Fun Facts About Peanut Butter

January 24th, National Peanut Butter Day!

Peanut Butter, aka PButter as NY Vinny lovingly refers to it has its own National Holiday. (who knew) National Peanut Butter Day sounds a whole lot better than National Legume Day. When NY Vinny & Lady Norma learned that January 24th was National Peanut Butter Day, they demanded I write a blog honoring their beloved “Peanut Butter”! As humans, we have all kinds of things we have decided merit observance on various levels. National Peanut Butter Day, however, is one our furry friends can totally get behind.

Peanut Butter, Not A Nut, Who Knew?

Don’t tell NY Vinny, but his uberly fantastical, beloved treat is not a nut at all. It is actually a legume. While an expert on guilt trips over most “people” food, Vinny does not do vegetables nor legumes. However, all I have to do is get out the jar of PButter and his personal spoon and he will automatically go through his list of tricks just to hedge his bets. I’ve lost track of the number of fosters and honorary siblings he has taught to LOVE Peanut Butter.

Peanut Butter – Packed With 5 Heavy-Hitting Nutrients

This oh so delicious source of protein-packed with magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, niacin, and B-6, staple got its start as more of a paste with the Aztec and Inca Indians about 1000BC than the creamy sometimes chunky concoction we have today. In the 1800s it was looked on as more of a staple for livestock than humans.

Peanut butter didn’t become widely used until the 20th century. The mighty peanut first had to be considered more than animal feed, which it was until the late 1800s. At the turn of the century, inventions that made planting, cultivating, and harvesting the legume (the peanut isn’t a nut at all) made it possible to see the peanut as a retail and wholesale food item.

Enter 4 Innovative, Enterprising Gentleman!

First on the scene was Marcus Gilmore Edson of Canada in 1884. Mr. Edson developed a process to create peanut butter paste by milling roasted peanuts between two heated plates. Next up we have the famous cereal maker and noted health food specialist, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg. Yes, Kellogg was a major entity in the 1800s. In 1895, they patented an apparently not so tasty peanut butter using steamed instead of roasted peanuts prior to the grinding process.

In 1890, around the time Dr. Kellogg was getting his patent to process raw peanuts, an unknown physician suggested to George A. Bayle Jr. (an owner of a different food products company), that he create a ground peanut paste as a nutritious protein substitute for people with poor teeth. After some experimentation, he ground roasted peanuts in his hand-cranked meat grinder. Mr. Bayle began selling peanut butter out of barrels for 6¢ per pound. (https://atthefair.homestead.com/Misc/FoodFactFalalcies.html)

C. H. Summer brings Peanut Butter to the Masses

The Universal Exposition held in St. Louis i904 is touted as being responsible for the introduction/popularization of several of today’s fun foods. Among them, you guessed it, peanut butter. C.H. Summer introduced peanut butter to 20,000,000 fairgoers at his concession stand making $705.11

Joseph Rosefield Hero to Dogs Everywhere

But the hero who brought scrumptious “Peanut Butter” to Hounds and Houndettes big and small, all around the world was Joseph Rosefield. In 1922, through homogenization, Rosefield was able to keep peanut oil from separating from the peanut solids. He later sold the patent to a company that began making Peter Pan peanut butter. Rosefield then went into business for himself selling Skippy peanut butter through Rosefield Packing. He also supplied peanut butter for military rations during World War II. Read Things To Love & Learn About Peanut Butter here https://houndpower.net/more-things-to-love-learn-about-peanut-butter/

You can read more about Peanut Butter & check in on Vinny, Norma, and some of their Peanut Butter Loving Friends. Find out what to make sure is NOT in your fur kids Peanut Butter to keep your pets safe and healthy.

Does your dog go nuts for Peanuty Butter? Comment below with your Peanut Butter stories.

Have a sugession for a future blogs? Include suggested topics in your comments, or email them to [email protected]