Monday, November 23, 2009

The Peanut Butter and Jelly Dilemma


After literally years of talking about the Sandwich times, I was with a group of friends eating Sandwiches in Philly. Finally I was convinced that the best way to get my "publication" started was by creating this blog. If anyone who ever reads this has a good story about a sandwich or has eaten a good sandwich they would like to talk about, feel free to send it to me and I will find a way to post it. Also, if anyone has any pictures of sandwiches - they will be both welcomed and needed. Hopefully this will eventually turn into an open conversation about sandwiches, but for now we will be focused on reviewing good sandwiches and talking about sandwich issues. For my first article I would like to examine the classic Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich...

There has been a dilemma brewing over the Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich since someone first thought to combine these complimentary ingredients. When the sandwich is in hand and on the way to your mouth - what goes on top, the Peanut Butter or the Jelly?! Over the past few years I have interviewed many a sandwich eater with this pressing question and found that - by far - the majority believe that the Jelly belongs on top (see picture above...). Although I am part of the extreme minority, I happen to be one of the few that enjoys when the Peanut Butter is on top and find myself naturally gravitating towards that eating style. It is important to acknowledge that it does not matter what is on top while the sandwich is on the plate because, realistically, the plate is not concerned.

Relatively obvious sandwich tip: When loading up the bread with peanut butter and jelly, use the peanut butter first - that way you can wipe off the excess peanut butter on the other slice of bread and have a clean knife for the jelly!

8 comments:

  1. While I strongly disagree with your opinion of P.B. on top, I am a firm supporter of this tremendous blog! Here's looking to more good insight!

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  2. I'm a former fan of jelly in the middle of double-sided peanut butter, but am now on the jelly-on-top side.

    Great work.

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  3. I know it's not very "green", but I think a separate knife should be used when applying that jelly onto the bread. I don't like getting PB bits in the jelly jar.

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  4. woo-hoo! Congrats on the first publication! this is a huge victory for sandwiches everywhere.... Inevitably, I eat pbj's with the peanut butter on top, not so much as a texture or taste preference but as a physical necessity of the sandwich's construction: after spreading the ingredients (1 knife), I find that peanut butter's viscosity makes it ideal for the air-born flight required to meet with jelly, and NOT the other way around (keeping a clean workspace is paramount). This means that peanut butter ends up on top while plated, and since I prefer to use the "thumbs under" retrieval technique, the same holds true on the way to my mouth.

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  5. Congrats on making your 1st post happen! Being a beginner to the PB&J sandwich (I was thought to be allergic to peanut butter at an early age), I would appreciate a little more discussion regarding your preference of ingredients. Is grape jelly the standard and preferrable type? Is strawberry outlawed? What about creamy or chunky peanut butter? It would seem the choices are endless! What is a beginner PB&J eater to do?

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  6. I would prefer a peanut butter flavored jelly

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  7. Home made raspberry jelly is really needed for higher order gustatation. Vintage 2007 was recently used up and now we are awaiting the aging of the 2009 vintage (picked in July of 2009, cooked and bottled in August of 2009.) The cool, damp spring was ideal for the maturation of the berry and the proper heliotropic properties of our plants at the New York area latitudes provided an exeptional growing environment for an outstanding crop.

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  8. While sharing the joys of the Sandwich times with my roommates just now, we have decided that the PB&J is kind of like sex. It is good no matter who is on top! Sometimes you may even start one way, and then flip it over for a different yet equally enjoyable tasty experience.
    That being said, I like the PB&J sandwich sandwich! PB on both sides, jelly in the middle! Not sure I need to connect that back to the above comment, you get the idea.

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