Pickles and Peanut Butter Archives

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           This week’s topic is :

    Peanut Butter
 

Let's start with a brief history of peanut butter

Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) originated in South America. From there the legumes were taken to Africa and Asia, and eventually slaves brought the “goober peas” to America. Scientist George Washington Carver developed many ingenious uses for the peanut, but it was not until 1890 that a St. Louis physician began making peanut butter as a “health food” for his patients. By 1900 the bread spread had been introduced commercially. In 1903 Ambrose W. Straub of St. Louis received a patent on a peanut butter machine, and in 1904 peanut butter was available at the St. Louis World's Fair. The public adored the product. Its place as a staple in American pantries was guaranteed.

 For a more detailed history, check out  PeanutButterLovers.com and here's some trivia from the same site.

• Peanuts are not actually nuts at all! They are legumes, like beans, peas and lentils.
• Americans eat 3 pounds of peanut butter per person every year. That's about 700 million pounds, or enough to coat the floor of the Grand Canyon!
• Peanuts may be a favorite food, but we've found many uses for their shells too! You might find peanut shells in kitty litter, wallboard, fireplace logs, paper, animal feed and sometimes as fuel for power plants!
• Two peanut farmers have been elected President of the United States: Thomas Jefferson and Jimmy Carter.
• One acre of peanuts will make 30,000 peanut butter sandwiches.

Here are a few of the more unique recipes I've found using peanut butter

• Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake
• Peanut Butter Fudge Oreo Cookie Pie
• Peanut Butter Soup
• Peanut Butter Tofu Spread
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshake
• Elvis' Grilled Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich
• African Beef Peanut Butter Stew
• Peanut Butter Omelet
• Peanut Butter and Bacon Sandwich
• Peanut Butter Pasta
• Alfred E. Einstein's Peanut Butter Toast
• Peanut Butter Popcorn
• Peanut Butter Pineapple Deluxe
• The Whole Jar of Peanut Butter Cookies

Top 10 New Ways to use Peanut Butter

1. Plug holes in your paneling walls

2. Put it in the bell of your brass instrument to make interesting new sounds

3. Two words: eye shadow

4. It feels great squishing between the toes

5. New Olympic Event: PB Swimming

6. No shaving cream? No problem!

7. Use it as a landing pad for track & field events

8. Use it if you run out of deodorant

9. Fill balloons with it and have a "peanut butter balloon fight" with all your friends

10. Spread it on the dog's back to watch him go crazy

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Seriously, what else can you do with peanut butter?

Skippy® Fanny Pack

Peanut Butter Play Dough

Make Your Own Peanut Butter

Pinecone Birdfeeders

 

Here's what people are saying about peanut butter

Why We Fear Nuclear Power, Not Peanut Butter

"Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love."

--Charlie Brown

 

"To me, peanut butter is the breakfast of champions!" - Greg Louganis, Olympic Diver

 

“My favorite sandwich is peanut butter, baloney, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and mayonnaise on toasted bread with catsup on the side.”
Hubert H. Humphrey (former Senator from Minnesota)

 

People who become hysterical when peanut butter sticks to the roof of their mouth have 'arachibutyrophobia'.

 

Peanut-Butter Sandwich  by Shel Silverstein - a more adult poem

 

Check out the Peanut Butter Diet at Prevention.com

See how Smuckers is trying to control the crustless peanut butter sandwich market

Here's William F. Buckley on Peanut Butter

Here's a game you can play online: Peanut Butter and Jelly Wars

 

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Here are a few of the hundreds of books available at Amazon.com  Peanut Butter

 

 

And, finally,

10 More New Things to do With Peanut Butter

1. Make any note a sticky note

2. Make handprints in it, and give it to Mom on mother's day

3. Fill wine glasses with different levels of peanut butter. Make music

4. Cover up with a layer of it to keep warm on winter nights

5. Dip chicken nuggets in it

6. Keeps contact lenses from falling out

7. Quench your thirst on a hot August day

8. Place a teaspoon of peanut butter on your tongue and see how long it takes to dissolve

9. When the Tweedle Beetles Battle In the Peanut Butter Bottle using Peanut Butter Paddles While the Peanut Butter Bottle Bobbles in a Bowl on a Poodle Eating Noodles with Peanut Butter Batter, and the Tweedle Beetles Blow Bubbles in the Peanut Butter Bottle during Peanut Butter Battles, it's called a Tweedle Beetle Peanut Butter Bubble Bobble Bottle Poodle Noodle Batter Bowl Battle.
   (Apologies to Dr. Seuss.)

10. Smear it on your computer screen so you don't have to read all these stupid uses.

 

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