Meant to be- The story of PB&J

There is not always a rhyme or reason why two ingredients are paired together, but the result can often lead to something truly memorable. There are some combinations created out of necessity whether it’s for texture, flavor or cost, but endured by choice. From our perspective today it would be hard to imagine peanut butter and jelly apart, they have become one for better or worst. The exact origin of peanut butter and jelly is hazy, however as history proves what resulted was meant to be.

I like millions of others had peanut butter and jelly just about every day for lunch in high school. I always used the same bread from a local bread store, Jiff peanut butter and Smucker’s Grape Jelly. Part of the reason I clung to it was simplicity, but I can’t say I ever got sick of it. I don’t eat it as often anymore, but I occasionally still get a craving for a PB&J and with every bite I am sent right back to childhood.

With only three ingredients, every flavor plays a starring role. How these three ingredients were brought together is part ingenuity, but I would like to believe the rest is fate.

Bread- As the foundation of any PB&J, over the years there has become personal standards as to what bread is acceptable. I personally favor whole wheat or white bread that has some substance, but is soft enough to mold together with the peanut butter and jelly. Whatever bread you favor and whether served with crust or without, the sandwich never would have gained so much popularity if it had not been for the creation of sliced bread by Otto Rohwedder in the early 1900s. Gustav Papendick improved the slicer in 1920 setting the stage for an American classic to be born.

Peanut Butter – Peanut butter was created by Dr. John Harvey Kellogg in 1895 and sold as a health food, that was packed with protein. Peanut butter began as an expensive treat, but it quickly became commercialized. By the 1920’s Skippy and Peter Pan created the peanut butter brands we are still familiar with today. Peanut butter sandwiches quickly became a quick and easy meal during the Great Depression, as it was simple to make and inexpensive. Yet, throughout good times and bad peanut butter has remained one of our favorite treats.

Jelly- If you have ever had a straight peanut butter sandwich, you can understand why the addition of jelly would be a welcome partnership. It proved to be the perfect balance of sweetness, without overpowering and manages to keep the peanut butter in check ( a.k.a no peanut butter on the roof of your mouth). Food historians note that jelly was added to the sandwich during WWII . Peanut butter and jelly were both on the military rations list and GI soldiers added the jelly to the sandwich to make it go down smoother and improve taste. The combination was loved so much they continued to make it at home.

Various creations of the classic have been adapted over the years. From the infamous Fluffernutter to Elvis’s addition of the banana, jelly has faced some stiff competition. While I have yet to find a combination that tops jelly, this is the kind of ingenuity that inspires me as a foodie. However, as PB&J proves sometimes simplicity is the best method.