Thursday, September 18, 2008

Nuts

I've had a major addiction weakness for peanut butter since I was a kid. Breakfast in my household has always meant orange juice, tea, brown toast and peanut butter - except on Sunday mornings when its orange juice, coffee and fried egg sandwich. And my allegiance has always been to Kraft Smooth - until recently it had less sugar than most of the other brands. None of this organic stuff, no Peter Pan or Jif - I find comfort in those two little bears on the green label. That's what should be on toast in the morning.

NutellaHowever finding peanut butter in Italy is a major problem. The breakfast - lunch and dinner - spread of choice is Nutella (a click on the jar will tell you all about it.) Created in 1940s by Pietro Ferrero, it purportedly has a hazelnut base and if their website is to be believed outsells peanut butter throughout the world. Its popularity is such that it's possible to get a Nutella pizza here - I would guess as a dolce course. I decided this week, in the absence of what god intended us to have as a breakfast spread I would give Nutella a try. I had real difficulty making out much of a hazelnut taste and the predominate flavour seemed to be sugar and chocolate. Not quite what I want for breakfast.

So imagine my joy when I found a jar of peanut butter in one of our local supermarkets yesterday.
350 grams of Peanut Butter
350 Grams of Barney's Best Crema di Arachidi, made in Albany, Georgia - that's the state not the country.
350 grams of creamy peanuty goodness.
350 grams of breakfast nirvana for this morning's toast.
350 grams for only E 4.96 - that's only E 0.014 or CAD 0.021 (USD 0.02) per gram. I'll let you figure out what the jar cost in Canadian (or U.S.) dollars.

My peanut butter addiction weakness has become an expensive habit!

18 settembre - San Giuseppe da Copertino

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

When my cousin was married in Rome in 1998, the priest, an American from California who was obviously family, was asked if he wanted anything from the US. He asked for peanut butter. At the dinner after the wedding, everyone pulled out jars of peanut butter to give him. He went home quite happy.

sageweb said...

Well if I ever make it out to Rome I will have peanut butter for you. I am a peanut butter whore. I love it. I lover everything peanut butter.

Anonymous said...

There's nothing like pb melting on hot toast! Add some banana - a perfect breakfast!

DF

evilganome said...

I am a peanut butter fan myself, though we differ. I am a big fan of Teddy! No Jif, no Skippy, no Peter Pan.

And you are right, there is nothing like peanut butter on toast. One of life's great pleasures.

Doralong said...

Don't be silly- send me your new address and I'll send you some dang peanut butter!

Michelle | Bleeding Espresso said...

Another peanut butta luvah here! My mom so kindly supplies me, otherwise I'd be broke trying to keep myself nutty here ;)

I do enjoy Nutella although not necessarily for breakfast....

Sling said...

Hey!...Maybe you should open up 'Will's American Cafe and Peanut Butter Emporium' there in Rome!..could be a money maker.

Lorraine said...

Well, I guess I know what I'm bringing as a host gift next summer...

nikinpos said...

I can pick up Skippy in the local shops here in Campania for 3.95!

more cowbell said...

My kids are Nutella addicts. They love the stuff. Crack in a jar. Me, not so much.