Columns
Talk of the Town: Americans love their peanut butter!
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| PHOTO SUBMITTED From left: Punky Griggs, Ora Keller, Marilyn Lineberry, Jan Howard, Mary Lou Nolting, Barbara Field and Kay Cheney, members of the P.E.O. Chapter DI, presented a skit last month at the group’s Founder’s Day luncheon at Desert Diamond Casino. |
By Regina Ford
Ah, peanut butter. It’s American as apple pie and hamburgers. It’s reported that American kids like it so much, they consume a 125-foot-high stack of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches by the time they graduate high school.
As Florence Fabricant of the New York Times once said, “Peanut butter is the pat/ of childhood.” And funny man Bill Cosby said, “Man can not live by bread alone. He must have peanut butter.”
In 1890, an unknown St. Louis physician supposedly encouraged the owner of a food products company, George A. Bayle Jr., to process and package ground peanut paste as a nutritious protein substitute for people with poor teeth who couldn’t chew meat. The physician apparently had experimented by grinding peanuts in his hand-cranked meat grinder.
Bayle mechanized the process and began selling peanut butter out of barrels for about 6 cents per pound.
It was promoted as a health food at the St. Louis Exposition 14 years later, but the oil separated from the grainy solids. In 1933, a California packer was able to homogenize the peanuts into a stable butter — “Skippy Churned Peanut Butter.”
One of the earliest mentions of the peanut butter sandwich was in an Atlanta cookbook, but it did make for rather dry eating, until it was discovered that a third ingredient made it go down more smoothly.
Although jelly is the most common third ingredient, a whole range of other foodstuffs are used to liven up peanut butter and bread—some of them a little stomach churning, but there is definitely palates out there that want more than jelly.
There is a whole range of foodstuffs that can take jelly’s place.
According to epicurean.com, more than a century ago, “The Southern Housekeeper” listed recipes of “peanut sandwiches,” using “roasted peanuts chopped up into a fine paste and well mixed with mayonnaise or thick cream” and “nut sandwiches,” which were enhanced by the addition of jelly or jam.
In 1968, “Ladies Home Journal” offered brave eaters a recipe for a “Siamese” sandwich, which combined peanut butter with mayonnaise, shrimp, raisins, apple, celery, onion, powdered ginger and lime or lemon rind.
Jeff Smith, otherwise known as The Frugal Gourmet, once admitted to a weakness for peanut butter and potato chips sandwiches and later wrote about his lifelong passion for peanut butter and mayonnaise on toast.
Peanut butter accounts for over half of U.S. peanut production, and Americans eat almost seven pounds of peanuts and peanut butter per capita.
Nowadays, peanut butter connoisseurs can enjoy the delights of peanut butter at places like BIN 36 in Chicago where they can order a “peanut butter, banana and almost 36-potato chips sandwich.”
Those visiting Scottsdale Fashion Square in Scottsdale can go forth to P.B. Loco, a restaurant that features peanut butter in almost every dish, and try their signature “sweet” on a bread selection of your choice, “sandwiches, like “Razzlie Dazzlie,” made up of white chocolate raspberry peanut butter, marshmallow and banana or a “savory” sandwich, like “The Veggie” featuring sun-dried tomato, peanut butter, cucumbers, lettuce and cheese.
It’s no secret that Elvis Presley had a fondness for fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches — white bread, smooth peanut butter and mashed banana fried in butter.
Another peanut butter concoction — the Fluffernutter, is another American invention.
Marshmallow Fluff was invented by a Massachusetts businessman, Archibald Query, in 1917.
The Fluffernutter can’t compete with the PB&J, but it has a loyal following regardless, especially on the East Coast.
Another popular sandwich features peanut butter and crispy bacon, sometimes also drizzled with honey. For a quick sandwich, some folks are known to sprinkle the peanut butter spread with bacon bits.
The late Hubert H. Humphrey (former Senator from Minnesota) admitted that his favorite sandwich was “peanut butter, baloney, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and mayonnaise on toasted bread with catsup on the side.” Yuk!
Peanut Butter trivia:
One acre of peanuts will make 30,000 peanut butter sandwiches.
People who become hysterical when peanut butter sticks to the roof of their mouth have “arachibutyrophobia.”
It takes about 550 peanuts to make a 12 ounce jar of creamy peanut butter.
Creamy peanut butter is preferred on the East Coast, chunky on the West Coast.
The Jif plant in Lexington, Ky., is reportedly the largest peanut butter factory in the world.
Peanut butter’s high protein content draws moisture from your mouth. That’s why it sticks to the roof of your mouth.
More than 140 Green Valley P.E.O. members (Philanthropic Educational Organization) celebrated 139 years of existence at their Founders’ Day luncheon, Jan. 26 ,at the Diamond Center in the Desert Diamond Casino.
P.E.O. was founded in 1869 as a college sorority. Green Valley boasts nine active P.E.O. chapters and four P.E.O. groups.
The light-hearted program was given by Chapter DI and was well received by the audience.
The program featured the seven founders of the P.E.O. Sisterhood.
The seven young founders, ages 14-17 who were students at Iowa Wesleyan College were portrayed in period costume (1880) by Punky Griggs, Ora Keller, Marilyn Lineberry, Jan Howard, Mary Lou Nolting, Barbara Field, and Kay Cheney.
The skit was titled “The Oprah ‘Wintry’ Show” with Dian Welsh portraying Oprah.
The television announcer was played by Jeanne Lindell.
P.E.O International has grown from the original seven founders into an organization with more than 250,000 members in all 50 states and all Canadian provinces.
Green Valley resident Don Mosbarger is the featured artist in a one-person show running now through March 4 in the East Center lobby.
Don paints in acrylics.
“I like to paint large and in a direct manner, outdoors to best capture the nuances of nature’s light and color,” he says. “My objective: a bright, colorful fun statement.”
He approaches each subject in an abstract manner to heighten the design and light/dark elements.
The Ventura, Calif., native, with a BA in fine arts from the University of California, Berkeley, entered the advertising agency business as an art director BBDO, San Francisco in 1956.
After 40 years as art director and account services person in New York City, San Diego, Minneapolis and Manchester, Vt., he retired. His work is represented by Manos Gallery in Tubac.
Don and his wife Linda have been residents of Green Valley since 1996.
rford@gvnews.com
As Florence Fabricant of the New York Times once said, “Peanut butter is the pat/ of childhood.” And funny man Bill Cosby said, “Man can not live by bread alone. He must have peanut butter.”
In 1890, an unknown St. Louis physician supposedly encouraged the owner of a food products company, George A. Bayle Jr., to process and package ground peanut paste as a nutritious protein substitute for people with poor teeth who couldn’t chew meat. The physician apparently had experimented by grinding peanuts in his hand-cranked meat grinder.
Bayle mechanized the process and began selling peanut butter out of barrels for about 6 cents per pound.
It was promoted as a health food at the St. Louis Exposition 14 years later, but the oil separated from the grainy solids. In 1933, a California packer was able to homogenize the peanuts into a stable butter — “Skippy Churned Peanut Butter.”
One of the earliest mentions of the peanut butter sandwich was in an Atlanta cookbook, but it did make for rather dry eating, until it was discovered that a third ingredient made it go down more smoothly.
Although jelly is the most common third ingredient, a whole range of other foodstuffs are used to liven up peanut butter and bread—some of them a little stomach churning, but there is definitely palates out there that want more than jelly.
There is a whole range of foodstuffs that can take jelly’s place.
According to epicurean.com, more than a century ago, “The Southern Housekeeper” listed recipes of “peanut sandwiches,” using “roasted peanuts chopped up into a fine paste and well mixed with mayonnaise or thick cream” and “nut sandwiches,” which were enhanced by the addition of jelly or jam.
In 1968, “Ladies Home Journal” offered brave eaters a recipe for a “Siamese” sandwich, which combined peanut butter with mayonnaise, shrimp, raisins, apple, celery, onion, powdered ginger and lime or lemon rind.
Jeff Smith, otherwise known as The Frugal Gourmet, once admitted to a weakness for peanut butter and potato chips sandwiches and later wrote about his lifelong passion for peanut butter and mayonnaise on toast.
Peanut butter accounts for over half of U.S. peanut production, and Americans eat almost seven pounds of peanuts and peanut butter per capita.
Nowadays, peanut butter connoisseurs can enjoy the delights of peanut butter at places like BIN 36 in Chicago where they can order a “peanut butter, banana and almost 36-potato chips sandwich.”
Those visiting Scottsdale Fashion Square in Scottsdale can go forth to P.B. Loco, a restaurant that features peanut butter in almost every dish, and try their signature “sweet” on a bread selection of your choice, “sandwiches, like “Razzlie Dazzlie,” made up of white chocolate raspberry peanut butter, marshmallow and banana or a “savory” sandwich, like “The Veggie” featuring sun-dried tomato, peanut butter, cucumbers, lettuce and cheese.
It’s no secret that Elvis Presley had a fondness for fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches — white bread, smooth peanut butter and mashed banana fried in butter.
Another peanut butter concoction — the Fluffernutter, is another American invention.
Marshmallow Fluff was invented by a Massachusetts businessman, Archibald Query, in 1917.
The Fluffernutter can’t compete with the PB&J, but it has a loyal following regardless, especially on the East Coast.
Another popular sandwich features peanut butter and crispy bacon, sometimes also drizzled with honey. For a quick sandwich, some folks are known to sprinkle the peanut butter spread with bacon bits.
The late Hubert H. Humphrey (former Senator from Minnesota) admitted that his favorite sandwich was “peanut butter, baloney, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and mayonnaise on toasted bread with catsup on the side.” Yuk!
Peanut Butter trivia:
More than 140 Green Valley P.E.O. members (Philanthropic Educational Organization) celebrated 139 years of existence at their Founders’ Day luncheon, Jan. 26 ,at the Diamond Center in the Desert Diamond Casino.
P.E.O. was founded in 1869 as a college sorority. Green Valley boasts nine active P.E.O. chapters and four P.E.O. groups.
The light-hearted program was given by Chapter DI and was well received by the audience.
The program featured the seven founders of the P.E.O. Sisterhood.
The seven young founders, ages 14-17 who were students at Iowa Wesleyan College were portrayed in period costume (1880) by Punky Griggs, Ora Keller, Marilyn Lineberry, Jan Howard, Mary Lou Nolting, Barbara Field, and Kay Cheney.
The skit was titled “The Oprah ‘Wintry’ Show” with Dian Welsh portraying Oprah.
The television announcer was played by Jeanne Lindell.
P.E.O International has grown from the original seven founders into an organization with more than 250,000 members in all 50 states and all Canadian provinces.
Green Valley resident Don Mosbarger is the featured artist in a one-person show running now through March 4 in the East Center lobby.
Don paints in acrylics.
“I like to paint large and in a direct manner, outdoors to best capture the nuances of nature’s light and color,” he says. “My objective: a bright, colorful fun statement.”
He approaches each subject in an abstract manner to heighten the design and light/dark elements.
The Ventura, Calif., native, with a BA in fine arts from the University of California, Berkeley, entered the advertising agency business as an art director BBDO, San Francisco in 1956.
After 40 years as art director and account services person in New York City, San Diego, Minneapolis and Manchester, Vt., he retired. His work is represented by Manos Gallery in Tubac.
Don and his wife Linda have been residents of Green Valley since 1996.
rford@gvnews.com
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