January 24: National Peanut Butter Day
Peanut butter often gets pigeon holed, right? Peanut butter and ___. Jelly, right? Maybe chocolate? What about apples? Personally, I think it’s the most successful marriage.
Tomorrow: National Candy Month
November 20: National Peanut Butter Fudge Day
What does something need to be in order to be called “fudge”. I always thought that “fudge” was something special. Something you got at penny candy stores in quaint tiny towns in northern Wisconsin. Something that involved candy thermometers and “soft ball stages”. Apparently all of this goes out the window when it comes to “peanut butter fudge.”
According to the internet, peanut butter fudge is peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Microwaved? Whhhhaaaat? What is this black magic?
I added chocolate to mine because duh. It’s good… But I’m not the hugest peanut butter fan. I mean, I am, but not as dessert. I like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I like apples and peanut butter. I’ll eat a Reese’s if someone gives me one, but if I’m in the candy aisle and I want something, it’s not going to be anything with peanut butter in it. So, this stuff is good, but I’m not going to eat a massive amount of it (read: the entire pan) . It’s currently hiding in the freezer. I’ll likely bring it into work and make everyone else eat the black magic.
Tomorrow: Nouveau Beaujolais Day
October 8: National Fluffernutter Day!
Happy Fluffernutter Day! Today could also be called National Liberty Sandwich Day (but it’s not). Why the Liberty Sandwich? Because it was invented in Massachusetts, that’s why! In fact, marshmallow creme was invented in 1913 and the first fluffernutter sandwich was invented during World War I. The original recipe (dubbed “the Liberty Sandwich”) involved peanut butter, marshmallow fluff and oat or barley bread.
Does anyone else find this insane? I assumed it was something invented in the 1960s. Like, the goofy dad with the giant video camera shooting home movies of his family, his wife dressed in a muumuu, serving up fluffernutter sandwiches, ambrosia salad… and martinis. I don’t know. The point is that I think of them as very 60s.
The term “fluffernutter” was actually coined in 1960 to drum up interest in peanut butter and marshmallow creme sandwiches, so I suppose I’m not too far off.
This was my first fluffernutter. Is that strange? I’m not a huge fan of marshmallows, and it appears (based upon my minimal reading) to be a regional thing.
I decided to go the “traditional” route and use white bread (though the first recipe used oat bread, apparently the TRADITIONAL fluffernutter uses white bread). I couldn’t find “Fluff” and had to go with “Jet Puffed” marshmallow creme. I was shocked at how light the jar was. It’s like, a plastic jar of air. Also, LAURA SCUDDER’S is what Smucker’s Peanut Butter is called here in California. Weird.
I was pleasantly surprised that the sandwich was actually pretty good. I assumed it would be grossly sweet, but it was actually pretty balanced. I guess a totally gross sandwich wouldn’t make it to see it’s 100th birthday. Will the fluffernutter make it into the regular lunch rotation? Definitely not. Would I eat one again? Sure.
Tomorrow: National Moldy Cheese Day AND National Submarine-Hoagie-Hero-Grinder Day.
flickr
