Anyone who knows me knows that one my most favorite things in the world is peanut butter. It's the one thing I would have to have to survive being stranded on a desert island. In fact, when I spent my junior year abroad in England the one thing I asked my parents to bring when they came to visit was peanut butter- I needed my Jif!
For my birthday this year my in-laws gave me a fantastic present: a 3-month membership to the Peanut Butter of the Month Club. That's right, there's a club! Every month I get 2 jars of peanut butter in the mail- the best mail ever!
Since today is officially (according to whoever decides this type of thing) National Peanut Butter Lovers' Day, I thought I'd review the first two jars of peanut butter I received. The package was waiting on our kitchen counter when we got home from our recent trip to Las Vegas (which I still have to tell y'all about!) and I literally walked in the door with my suitcase, dropped it on the floor, and ripped open the box while Paul snickered at my pathetic peanut butter obsession. I *might* have been more excited about my peanut butter than I was to see our dogs after being away for a week. Hell, I WAS more excited!
The first jar I pulled out of the box was a jar of Nutty's Old Fashioned Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Cup flavor. It's described as "Peanut Butter Blended with Milk Chocolate," which (yay!) is exactly what it tastes like. It's somewhere between creamy and crunchy, with that sort of natural peanut butter gritty-ness to it, with cocoa mixed in. And boy, is it tasty. It's not super chocolate-y but has just enough added to be quite yummy. Nutty's is based in Texas and currently makes about a dozen different types of PB, available online. (Peanut Butterscotch sounds fantastic!) They even have their own Peanut Butter of the Month Club for the true Nutty's fan.
For my birthday this year my in-laws gave me a fantastic present: a 3-month membership to the Peanut Butter of the Month Club. That's right, there's a club! Every month I get 2 jars of peanut butter in the mail- the best mail ever!
Since today is officially (according to whoever decides this type of thing) National Peanut Butter Lovers' Day, I thought I'd review the first two jars of peanut butter I received. The package was waiting on our kitchen counter when we got home from our recent trip to Las Vegas (which I still have to tell y'all about!) and I literally walked in the door with my suitcase, dropped it on the floor, and ripped open the box while Paul snickered at my pathetic peanut butter obsession. I *might* have been more excited about my peanut butter than I was to see our dogs after being away for a week. Hell, I WAS more excited!
The first jar I pulled out of the box was a jar of Nutty's Old Fashioned Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Cup flavor. It's described as "Peanut Butter Blended with Milk Chocolate," which (yay!) is exactly what it tastes like. It's somewhere between creamy and crunchy, with that sort of natural peanut butter gritty-ness to it, with cocoa mixed in. And boy, is it tasty. It's not super chocolate-y but has just enough added to be quite yummy. Nutty's is based in Texas and currently makes about a dozen different types of PB, available online. (Peanut Butterscotch sounds fantastic!) They even have their own Peanut Butter of the Month Club for the true Nutty's fan.
I could probably do without the Bible quote on the packaging, as I'm not totally sure what that has to do with peanut butter (although I guess Peanut Butter IS Heaven-sent!) but for a jar full of scrumptiousness I'm willing to deal. The PBOMC sent along a recipe for marshmallow squares or something made with Nutty's butter but I prefer to just keep it right out on the counter, in easy reach for grabbing an after-dinner spoonful of deliciousness.
The second jar in this month's shipment is Teddie Smooth Old-Fashioned All Natural Peanut Butter. Teddie Smooth is produced just outside of Boston actually which probably explains why I've seen it in a few of the local grocery stores. They make 5 different PBs, including salted and unsalted smooths and super chunkies and an organic smooth (with organic crunchy coming soon).
I'll admit, I was a little disappointed upon pulling out the jar of Teddie Smooth. I grew up on Jif- only Jif, because, as you know, "Choosy Moms Choose Jif," and for many many years (we're talking 30+ years, and I'm not *much* older than that) Jif was the only PB I ate. On occasion as a kid my mom would go on some sort of weird health-store bender and would come home with carob-covered raisins and a jar of the peanut butter that they grind right there at the store, the kind you have to keep in the fridge and stir before using, and that spreads on your bread about as easily as wet cement, and us kids (and my dad) always freaked out. We wanted our Jif (with the exception of my youngest brother who abhors Peanut Butter- I could share several funny stories about my middle brother and I tricking him into taking bites out of things filled with peanut butter- whoowhee were we funny!).
Recently, in a fit of thriftiness, I bought a jar of Skippy (gasp!) and discovered that Jif and Skippy are pretty much interchangeable. And then, as I've gotten even thriftier (cheap- as some might say), I made the switch to store-brand. But still, it was pretty much the same as my beloved Jiff- super creamy, and chock full of sugar and other bad things!
So when I saw the "Old Fashioned" label on the Teddie Smooth, along with the directions to keep it in the fridge and stir before using, I assumed I wouldn't enjoy this jar. I was already flipping through the recipe book in my brain for cookies to make with it in order to use it up.
And then, I tasted a spoonful. And then I took another. And while it's not quite as smooth as my Jif, it's super tasty. Very fresh tasting, very peanut-y, which, I suppose, is the point. And it's easy to spread, much easier than the freshly ground stuff Mom brought home back in the day. My toast survives the spreading fully intact and while I've been keeping it in the fridge, it really doesn't require all that much stirring (although this could be, in part, due to the fact that it's not allowed to sit for very long without someone dipping a spoon or knife in!).
On the days when I'm not spending an hour and a half commuting in the morning I usually have 2 slices of peanut butter toast for breakfast. And I'm usually pretty darn hungry again by noon. I've noticed that since switching to the Teddie Creamy I'm not hungry as soon- the lack of sugar and corn syrup and other additives seems to make the power of the peanut last much longer. And even though I grew up on the junky peanut butter (and hey, I turned out ok!) I do feel better about giving LP the Old Fashioned stuff where the only ingredients on the label are roasted peanuts and salt.
So there you go, Month 1 of the Peanut Butter of the Month Club.
Hope you're all planning to celebrate National Peanut Butter Lovers' Day in a big way today- personally, I like to celebrate it EVERY day but am thrilled to learn that PB has it's very own special day for celebration!
Recently, in a fit of thriftiness, I bought a jar of Skippy (gasp!) and discovered that Jif and Skippy are pretty much interchangeable. And then, as I've gotten even thriftier (cheap- as some might say), I made the switch to store-brand. But still, it was pretty much the same as my beloved Jiff- super creamy, and chock full of sugar and other bad things!
So when I saw the "Old Fashioned" label on the Teddie Smooth, along with the directions to keep it in the fridge and stir before using, I assumed I wouldn't enjoy this jar. I was already flipping through the recipe book in my brain for cookies to make with it in order to use it up.
And then, I tasted a spoonful. And then I took another. And while it's not quite as smooth as my Jif, it's super tasty. Very fresh tasting, very peanut-y, which, I suppose, is the point. And it's easy to spread, much easier than the freshly ground stuff Mom brought home back in the day. My toast survives the spreading fully intact and while I've been keeping it in the fridge, it really doesn't require all that much stirring (although this could be, in part, due to the fact that it's not allowed to sit for very long without someone dipping a spoon or knife in!).
On the days when I'm not spending an hour and a half commuting in the morning I usually have 2 slices of peanut butter toast for breakfast. And I'm usually pretty darn hungry again by noon. I've noticed that since switching to the Teddie Creamy I'm not hungry as soon- the lack of sugar and corn syrup and other additives seems to make the power of the peanut last much longer. And even though I grew up on the junky peanut butter (and hey, I turned out ok!) I do feel better about giving LP the Old Fashioned stuff where the only ingredients on the label are roasted peanuts and salt.
So there you go, Month 1 of the Peanut Butter of the Month Club.
Hope you're all planning to celebrate National Peanut Butter Lovers' Day in a big way today- personally, I like to celebrate it EVERY day but am thrilled to learn that PB has it's very own special day for celebration!
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