Peanut Butter

Yesterday, on my day out, I did not go into a bookstore! That had almost become a weekly habit, when I have many, many books already on hand to read. I recently read three books at the same time, and am now into three others. The custom is to read a little in each one at night; then when one gets to the place where I can’t put it down, I finish that one first. Then it doesn’t take long to finish the other two. The one I’m into the most right now is U. S. Senator Lamar Alexander’s Six Months Off. Guess what the Senator ate as a child.

Have you ever tried a sandwich made with peanut butter, mayonnaise, and lettuce? Doesn’t that sound unappetizing? Well, that’s what Senator Alexander ate as a child. And he apparently still likes it, for in his book, he makes such a sandwich when he takes a day off and goes to the family’s cabin, soon after his term as governor of Tennessee expires.

People do funny things with peanut butter. Some mix it with sliced banana on a sandwich; others, with jelly. I like peanut butter with just cold sliced apple, without bread. Currently, my favorite method of eating peanut butter is a bit spread on Triscuit crackers. I suppose peanut butter is about as American as apple pie. I wonder if anyone has tried those two foods together. Why not? It makes as much sense as all the other ways. Of course, cheddar cheese probably got there first. And if you haven’t tried grated cheddar on your apple pie, popped into the microwave for a few seconds, you haven’t had the best apple pie. It’s delicious. Forget the ice cream. No one needs that.

Peanut butter is an excellent food to stock up on, against rainy days in the economy, like now. In case utilities fail or get rerouted (you never know), peanut butter doesn’t have to be cooked, lasts awhile without refrigeration after opening (buy the pint-size jar), and doesn’t need an electric can opener to make it accessible. It’s full of good nutrition and contains the good kind of fat we need.

Guess what I’ve decided to have for lunch. Right!

♥