Peanut Butter Sandwich Tower – Photo Credit James Gentile / Via jamesgentilephoto.tumblr.com

Not only is January 24 our January Sandwich Night – but this year it also shares the day with National Peanut Butter Day.  What a perfect marriage of celebrations!  So we thought it perfect to celebrate the peanut butter sandwich for Sandwich America’s January Sandwich Night.

So where did this wonderful creation come from?

According to the National Peanut Board:

There is evidence that ancient South American Inca Indians were the first to grind peanuts to make peanut butter. In the United States, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg (of cereal fame) invented a version of peanut butter in 1895. Then it is believed that a St. Louis physician may have developed a version of peanut butter as a protein substitute for his older patients who had poor teeth [or no teeth] and couldn’t chew meat. Peanut butter was first introduced at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904.

Given how delicious this treat is – it is no wonder that many people created it independently.  Sometimes there is nothing better than a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on white bread with a glass of cold milk.  It is a meal that comforts me and reminds me of home.

Here is some fun peanut trivia from the Huffington Post.

Peanut Trivia:

  • Peanuts are actually not nuts but legumes grown underground.
  • The U.S. is the third largest producer of peanuts (Georgia and Texas are the two major peanut-producing states). China and India are the first and second largest producers, respectively.
  • More than half of the American peanut crop goes into making peanut butter.
  • U.S. presidents Jimmy Carter and Thomas Jefferson were peanut farmers.
  • It takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter.
  • Americans eat around 700 million pounds of peanut butter per year (about 3 pounds per person).
  • An average American child eats 1,500 PB&J sandwiches before graduating from high school.

In honor of the greatness of peanut butter and January Sandwich Night here are some of our favorite unique and fun peanut butter sandwiches from fellow sandwich lovers.  Share your fun peanut butter sandwich creations with us!

Grilled Peanut Butter & Chocolate Sandwich with Strawberry

We all know peanut butter and chocolate is a match made in heaven.  Put that in sandwich with a touch of sweet and some toasty bread and you will think you have died and gone to heaven.  Thanks to Sweet Pennies from Heaven for this inspiration.

grilled chocolate peanut butter strawberry sandwich

Cinnamon Toast PBJ

Why not combine two childhood favorites.  We were truly inspired by Two Peas & Their Pod version of a Peanut Butter Sandwich.  Crunchy, sweet, salty, a little spice from the cinnamon – a classic marries another classic and the result – a new classic.  Photo and Recipe by Two Peas & Their Pod.

Cinnamon Sugar Toast PB&J Recipe

The King’s Favorite Peanut Butter Sandwich

We couldn’t very well talk about epic peanut butter sandwiches without paying proper homage to the King . . .Elvis Presley.  He had his own version of the peanut butter sandwich which has become famous – Peanut Butter, Bacon, Banana Sandwich.  This great tribute comes from Lee Zalban, aka The Peanut Butter Guy at Serious Eats.  Find the recipe here.

20110104-elvis-sandwich-500.jpg

Peanut Butter Burger

The Peanut Butter Burger from Grill Em All Burgers – Its called the Dee Snider Burger and comes with Bacon, Strawberry Jam, Bacon, and Sriracha.   Photo Credit from Downtown Alahambra on Facebook.

Dee Snider Burger

Dee Snider Burger

 

This sounds odd to us but is definitelly added to our burger bucket list and peanut butter sandwich list.  Here is what Burger Junkies had to say about it:  I believe in my heart of hearts that every burger lover should try the Dee Snider once in their lifetime. It’s like a bullet train hopped up on rocket fuel with a tricked out nitros blast to flavortown. If there was ever a burger bucket list, this burger should be on it.  This burger is so hot that other burgers should crowd around and warm there hands by its flavor fire.

PBJ’s Grilled

Yes there is a food truck in Portland Oregon that is dedicated to grilled peanut butter sandwiches.  And not not just your standard PB&J.  The sky is the limit and out of the box thinking rules the day.  Take a look at this beauty.

Spicy Thai from PBJ Grilled

Spicy Thai from PBJ Grilled

Challah bread, crispy coconut shrimp, sriracha curry, basil, orange marmalade, and of course peanut butter.  Wow, what a revelation.  Makes so much sense it makes us think . . .why didn’t we think about that.  Check out their great sandwich creations here.

What are your favorite ways to celebrate peanut butter sandwiches? We want to see your favorites!

Join us on the Great American Sandwich Trail!

Follow us @sandwichamerica on instagram and twitter.

SAinstagram SA-twitter

Share your favorite sandwiches tagged #greatamericansandwichtrail

hoagie-stampbigger

#sandwichamerica
#greatamericansandwichtrail
#letshoagie
#everyonelovesasandwich