Today I made crêpes for breakfast like I usually do…
And I tried some smooth peanut butter inside one of them. It doesn’t taste horrible, but after a bit of eating it, I felt like I was in the 3rd circle of hell.
I asked my mother and my grandma for an opinion, and they too agreed.
Am American, but live in Germany. I’ve had this experience with European attempts at peanut butter. I finally figured out what the bitter taste is; it’s raw peanuts. Many brands are skipping the important roasting step and I don’t know why
Well either that was bad peanut butter, but it’s more likely crepes aren’t good with peanut butter. The heat of the crepes might turn the peanut butter into oily glue, or in some cases gross clotted gorp. I used to try to put peanut butter on pancakes and it always turned out terrible (and I love peanut butter)
Peanut butter is much better with something that’s a contrast like toast, crackers, crunchy veg - or blended into something like cookies, desserts, hot cereal, etc.
I love peanut butter, especially the plain 'ol natural stuff, but I’d never put it on crêpes, unless it was peanut butter that had a little bit of sugar in it or something.
If you want the sweeter/candy spread you gotta go with the junk food brands like jif or peter pan. For crepes I’d only use it as glue to stick other things on, like strawberry preserves or some chocolate. Someone had a banana and honey suggestion that sounded good. That said, I cannot justify peanut butter pie. I’m sorry if we’re exporting that.
Edit. Fluffernutter! How could I forget fluffernutter. Hey global community, has that broken containment? If you want some true nonredeemable American crack, make a peanut butter and fluff sandwich. If you use the natural pb it might not put you in a diabetic coma.
I don’t think I’d put peanut butter by itself in a crepe; the reason peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are so popular is that the jelly/jam helps cut the stickiness of the peanut butter.
But then again, I ate sandwiches that only had peanut butter in them for most of elementary school. Wash it down with some milk, and it’s filling and tasty.
I haven’t tried that kind, but maybe you got a bad jar. I absolutely love peanut butter. I usually get Adams no-stir creamy. It amplifies oatmeal, milkshakes etc. I would absolutely put it in a crepe too, with banana and chocolate.
BECAUSE, it’s delicious and filling and good and perfect, or more accurately because most of us ate it a lot as children, and it’s very cheap. Though, i am not sure how good it would be on something delicate like crepes. Peanut butter belongs on toast or english muffins with honey. It belongs between slices of cheap preservative-filled bread. It belongs on spoons and in cookies. American peanut butter (things like jif) is also usually full of a bunch of sugar and nonsense that makes it a very different food from natural peanut butter. One is a much higher quality product than the other, and the texture is not at all the same. I think most people eat the processed kind, but if you want to make nice things like crepes or quality recipes, the natural kind (which is basically a different food) might taste a lot better to you.
I do think, to some people, all peanut butter might taste that way. Some kinds are saltier, but it’s not usually that salty. The natural/fresher stuff is closer to “crushed peanuts and their oils + a little salt” and is a lot less sweet and less smooth, but “better” and more peanutty. If you get in a regular jar you will be closer to “thick stubborn substance of indefinite origin that is great on toast”. But maybe I’m overselling the difference- it all tastes like mashed up peanuts and it all definitely sticks to your mouth. It’s a very distinct vibe. Describing it does sound a bit gross haha
I am an absolute peanut butter apologist, so my instinct is to tell you to eat it with something sweet. See, in the grand poem of life, peanut butter IS the cardboard, the base if you will, the foundation, upon which jams and honeys and chocolates can be allowed to shine. It elevates them BECAUSE it is nothing, because it is mashed protein giving you an EXCUSE to eat the sugars and condiments on top of it and still be full afterward. The nothingness of peanut butter is its GLORY. It’s a humble condiment, it needs a dance partner. It cannot taste like anything alone on CREPES.
I have tea with peanut butter (Skippy/Jif) & jam (black currant) sandwiches most days of the week for breakfast.
Depends on the kind you get. 100% natural tastes very “plain” as it’s just peanuts (the only ingredient). Personally, it’s a bit too plain for my taste. But as others have said, unless you really enjoy peanut butter, you should watch how much you put on delicate types of foods. Get a slice of bread, a thin spread of peanut butter, jam if it’s your sort of thing, and a nice cup of tea. Delightful.
I’m not American, but I find there is a huge difference in taste between the regular peanut butter and the natural one (the one where the oil separate from the rest)
After trying the natural peanut butter the regular version just taste off, it’s like some cardboard feel in the mixer with the peanuts.
Yeah, that sounds like it would be a textural nightmare with how thick and heavy peanut butter is.
It’s very rare to eat peanut butter on its own. It’s most famous for the way it pairs with other flavors. Peanut butter and jelly (strawberry jam is a classic), peanut butter and honey, peanut butter and chocolate, or if you want something super extreme peanut butter and marshmallow fluff.
I would bet you’d like it more if it hadn’t been peanut butter only.
The finest crêpe I ever ate was peanut butter, banana, and honey from a street vendor in Baden-Wurttemberg at 2am. There may have been ethanol on board, but I stand by the claim.
I’m not American so I grew up hearing about peanut butter from their media. I made up this amazing idea of it, which was completely shattered when I finally tasted it.
It’s probably one of those acquired tastes like Australians with Vegemite (which I also tried according to recommendations but I probably just needed to go back in time and be born in Australia).
I still dream of tasting my imaginary peanut butter.
The straightforward natural peanut butters, like Adams, that pretty much only have peanuts in the ingredients list, taste much better than the cheaper ones, for what it’s worth. Also unsalted is way better, imo. Some brands add way to much salt and/or sugar and ruin the taste.
The no-stir ones might also taste different - I’m not sure since I’ve always just avoided those.
But ofc maybe it’s just not your thing. Point is that different peanut butters do taste different.
I don’t know that crepes are the right venue for peanut butter, especially if it’s natural peanut butter, which is gritty and not sweet. While it’s true that store-bought peanut butter in the US has too much added sugar, that really shouldn’t matter. Ground up peanuts are filling, energy-dense and delicious. Why do non-Americans dislike it so much?
As an American, I think that natural peanut butter is delicious in the right context. It goes well on puffed rice cakes, with a little salt if it’s unsalted. It’s good with celery as a snack, and it’s an ingredient in some sauces. It can dry out your mouth, so make sure to drink water too.
The classic American use is peanut butter sandwiches, optionally with jam. IMHO these are pretty mid, but their main advantage is that they’re energy dense and don’t require refrigeration. So they’re good for hiking, at least if you have enough water.
Edited to add: also good in cookies, with chocolate, with bananas, and probably some other things I’m forgetting.
Add comment