[Photograph: Lee Zalben]

Bostock is a traditional French recipe which transforms day-old brioche into something nutty and wonderful. Sort of how we Americans make french toast, only more French and without the eggs.

If you're an almond lover, you're especially love bostock—this recipe could easily be called "Almonds Three Ways" as the recipes call for almond extract, almond paste, and sliced almonds.

What I love most about bostock is the variety of textures: the crispy edges, the soft, custardy interior, and the crunchy nuts on top.

With all of that variety, it's still a pretty easy and quick recipe to prepare. The most complicated part is probably making the frangipane topping. Sound complicated? Not really. Frangipane is just a fancy French way of saying "almond filling." Recipes vary by recipe and use; they always include almonds and sugar, and sometimes butter and eggs. It is most often made with almond paste. Since most of us don't keep that stocked in our pantries, I created this recipe using almond butter.

This is perfect to prepare for a large brunch, or make a batch for yourself and individually freeze the slices; you can heat the up in a toaster oven whenever you're feeling like a decadent treat. Share some with the Francophile in your life and you're sure to be a star.

About the author: Lee Zalben was a PB&J-loving kid that grew up to be the founder and president of Peanut Butter & Co., which began as a Greenwich Village sandwich shop serving nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and expanded to include the now-famous line of all natural flavored peanut butter. Lee is a graduate of Vassar College and enjoys traveling the world in search of interesting foods made with peanuts, tree nuts, and seeds. When he's not working, eating, flying or writing, he enjoys scuba diving and training elephants.

[Image: Andrea Hernandez]

I love PB&J's. I never get tired of the rich, salty taste of peanut butter, combined with the sweet and sometimes tangy flavor of jam or jelly. And I love Thanksgiving. And perhaps the only thing better than Thanksgiving is Thanksgiving leftovers.

So imagine my delight when I found a yummy new way to experience a PB&J—through leftover baked sweet potatoes combined with some peanut butter and a little leftover cranberry sauce!

I've got to give credit where credit is due, however—I first began thinking of the idea to combine peanut butter with sweet potatoes after hearing about The North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission's recent No More Mallows recipe contest. The winning recipe was a veggie burger made with sweet potatoes and pecans, and I thought that a sweet potato and peanut butter mashup (literally) would be equally delicious.

There's no real recipe required here—heat up some some leftover baked sweet potatoes and top with some peanut butter—which should start to melt from the heat of the potato. Top with some dried cranberry sauce or dried cranberries, and finish with some chopped peanuts if you have any on hand.

Have you ever made a PB&J out of unusual ingredients?

About the author: Lee Zalben was a PB&J-loving kid that grew up to be the founder and president of Peanut Butter & Co. which began as a Greenwich Village sandwich shop serving nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and expanded to include the now-famous line of all natural flavored peanut butter. Lee is a graduate of Vassar College and enjoys traveling the world in search of interesting foods made with peanuts, tree nuts, and seeds. When he's not working, eating, flying, or writing, he enjoys scuba diving and training elephants.

[Photograph: Robyn Lee]

If you're a peanut butter lover, you probably noticed that prices for your favorite spread increased last year. The reason for the increase has to do with supply and demand. The 2011 peanut crop was smaller than average—increased prices for cotton, corn, and soy meant that farmers grew more of those crops and fewer peanuts, and that smaller planting was further hurt by a terrible drought. A shortage of peanuts at the end of 2011 meant that costs went up in 2012 and the retail price of peanuts and peanut butter soon followed.

[Photograph: Courtesy of Peanut Butter & Co.]

Let's fast forward to today. This year's peanut crop is mostly harvested and it is the largest in history—6.47 billion pounds, a 77 percent increase over last year. The peanuts are still being shelled and graded and it will be a little while before we know more about the quality of the crop, but so far things are looking good.

Enthused by the initial crop reports, a number of media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, have reported that consumers can look forward to lower peanut butter prices soon.

Yes, it's true that the price food manufacturer's pay for peanuts will likely decrease over time. But it's important to understand that most major food manufacturers contract for their raw ingredients 12 months or more in advance.

At my company Peanut Butter & Co. for example, we contracted with farmers in February and March of 2012 for half of our projected needs for 2013, and when we did so, we were contracting at a price that was informed by the higher market price at that time. Our hope is that once the crop is fully harvested there will be a surplus, allowing us to purchase additional peanuts at a lower cost than our preliminary contracts and have a lower blended cost. Savvy stock market investors know this technique as "dollar-cost-averaging."

But it will be months before anything is certain, and we will also have to factor in the early contract prices for the 2013 crop, which is anyone's guess at this point. As I write this, we are still without a new Farm Bill, which is of great concern to our country's peanut farmers. Manufacturers like Peanut Butter & Co. are worried that we will repeat the bust-and-boom that just occurred, which could lead to more volatility for consumers in the future.

So enjoy your peanut butter—and if you see it on sale, be sure to pick up an extra jar. Learn about the Farm Bill and please write your representatives in Congress if you have an opinion about it (if you want to read the testimony of some of America's hard working peanut farmers, just enter "peanut" in the site's search box). And please be patient as companies that are committed to exclusively using USA-grown peanuts (like Peanut Butter & Co.) work through the complexities of supply and demand in a global economy and try to provide as much value to consumers as we can.

Did you notice an increase in the price of your favorite brand of peanut butter at the supermarket this past year? Have you been buying more on sale, eating less, or using coupons to deal with higher prices?

About the author: Lee Zalben was a PB&J-loving kid that grew up to be the founder and president of Peanut Butter & Co., which began as a Greenwich Village sandwich shop serving nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and expanded to include the now-famous line of all natural flavored peanut butter. Lee is a graduate of Vassar College and enjoys traveling the world in search of interesting foods made with peanuts, tree nuts, and seeds. When he's not working, eating, flying or writing, he enjoys scuba diving and training elephants.

[Image: Lee Zalben]

Like most folks on the East Coast, I was stuck at home for a few days last week while Hurricane Sandy beat down on the East Coast and ravaged the New York Metro area.

I was very fortunate: no damage or power loss at home. The Peanut Butter & Co. Sandwich Shop is below 34th Street and was closed for a week because of the lack of electricity. Our office, just below Central Park, was closed for the same amount of time because of a fallen crane dangling 90 stories above the street a block away. Small inconveniences, and certainly manageable when compared to what others went through.

Things are starting to get back to normal, even though it's clear that parts of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut will never be quite the same, and residents from those areas have a tough road ahead of them. A great way to support efforts to assist these people is through the American Red Cross and the Food Bank for New York City.

Over the last few days, I have been struck by how many people have remarked to me about how peanut butter came to their rescue during the storm. A shelf stable product that's high in protein and energy and requires no electricity or fancy openers to enjoy, peanut butter is a perfect food to have on hand during an emergency.

Here are some of the quick and simple ideas that were shared with my by email and through tweets, Facebook posts, and more. Some require various forms of power and/or heat, and some don't. All are industrious and delicious:

• Ramen noodles: Add a few tablespoons of peanut butter to the cooking water and spice packet and all of the sudden you've got noodles with peanut sauce.
• Oatmeal: Add some peanut butter and your oatmeal is now protein packed, plus the extra flavor is a bonus if you don't have sugar or other sweeteners on hand.
• Bread: Plain bread is just bread. Heated up on a clothes iron, a grill, or hot pan it becomes toast, but add some peanut butter and it magically becomes something primal and indulgent.
• Banana: If you have power, mash a banana with peanut butter and freeze for a cold and creamy dessert. Or whirl in blender with some water for a desperate smoothie. No power? Eat neat or pair with bread for a satisfying treat with lots of protein and potassium to help keep you going.
• Pretzels: Not everyone's go-to starch for pairing with peanut butter. Sure, it's salt-on-salt action, but it's a lip smacking pairing, no knife required.

Has a jar of PB ever come to the rescue for you during a storm? What are some of your favorite simple ways to enjoy peanut butter?

About the author: Lee Zalben was a PB&J-loving kid that grew up to be the founder and president of Peanut Butter & Co. which began as a Greenwich Village sandwich shop serving nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and expanded to include the now-famous line of all natural flavored peanut butter. Lee is a graduate of Vassar College and enjoys traveling the world in search of interesting foods made with peanuts, tree nuts, and seeds. When he's not working, eating, flying, or writing, he enjoys scuba diving and training elephants.

[Photographs: Andrea Hernandez]

According to the California's Agricultural network, the state of California accounts for a whopping 46% of fruit and nut production in the US. Is California the nuttiest state? Just check out these stats:

Almonds
Almond production is a big source of pride for the Golden State. Nearly 100% of USA-grown almonds are grown in California! In fact, they're the state's third leading agricultural product. And almond production in California isn't just large by American standards. 80% of almonds grown worldwide come from California, with countries like Spain, Turkey, and Australia contributing to global almond production too.

Pistachios
Pistachios have been grown commercially in California for over thirty years. The first pistachio trees planted for commercial use in California, called Pioneer Gold, are just as productive today as they were when they were first harvested in 1976. Pistachio orchards particularly flourish in the warm, Mediterranean-like climate of Central California. The leading brand of pistachios coming out of California is called Wonderful Pistachios—its parent company also owns Fiji water and POM Wonderful pomegranate juice drinks.

Walnuts
Walnuts were first cultivated in California as early as the 1700s; they were called "mission walnuts" because they were planted by Franciscan fathers. The first Californian walnuts grown for commercial purposes were planted in 1867 in southern California, but walnut production spread quickly to the Central Valley, which is still California's prime walnut producing region today. California walnuts account for 99% of U.S.–grown walnuts.

Macadamias
Even though Hawaii is probably the most famous macadamia-growing state, there's a growing interest in commercial macadamia nut production in Southern California. Small macadamia nut production has existed in pockets of the Southern California region for over 50 years. While it will never rival the size of the other crops, it's certainly a nut to watch!

Which California-grown tree nut is your favorite? Ever visit a tree nut plantation in California? Got any nut-tastic recipes?

About the author: Lee Zalben was a PB&J-loving kid that grew up to be the founder and president of Peanut Butter & Co. which began as a Greenwich Village sandwich shop serving nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and expanded to include the now-famous line of all natural flavored peanut butter. Lee is a graduate of Vassar College and enjoys traveling the world in search of interesting foods made with peanuts, tree nuts, and seeds. When he's not working, eating, flying, or writing, he enjoys scuba diving and training elephants.

VIEW SLIDESHOW: 18 Easy Ways to Eat Peanut Butter

[Photographs: Lee Zalben / Nutropolitan]

As much as we love PB&Js, it's time to think outside the sandwich. There are so many interesting and creative ways to enjoy peanut butter. Here are 18 to get us started: PB cinnamon rolls, PB sushi, PB hummus, and plenty more.

Got any unique and delicious uses of your own to suggest? See all of ours in the slideshow!

18 Easy Ways to Eat Peanut Butter

Banana-Dog With Peanut Butter
Peanut Butter Fondue
Peanut Butter Laced Cinnamon Buns
Peanut Butter Apple Pie
Peanut Butter Pizza
Peanut Butter Hummus
Peanut Butter Oats In A Jar (OIAJ)
Peanut Butter Sushi
Peanut Butter Parfaits
Peanut Butter Dipped Bananas
Peanut Butter And Jelly Muffins
Peanut Butter Soups
Peanut Butter Filled Berries
Easiest Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Pie
Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies
On Waffles
By The Spoonful, Duh

About the author: Lee Zalben was a PB&J-loving kid that grew up to be the founder and president of Peanut Butter & Co., which began as a Greenwich Village sandwich shop serving nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and expanded to include the now-famous line of all natural flavored peanut butter. Lee is a graduate of Vassar College and enjoys traveling the world in search of interesting foods made with peanuts, tree nuts, and seeds. When he's not working, eating, flying or writing, he enjoys scuba diving and training elephants.

[Photograph: Andrea Hernandez]

Raisins, peanuts, almonds, and chocolate thrown together in a bag: to many of us, that's just called trail mix.

But in Europe, this combination, with many slight variations in derivation and ingredients, is usually referred to as "Student Food." In Germany, it's studentenfutter ("student feed"), in Denmark, studenterhavre ("student oats") and to the Poles it's diákcsemege ("student delicacy"). All these names convey the same idea, though: dried fruits and nuts are a great food for students and young people.

"Student Food" might seem like a curious name for this popular snack, and there are a number of different thoughts about how it came to be:

• It's brain food: Hikers and campers aren't the only ones looking for nutritious snacks. The combination of protein, fiber, and healthy fats in trail mix (particularly coming from nuts) provides a sustained energy boost, rather than a spike and crash. That makes for smart snacking during marathon study sessions or evenings spent essay-writing.
• It's affordable: Particularly if you buy your nuts and dried fruit in bulk, you can save money and make multiple servings of "student mix," even on the typical college student's shoestring budget.
• It's easy to store: No need to take up space in the mini-fridge for this snack, since it can go weeks without refrigeration and won't spoil.
• It's easy to prepare and eat on the go: For students with hectic class schedules or limited kitchen supplies, stashing a bag of trail mix in a backpack is just about the easiest way to prepare a quick meal to go. And it's by far a more wholesome, nutrient-rich option than other quick foods, like cookies or chips from a vending machine.

What are your favorite nut/dried fruit combinations?

About the author: Lee Zalben was a PB&J-loving kid that grew up to be the founder and president of Peanut Butter & Co. which began as a Greenwich Village sandwich shop serving nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and expanded to include the now-famous line of all natural flavored peanut butter. Lee is a graduate of Vassar College and enjoys traveling the world in search of interesting foods made with peanuts, tree nuts, and seeds. When he's not working, eating, flying, or writing, he enjoys scuba diving and training elephants.

[Photograph: Andrea Hernandez]

It's no secret that peanuts go well with spicy foods—Chinese, Indian, Thai, and other cuisines frequently pair chiles with peanuts. Mexican cooking sometimes uses peanuts in moles and other sauces, and I thought it might be fun to create a new recipe that infuses peanuts into a traditional spicy Mexican dish.

I had intended to make a peanut salsa, but found that the peanuts would get soft after being left in salsa for too long. I modified my recipe to a pico de gallo, which traditionally has similar ingredients to salsa but is prepared with less processing, which makes for a "drier" condiment.

It's interesting to note that in Spanish salsa means "sauce," something we generally expect to be liquidy and free-flowing. Pico de gallo, however, translates to "beak of rooster," which may be because people used to eat the dip with their thumb and forefingers (which looked something like a rooster's pecking beak), or because the chopped-up combination of ingredients bears a slight resemblance to the minced look of bird feed. Whatever the origin of the name, pico de gallo turned out to be a better way to add peanuts to a dippable Mexican condiment.

You can get creative with the recipe, by using add-ins like corn, black beans, or even chopped mango or jicama—just make sure that you drain them as much as possible before adding them to the mix.

Do you enjoy pico de gallo? Got any favorite or unique recipes?

About the author: Lee Zalben was a PB&J-loving kid that grew up to be the founder and president of Peanut Butter & Co. which began as a Greenwich Village sandwich shop serving nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and expanded to include the now-famous line of all natural flavored peanut butter. Lee is a graduate of Vassar College and enjoys traveling the world in search of interesting foods made with peanuts, tree nuts, and seeds. When he's not working, eating, flying, or writing, he enjoys scuba diving and training elephants.

[Photograph: Rachel Garbade]

Hazelnuts are a staple in European confections and baked goods, as well as an ingredient in Fererro's popular Nutella spread. But hazelnuts have another popular name—filberts. How did that happen?

The most widely believed story explaining this second name is steeped in religion. The feast day of St. Philbert, a French saint, falls on August 20th. That also happens to be peak harvest time for hazelnuts, which traditionally mature in late August. So people started applying the saint's name to the nuts that were in season on his feast day. Hazelnuts have even more aliases in the US: some people call them cob nuts, and still others simply call them hazels.

Oregon grows 98% of hazelnuts produced in the US—but only a fraction of the world's supply of hazelnuts are grown here; the vast majority of hazelnuts are grown in Turkey, Spain, and Italy.

In honor of St. Philbert's Day: Do you ever cook or bake with hazelnuts?

About the author: Lee Zalben was a PB&J-loving kid that grew up to be the founder and president of Peanut Butter & Co. which began as a Greenwich Village sandwich shop serving nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and expanded to include the now-famous line of all natural flavored peanut butter. Lee is a graduate of Vassar College and enjoys traveling the world in search of interesting foods made with peanuts, tree nuts, and seeds. When he's not working, eating, flying, or writing, he enjoys scuba diving and training elephants.

VIEW SLIDESHOW: 5 Tasty Ways to Add Peanut Butter to S'mores

[Photography: Andrea Hernandez]

The chocolate-marshmallow-graham cracker trifecta known as the s'more has been riffed upon by great chefs, and used in products from cereal to Pop Tarts. If you're looking to put a new twist on this classic summertime favorite, there are lots of fun ways to do so using peanut butter. Here are 5 that we love!

About the author: Lee Zalben was a PB&J-loving kid that grew up to be the founder and president of Peanut Butter & Co. which began as a Greenwich Village sandwich shop serving nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and expanded to include the now-famous line of all natural flavored peanut butter. Lee is a graduate of Vassar College and enjoys traveling the world in search of interesting foods made with peanuts, tree nuts, and seeds. When he's not working, eating, flying, or writing, he enjoys scuba diving and training elephants.

[Photograph: Andrea Hernandez]

Who doesn't love a good nut-filled chocolate bar? The rich, toasty crunch of nuts paired with smooth, sweet creamy chocolate is, to many candy eaters, a match made in heaven. Now the Colorado-based company Chocolove is embracing the always-delectable marriage of nuts and chocolate with two new flavors: Salted Peanut in Milk Chocolate and Peach & Pecan in Milk Chocolate.

With these new products, Chocolove seems to be giving a nod to the three famous Georgia state P's: pecans, peaches and peanuts. The warm climate and rich soil in Georgia are ideal for growing all three of the P's, which bolster both commerce and industry in the state. Georgia is the number-one producer of pecans and peanuts in the U.S., and while it trails California and South Carolina in peach production, it's still officially nicknamed the Peach State.

These three quintessentially Georgian flavors have something else in common: they all go well with chocolate. And what really makes the two new Chocolove flavors great is that they don't skimp on the nuts. Both the peanut and pecan bars are generously packed with nuts, ensuring every bite is balanced. And the big chunks of nuts add an extra crunchy texture to each bar.

The Peach and Pecan bar has a mild fruity flavor, with some floral notes. It has a little extra chew from the freeze-dried peaches and the pecan pieces. Salted Peanut also has a satisfyingly crunchy texture and evenly distributed nuts, though the saltiness wasn't quite as sharp as other salted chocolate bars I've tried (like from Salazon). That said, these bars really satisfy. Chocolove uses Belgian chocolate to craft their sweets, and the quality really comes through.

While plenty of commercial candies have hit on milk chocolate and peanuts as a dynamite chocolate bar duo (think Mr. Goodbar, Baby Ruth, Goldenberg's Peanut Chews, and Take Five), it's generally a lot harder to find chocolate bars that incorporate the other two Georgia P's. Chocolate lovers may well find that pecan is a refreshing and fun new type of nut to try in a chocolate bar context.

What type of nut do you think goes best with chocolate?

About the author: Lee Zalben was a PB&J-loving kid that grew up to be the founder and president of Peanut Butter & Co. which began as a Greenwich Village sandwich shop serving nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and expanded to include the now-famous line of all natural flavored peanut butter. Lee is a graduate of Vassar College and enjoys traveling the world in search of interesting foods made with peanuts, tree nuts, and seeds. When he's not working, eating, flying, or writing, he enjoys scuba diving and training elephants.

[Photograph: Rachel Garbade]

First take a few swigs of the soda and when there seems to be enough room in the bottle, pour in a package of salted peanuts. Many diehards insist that you've got to do this in a glass bottle, not plastic or a can, for the full effect. And sticklers will tell you definitely no Diet Coke, Coke Zero, or other brand substitutions allowed.

Nobody knows who exactly came up with this inspired idea of putting peanuts in Coke, but the pairing is guessed to go as far back as the 1920s. I've heard stories of busy Southern farmers who didn't have time to break for lunch and would eat this on their tractors while in the field. References to salted peanuts in Coke pop up in historical fiction including The Secret Life of Bees, and other stories about the American south during the 50s and 60s.

This flavor combination is so beloved that you can even find some unique recipes that riff off the combination, like Coca-Cola Cake with Broiled Peanut Icing (recipe here).

But drinking Coca-Cola with salted peanuts isn't only about the genius pairing of sweet and salty flavors; it's about the experience, and knowing that your taking part in a tradition that has gone on for generations.

Have you ever tried peanuts in Coke? Got any fond memories of the combination?

About the author: Lee Zalben was a
PB&J-loving kid that grew up to be the founder and president of Peanut Butter & Co.
which began as a Greenwich Village sandwich shop serving nothing but
peanut butter sandwiches and expanded to include the now-famous line
of all natural flavored peanut butter. Lee is a graduate of Vassar
College and enjoys traveling the world in search of interesting foods
made with peanuts, tree nuts, and seeds. When he's not working,
eating, flying or writing, he enjoys scuba diving and training
elephants.

[Photo: Andrea Hernandez]

I recently shared a novel use for peanut butter, as a replacement for tahini in hummus.
Some commenters said they were relieved that they wouldn't need to keep stale old tahini around in the cupboard anymore. But one tahini-loving reader suggested that the real problem was that everyone needs a few more ideas for how to use tahini.

Most people know tahini, a sesame seed paste with a consistency similar to peanut butter, as an ingredient in hummus and baba ghanoush and... not much else. But tahini is full of potential. It has a delicate roasted sesame flavor without the sweetness that is common to many nut and seed butters. There are plenty of ways to use tahini—so don't let yours go to waste. Here are eight simple ideas for making the most out of the next can of tahini you purchase.

1. Dip raw veggies in it. For a simple snack, reach for tahini instead of ranch dressing next time you're looking for a dip for crudités. Add lemon juice, salt, and a dash of pepper or hot sauce for extra flavor.

2. Spread it on toast. On whole wheat bread, perhaps with a little honey or agave syrup, tahini can be part of a balanced breakfast.

3. Drizzle it on falafel. For a no-stress summer meal, warm up store-bough frozen falafel and stuff it a pita. Thin out your tahini by adding add a few tablespoons of hot water and lemon juice and then drizzle it over the sandwich.

4. Use it to make Tarator sauce. Tarator is a little-known but much-loved multipurpose sauce that's particularly tasty for dipping grilled chicken or steamed vegetables. Add 4 cloves minced garlic to ½ cup tahini, ½ cup lemon juice, and ¼ cup parsley. Pulse in a food processor until combined.

5. Dress your salad with it. Give your balsamic dressing a break and try a tahini-based salad dressing instead. For an easy recipe, combine ½ cup tahini and ½ cup olive oil with 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons of grated ginger in a blender. Drizzle over your greens and enjoy.

6. Make a double sesame burger. Why should the bun get all the sesame love? Tahini is super as a mild condiment on meats. Use it straight or enhance with a little lemon juice and smoked paprika and spread it on your burger. Some feta and cucumbers would complete the Mediterranean theme.

7. Stir it into soup. I recently suggested peanut butter as an alternative to flour and butter based roux for thickening soups. Because tahini and peanut butter have a similar consistency, you can use tahini as an alternative soup thickener, too.

8. Have Main Course Baba Ghanoush. Roast a baby eggplant in the oven, until soft. Combine 2 tablespoons tahini with a clove of crushed garlic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Cut a slit in the eggplant and spread tahini inside for a kind of deconstructed baba ghanoush.

About the author: Lee Zalben was a
PB&J-loving kid that grew up to be the founder and president of Peanut Butter & Co.
which began as a Greenwich Village sandwich shop serving nothing but
peanut butter sandwiches and expanded to include the now-famous line
of all natural flavored peanut butter. Lee is a graduate of Vassar
College and enjoys traveling the world in search of interesting foods
made with peanuts, tree nuts, and seeds. When he's not working,
eating, flying or writing, he enjoys scuba diving and training
elephants.

[Photograph: Rachel Garbade]

The story begins in 1917 when the Goldenberg Candy Company developed Peanut Chews as rations for the U.S. military during World War I. The high protein content and winning taste combination of chocolate, peanuts, and molasses made it an instant hit with American troops. When the candy was first made available to civilians in 1921, its wrapper was a simple chocolate brown with a red stripe and blue star. Because Goldenberg's was based in Philadelphia, residents of the city and the surrounding area developed serious Peanut Chew pride as the product gained popularity across the northeast.

[Photograph: Just Born]

When Just Born (the maker of marshmallow Peeps), bought the Goldenberg Candy Company in 2003, the old Peanut Chews wrapper was scrapped. They dropped the Goldenberg's name from the label, added comic book-like lettering and a new-fangled illustration of the candy. For some longtime Peanut Chews fans, the new design was hard to swallow. Some weren't even sure it was the same product inside. Sales plummeted.

[Photograph: Just Born]

So last November, Just Born went back to the basics. They redesigned the label again, this time with an eye toward the past, to let Peanut Chews devotees know their favorite candy was still the same on the inside. The new packaging looks a lot like the original design, with the original color scheme, and "Since 1917" written inside the iconic blue star. In a new shout-out to the Peanut Chews city of origin, the barcode on the package is in the shape of the Philadelphia skyline. And most perhaps most importantly, the Goldberg's name is back on the wrapper in bold letters. New ads that are popping up all over Philadelphia call attention to the retro look with the slogan "Chewin' It Old School."

The story of this classic candy gives us something to chew on: The wrapper might not make the candy, but it just might be a big part of what we love about it.

Have you ever had a Peanut Chew before? Got any memories of eating them?

About the author: Lee Zalben was a PB&J-loving kid that grew up to be the founder and president of Peanut Butter & Co., which began as a Greenwich Village sandwich shop serving nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and expanded to include the now-famous line of all natural flavored peanut butter. Lee is a graduate of Vassar College and enjoys traveling the world in search of interesting foods made with peanuts, tree nuts, and seeds. When he's not working, eating, flying or writing, he enjoys scuba diving and training elephants.

[Photograph: Andrea Hernandez]

Looking for an ice cold drink to cool you down on hot summer afternoons? Want an alternative to sugary sweet tea or Splenda-laden diet teas? Take a leaf out of Thailand's book and try making cha-yen, or Thai iced tea, to refresh over the upcoming sweaty summer months.

Thai iced tea is a traditional cooling beverage brewed from strong black tea and served over ice. Sometimes it's mixed with spices like star anise, cardamom, and crushed tamarind for extra zing. The key ingredient is condensed milk, which is stirred into the drink to give the tea its signature creamy taste and burst of caramely sweetness.

For a nutty, non-dairy twist on this classic refresher, you can achieve the same creamy consistency and naturally sweeten your Thai iced tea by using light coconut milk.

Do you have any favorite ways to customize Thai iced tea?

Get the Recipe

Coconutty Iced Tea »

About the author: Lee Zalben was a PB&J-loving kid that grew up to be the founder and president of Peanut Butter & Co., which began as a Greenwich Village sandwich shop serving nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and expanded to include the now-famous line of all natural flavored peanut butter. Lee is a graduate of Vassar College and enjoys traveling the world in search of interesting foods made with peanuts, tree nuts, and seeds. When he's not working, eating, flying or writing, he enjoys scuba diving and training elephants.