It?s Peanut Butter and Jelly Time!

Peanut Butter & Co. along with The National Peanut Board presents The Nutropolitan Museum of Art – a three day art exhibit, from March 4-6, at the Openhouse Gallery showcasing a collection of peanut butter and jelly photography.

I was lucky to be invited to their Kickoff Party the evening before the opening. Attendees included organization representatives, chefs, nutritionists, local peanut farmers, and local supporters and other peanut enthusiasts. I got to preview the PB and J art gallery and also enjoyed a variety of peanut inspired savory and sweet bites by a selection of legumbrious chefs.

Here are some pictures of the savories and sweets from the evening, along with tasty bites from the PB&J Sandwich Bar! Maybe it will inspire you to make a few nutty creations of your own!

The evening showcased foods from Chef Ben Leezal of Buerre d’Arachide et Cie, Chef Suvir Saran of Devi, Chef Jose Hernandez of Stecchino, Chef King Phojanakong of Kuma Inn, and Chef David Suarez of Rosa Mexicano. Tasty bites from the PB&J Sandwich Bar featured Peanut Butter & Co’s flavored peanut butters served on bread by Orwasher’s Bakery. Last but not least, there was a bar at the back of the showroom with drinks and cocktail creations by Three Olives Vodka.

Dish of peanuts (on left)

Chicken Sate (on right), Chef King Phojanakong, Kuma Inn

Penne with Peanut Pesto (on left), Chef Jose Hernandez, Stecchino

Camarones Encacahuatado (on right), Chef David Suarez, Rosa Mexicano

Peanut Slaw (on left), Chef Suvir Saran, Devi

Peanut Potage (on right), Chef Ben Leezal, Buerre d’Arachide et Cie

Crunch Time with toasted marshmallows (on left)

Mighty Maple with smoked bacon (on right)

White Chocolate Wonderful with strawberries and blueberries (on left)

Peanut Butter Magic Bars (on right), Chef Suvir Saran, Devi

The event was a blast! I felt like I was in peanut butter land and I love peanut butter! I’m also a big fan of monkeys and so I was quite excited to see the Peanut Butter & Co. monkey mascot.

I really enjoyed all the savory peanut creations, especially the peanut slaw. It was refreshing, simple, and had just a faint spicy kick. I have always enjoyed constructing various peanut butter sandwiches. I like combining peanut butter with fresh fruit, as an alternative to the typical PB&J sandwich. The Crunch Time with toasted marshmallow really hit the spot too. More pictures from the evening can be found here.

To make my evening even more memorable, I received a nuttiful giftbag filled with peanutty treats.

Inside the bag, there were two jars of Peanut Butter & Co. – Old Fashioned Smooth and Cinnamon Raisin Swirl. Yum! I sense more peanut butter sandwiches in the future! There was a box of Sir Francis Bacon Peanut Brittle along with packages of peanut snacks from Liddabit Sweets, Peri-Peri, Q.bel, and Ricky’s Lucky Nuts.

I’m quite excited about the Protein Plus. I don’t believe I’ve ever used peanut flour in cooking or baking, just raw peanuts or peanut butter/paste. Protein Plus has a 14-page collection of peanut flour recipes on their website available for download. Looks like a good place to start! There was also a stack of recipe cards courtesy of the National Peanut Board, featuring delectable dishes that incorporates the magical ingredient of peanuts! The collection included recipes developed by The Culinary Institute of America as well as chefs and cookbook authors, Roberto Santibanez (Rosa Mexicano) and Suvir Suran (Devi).

Today March 6th is the last day to check out the Nutripolitan Museum of Art. So if you’re in the area and have the time, definitely go check it out. Not to mention, you?ll receive a FREE jar of Peanut Butter & Co. peanut butter (limit one per family, while supplies last) and Peanut Butter & Co. will donate a second jar to the Food Bank NYC in your honor too.