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Peanut butter and jolly

The world is already divided into camps of Skippy and Jif, hydrogenated and natural, crunchy and smooth, salted and unsalted. And these days, as more regional peanut butter producers pop up, people might be likely to choose their butters by proximity.

At PBandU, a sit-down peanut butter restaurant in Wayne, PB sliders can feature M&Ms and Nutella. The PB is made in-house. (Courtney Apple Photography)
At PBandU, a sit-down peanut butter restaurant in Wayne, PB sliders can feature M&Ms and Nutella. The PB is made in-house. (Courtney Apple Photography)Read more

The world is already divided into camps of Skippy and Jif, hydrogenated and natural, crunchy and smooth, salted and unsalted. And these days, as more regional peanut butter producers pop up, people might be likely to choose their butters by proximity.

Which is one reason Mercury Amodio decided to produce her own "house" peanut butter last fall when she opened PBandU in Wayne, a sit-down restaurant that serves peanut butter "any way you like it."

"It was very important to us that we make our own in-house," she says. "You can make your own peanut butter sandwiches at home but you can't get it this fresh, off the mill, unless you get it here."

Amodio is a firm believer in the universality of her product. "Peanut butter is something you know you can rely on. I think that's why you always see it in college cafeterias. People crave it because it's just comforting."

The National Peanut Board estimates that 90 percent of American households have at least one jar of peanut butter at home. Peanut butter is economical, protein-packed, and the basis of many easy meals.

And there's no need to mess with a good thing. Since its introduction in the early 20th century, jarred peanut butter has been subjected to the "improvements" of well-meaning people. It's been embellished with stripes of jelly packed into the jar, defatted with peanut flour and tapioca, and made allergy-friendly with egg whites, wheat germ, and flaxseeds. There are chocolate peanut butters, raisin peanut butters, and even, locally, a maple pumpkin peanut butter made by the company Better Butter with pumpkin puree for a lower-calorie spread. Marina Levtov, owner of Better Butter, already has a loyal following for her vegan honey chocolate chip and honey banana peanut butters, made at Greensgrow Farms' community kitchen in Kensington.

For my taste, basic (and fresh) peanut butter is usually best. At Edwards Freeman Nut factory outlet store in Conshohocken, the shelves are stocked with variations like butterscotch and chile-spiked Kickin' Hot, yet the most popular products, according to store manager Mike Shields, have always been traditional chunky and smooth.

Edwards Freeman has a long and distinguished history in the local PB scene. The factory used to manufacture Crazy Richard's peanut butter before its owner moved production to Pennsauken. (Today Crazy Richard's is owned and manufactured by the Ohio-based Krema brand.) At one time Edwards Freeman was fulfilling orders for Reese's peanut butter cups but it couldn't keep up with Hershey's overwhelming demand.

Edwards Freeman, like many peanut butter manufacturers, inspires fierce loyalty among its tongue-smacking fans who visit the store or its website to get their fix. "People buy it by the 5-pound tub. We sell up and down the East Coast and we've shipped many jars to Afghanistan and Iraq," Shields says.

The prized product is ground in-house one to three times a week and made from dry-roasted nuts and oil and has no preservatives or sugar. "You get the best consistency from just oil and nuts," Shields says. For the tourists who visit the shop, Shields will dress in old-fashioned peanut vendor garb and demonstrate his technique.

Devotees of fresh-made nut butters tout their clean taste and winning health profile. (Good fats, low in sugars, high in protein.) Alternative nut butters such as almond and cashew offer even more health benefits in the form of vitamins and minerals than their legume-centric cousins.

But those accustomed to sweetened supermarket peanut butters will find that the natural unprocessed products, with their grainy texture and milder flavor, are not exactly a substitute for Peter Pan; they're a different spread entirely.

In cooking, all types of nut butters have their place. The commercially sweetened, homogenized brands are usually best for baking, folded into buttercream frosting or chewy cookies. Savory, natural butters work well in satays, noodles, and meat dishes, as well as soups and stews. Cashew or almond butter can be the basis for flourless brownies or cookies, their dense texture replacing gluten for a healthy, protein-packed dessert.

And there's nothing wrong with a spoon in the jar or a few celery sticks, either.

Recognizing that her condiment of choice can be a sticky one, Amodio caters to the wide-ranging predilections of peanut butter lovers at PBandU, with mix-and-match toppings for sandwiches, as well as predesigned creations both savory and sweet.

"The idea has actually been in the works since I was a kid," she says. "It was born out of car trips with my family and we would dread eating at rest stops. We would talk about opening up our own peanut butter restaurant. In 2009, my dad came to me and said, I think we should really do this."

The biggest sellers at the restaurant are the peanut butter, sweet bacon, cheddar and pickle sandwich, and the peanut butter, Nutella, marshmallow fluff and M&M sliders.

Amodio says she is slowly dipping her spatula into the realm of cashew and almond butters, but not making any sudden moves. "We get a lot of health-conscious moms who request them. So eventually we hope to widen the repertoire."

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes

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For the Peanut Butter

Frosting:

1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup smooth peanut butter

5 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk

For the cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/2 cup whole milk

3/4 cup strawberry jam or preserves

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1. Make the frosting: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to whip the butter and peanut butter together. Add the confectioners' sugar, salt, and then the milk. Add additional tablespoons of milk or sugar to loosen or tighten the icing, respectively. For best results, use immediately.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with paper baking cups.

3. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

4. In a separate large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add the milk. Slowly add the flour mixture and combine until the batter is uniform. Do not overmix.

5. Fill each cupcake liner halfway with batter. Drop a tablespoon of the jam in the center of each cupcake and then top with more batter so that they are a little more than three-quarters full.

6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back when touched lightly. Let them cool completely before icing with Peanut Butter Frosting.

Per cupcake: 684 calories, 5 grams protein, 99 grams carbohydrates, 67 grams sugar, 31 grams fat, 108 milligrams cholesterol, 429 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.

Cashew Butter Brownies

Makes 16 brownies

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1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups cashew butter

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup honey or agave nectar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

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1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease or line a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with parchment paper.

2. Sift together cocoa, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, combine cashew butter, eggs, honey, and vanilla. Stir in chocolate, then fold in dry ingredients.

3. Pour batter into baking dish and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Per brownie: 308 calories, 10 grams protein, 30 grams carbohydrates, 24 grams sugar, 19 grams fat, 25 milligrams cholesterol, 316 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber.

Peanut Chicken

Makes 4 servings

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5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

3 green onions, white and green parts, chopped

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

One chicken (2 to 4 pounds)

1-inch piece peeled fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves

A handful of fresh cilantro

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1. Heat oven to 450 degrees.

2. In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, half of the green onions, soy sauce, vinegar, and cayenne. Gently loosen the skin of the chicken and spread half of the paste between the skin and the meat. Rub the rest of the paste all over the outside of the chicken. Put the remaining green onions, ginger, garlic, and cilantro into the chicken cavity.

3. Roast the chicken, breast side down, in a roasting pan for about 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees and flip the chicken breast side up. Baste with any juices that have accumulated in the pan. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 160 to 165 degrees and the juices run clear. Let the bird rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Per serving: 548 calories, 67 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams sugar, 27 grams fat, 202 milligrams cholesterol, 872 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.

Asian Noodle Bowl With Spicy Almond Sauce

Makes 6 servings

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1/4 cup sliced almonds

3/4 pound whole-wheat spaghetti

1/2 head broccoli (about 3/4 pound), tops cut into florets, stems peeled and sliced thin

2 cups (about 4 ounces) snow peas, trimmed

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup unsalted almond butter

1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce, such as sriracha

1 scallion, green part only (about 3 tablespoons)

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1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until they are golden, about 3 minutes.

2. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Three minutes before the pasta is ready, add the broccoli to the pasta pot. One minute before it is ready, add the snow peas and red peppers to the pot.

3. While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce. Place the almond butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, chili-garlic sauce, and three tablespoons of boiling water (from the pasta pot) into a large bowl and whisk until smooth.

4. Drain the noodles and vegetables, return them to the pasta pot, add the sauce, and toss to coat. Serve garnished with the toasted almonds and scallion greens.

Per serving: 371 calories, 11 grams protein, 45 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams sugar, 15 grams fat, 39 milligrams cholesterol, 329 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber.