Peanut butter is a type of food commonly known worldwide as a sandwich spread. It is made from ground, dry-roasted peanuts, brown in color, and has the consistency of paste. Peanut butter is not just a popular sandwich spread. It is also a popular flavor for different foods, like granola bars, cookies, and brownies, among other things. It is also a central component of many iconic foods like the PB&J (peanut butter and jelly sandwich) and the children’s snack ants on a log. In Texas, there’s the popular Peanut Butter Texas Sheet Cake.
Peanut butter Trivia
- Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of getting peanut butter stuck to the roof of your mouth.
- Grand Saline, Texas made peanut butter history. This is where the world’s largest peanut butter and jelly sandwich was made. It weighed 1,342 pounds.
- Peanuts aren’t nuts. They’re legumes.
- To say that peanut butter is big in the United States is an understatement: the US is a major exporter of peanut butter. In 2015, Americans were spending $800 million eating peanut butter.
- Peanut butter has a long history. Food historians believe that peanut butter was already being made as early as the late 19th century. The first known patent for the production of something that appears like peanut butter belongs to a Canadian named Marcellus Gilmore Edson of Montreal, Quebec. The process includes milling roasted peanuts until the peanuts until creamy. The first time it was sold commercially was in 1894 as an enterprise of businessman George Bayle.
Peanut butter Buying Guide
The first thing to consider when buying peanut butter is the type of peanut butter you want to have. It is usually indicated in the label if the peanut butter is smooth and creamy or chunky wherein you can actually taste the coarsely-ground peanut fragments. Another choice you have to make is whether to buy pure peanut butter or go for a jar of peanut butter and jelly. Lastly, you should also consider which between a major commercial brand and an artisanal, home-made small-batch peanut butter you want to buy.
Peanut butter Production & Farming in Texas
Peanut butter is a beloved food in the United States and because of the presence of peanut farms as well as local peanut butter manufacturing companies in Texas, this love affair with this particular type of sandwich spread is expected to grow even more. There is no shortage of peanut butter in Texas, thanks to local and big multinational brands filling the grocery and supermarket shelves. Growing and expanding the peanut butter production in Texas are the artisanal and home-made peanut butter producers that sell mostly in farmers markets and online stores.
Pesticides, Additives, and Chemicals:
Peanut butter is the favorite go-to food of many people worldwide. Unfortunately, the production of peanut butter is characterized by the use of chemicals and other additives some of which are considered unhealthy especially when consumed in large doses.
- Sugar and salt – Many commercially-produced peanut butter brands are guilty of loading up peanut butter with excessively high sugar and salt content.
- Hydrogenated oils – This additive to peanut butter causes artery-clogging saturated and trans fats.
- Potassium sorbate – This additive is used to extend peanut butter’s shelf life.
- Trans fats – This is responsible for the increase in bad cholesterol and increased risk of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.
Packaging:
Peanut butter is commonly sold in a glass jar or plastic container. There are different sizes the customer can choose from. The packaging contains a label that indicates important product information, like expiration date, ingredients, and nutritional information. Peanut butter is also sold in a single-serving sachet available in stores, supermarkets, and groceries.
Enjoying Peanut butter
The most important thing to think about when eating peanut butter is whether you have peanut allergies or not because it could be life-threatening. Peanut allergies should not be taken lightly because it is considered as one of the most dangerous food allergies. But if you do not have peanut allergies or any conditions that make eating peanut butter a problem for you, then you have a lot of different ways to enjoy eating food as versatile as peanut butter.
Peanut butter is very basic food. You can scoop a spoonful and snack on it. Spread it on bread for a quick peanut butter sandwich snack. It is so versatile it can share a slice of bread with another sandwich spread – a jelly, for example.
Storage:
Peanut butter is usually stored at room temperature. If you put it in the refrigerator, it will lose its soft, creamy texture and harden, making it difficult to spread.
Make your own no-bake peanut butter cookies:
It is always a good idea to have home-made cookies for when friends or family visit, or when you suddenly have a craving for something sweet in the middle of the night. Peanut butter is an excellent flavor and this no-bake peanut butter cookie recipe is easy to make and promises to be super enjoyable to eat!
Yield:
This recipe of no-bake peanut butter cookies yields 4 dozen cookies.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of white sugar
- ¾ cup of butter
- ¾ cup of milk
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups of peanut butter
- 4 ½ cups of quick-cooking oats
Method:
- Step 1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, butter, and milk.
- Step 2. Bring to a rapid boil and boil for one full minute.
- Step 3. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and peanut butter.
- Step 4. Mix in the oats, stirring until the mixture begins to cool.
- Step 5. Drop batter by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper.
- Step 6. Let cool until set.
