Ode to Peanut Butter - the national delicacy of US

Prior to moving to Texas, I did not think much about peanut butter. I was probably like most of the Finns, wondering what the fuss is about that sticky paste.... until I tried it on Finnish rye bread and also with banana. My world has not been the same since then!

It is sweet but not really. The taste of a well made peanut butter is a perfect match to a Finnish taste buds (we tend to like sweet & salty and have even salmiakki - salty licorice).

If you are an American and think you have tried peanut butter in all variations and wondering about what the fuss is about; peanut butter and the Finnish rye bread (and possibly asking what that bread even is) :) I can only tell you that until you eat it on either Finnish rye bread (full rye) or Finnish Archipelago bread, you have not gone to the peanut butter 7th heaven. Same goes to all Finns, dare yourselves...try peanut butter on a a toasted Reissumies or Archipelago bread...Yauuuuza!

The only problem is that after that you will want to make sure to have proper peanut butter and proper (read: Finnish) rye bread in the house at all times. If for nothing else, than for the occasions you want to rock your taste buds and make them jump out of joy.

Since this experience, I cannot stop wondering why in Finland peanut butter has never become hit product? Through the appearance of some US import goods in some of the bigger grocery stores, some decent peanut butter has found its way to Finland. Or should have...I cannot say for sure, as I was totally oblivious to the product prior moving to Houston. On the other hand there are a good number of people in Finland with nut allergy. But still the rest of the country would go nuts, if they would get the chance to experience what I did...the peanut butter 7th heaven.


Americans have even national Peanut Butter day on the 24th January. Tells how much this nation adores peanut butter! Would you believe that making peanut butter dates back to aztec times? That is where the initial form of peanut butter found its form. In the more "modern" age, 1895, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg patented the production process from raw peanuts to peanut butter to help teethless patients to have alternative protein rich source of nutrition. In between the peanut butter making machine was invented, then came chemist Joseph Rosefield, who in 1922 invented a process for making smooth peanut butter that kept the oil from separating by using partially hydrogenated oil. In 1928 he licensed his invention to the company that created Peter Pan peanut butter. 

My husband wanted to bring a truly American souvenir to my newphews 2 years ago. It was a jar of Peter Pan peanut butter, the crunchy one. For a while the jar sat in the cupboard pretty much untouched...until I introduced the same thing for them, what I had experienced: peanut butter and rye bread. The next 2 days my older nephew was making my husband and sister-in-law breakfast in bed, with toasted rye bread with peanut butter. My heart was jumping out of joy for the sweet thing he did.

Since then my younger nephew announced to me, when I asked about their birthday present wishes:"I would like to have a BIG jar of Peter Pan. We ate the other one empty already some time ago." Once the present box arrived in Finland, I got a photo in return...showing my younger nephew's happy face, smeared with peanut butter with a bread slice covered under few centimeters of peanut butter. Accompanied with the comment from my brother quoting my younger nephew: "Peter Pan is really good...munch munch...aunt Inna is pretty nice...munch munch.." :) Oh happy days!

After I got into the whole peanut butter and rye bread, I started reading up on peanut butter. Against all the stereotypes I had formed about it, it is actually good source of many necessary nutritions. Taken of course that you buy one that is not on the high end with the sugar amounts.

My American father-in-law eats peanut butter on banana taking double health effect. Eating it with rye bread comes also with the double health effect, protein, iron and fiber combined.

The crunchy peanut butter, which is my favorite has good amount of fiber and is good source of unsaturated fat. Peanut butter also provides protein, vitamins B₃ and E, magnesium, folate, dietary fiber, resveratrol, arginine,and high levels of the antioxidant p-coumaric acid.

Those of you, who are nutrition freaks...I admit to be one, you would recognize also arginine. An amino acid, which has been marketed lately in many health products. Depending on the person's nutritional habits arginine may help to boost up the immune system.

It has other good usage too...the day will one day come that I can share the tip with my brother: Peanut butter helps to remove chewing gum from hair. I spy that there will be an event when one of my nephews masters to get it into his hair :)

Fun fact....peanut is not considered as a nut but legumes grown under ground...learning something new every day :)

I do have to admit that even though I miss Kinder Surprise egg during the Easter, the Reese's peanut butter egg, which the "bunny" brought to me in the basket...they are awesome yammi! Again for the simple fact that peanut butter balances the sweetness effect of the chocolate. I bet those cannot be counted healthy but they are healthier than munching big chocolate egg. The other good things about those candies is that you cannot eat too many in one go, due to the sticky nature of the texture. So, a win win deal for anyone, who wants to find a replacement for chocolate hunger :)

So, now I just need to figure out how to get rest of Finland liberated and get people to try the peanut butter 7th heaven: Finnish rye bread and crunchy peanut butter :) Let Peter Pan take over Finland ;)

For those interested: more about history of peanut butter and one of many taste comparison reports.