how delicious it is! Try it on bread with chilli sauce and maybe even some sultanas. Mmmm.

Peanut-butter is so versatile. Lovely in combination with sweet or savoury food.

Just don't give it to my son, who is destined never to sample the delights of peanut butter, except perhaps as the last thing he will ever do. Allergies are terrible things.