The first popular account of one of America's most beloved foods (consumed by more than seventy-five percent of the population), Creamy and Crunchy is a comprehensive and entertaining history of peanut butter's development and integration into the American diet. Richly illustrated and filled with anecdotes and facts culled from unusual and engaging sources, the book is a mix of interviews, research, travels in the peanut-growing regions of the South, personal histories and recipes, focusing on the manufacture of the food from the 1890s to the present, while also covering its cultural, nutritional, and even molecular evolution. Jon Krampner begins with peanut butter's creation and the scramble to capitalize on its early success. He provides in-depth looks at Peter Pan, Skippy, and Jif, and why Peter Pan, one of the first big corporations to manufacture and market the food, is now a distant third behind market leaders Skippy and Jif.
He examines the plight of black peanut farmers; the creation of the "Choosy Moms Choose Jif" campaign; the role of peanut butter in fighting Third-World hunger; and the salmonella outbreaks of 2007 and 2009 that threatened to derail peanut butter's sacred place in the American cupboard. Krampner investigates the resurgence of natural, or old-fashioned, peanut butter; the five ways today's product is different from the original; why Americans love peanut butter so much more than people from most other nations; and the future trajectory of the industry. He also provides tips on peanut butter etiquette (if eating it straight from the jar, use a teaspoon -- unless your girlfriend has just brutally dumped you, in which case a tablespoon is considered acceptable) and concludes with a "best of" list featuring top, taste-tested peanut butters and a timeline of key figures and events. A dedicated web site maintained by the author, www.creamyandcrunchy.com, contains additional images and information.
Industry Reviews
Jon Krampner's Creamy and Crunchy is a delightful book about America's most popular nut butter and sandwich spread. It is action-packed, peopled with medical professionals and corporate giants, captains of industry and hard-hitting advertisers, vegetarians and health-food advocates, and farmers and peanut-butter lovers. It is a well-written, fast-paced, surprising tale about the delicious food we thought we knew. One nibble, and you can't stop reading! -- Andrew F. Smith, editor in chief, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America As a peanut-butter aficionado, I found this an excellent, convincing book written in a casual, journalistic, almost folksy style that cleverly disguises the real research done for it. -- Noel Riley Fitch, author of Appetite for Life: The Biography of Julia Child Creamy and Crunchy is a witty, encyclopedic history of one of America's most iconic processed foods. It is chock-full of fun facts and surprising insights into the way we eat today. -- Aaron Bobrow-Strain, author of White Bread: A Social History of the Store-Bought Loaf Enjoyable and informative. -- Jon Michaud New Yorker well written and at times very witty... -- Justin Peters Washington Monthly A great book has been born. Yum.fi A comprehensive and entertaining account of peanut butter and how this popular food assumed its place in American food culture... This informal, folksy discussion will likely appeal to curious consumers and those interested in the history of food. Library Journal Jon Krampner is a wonderful guide to the many paradoxes of this all-American food... -- Bee Wilson Times Literary Supplement A lively and entertaining book. -- Rob Hardy The Columbus Dispatch Creamy and Crunchy is the definitive history of this scrumptious staple, an entertaining and informative read. The Past in Review ...an enjoyable, interesting overview of an important part of American culture...highly recomended. Choice charming and entertaining -- Tim Sullivan Harvard Business Review Krampner's fascinating history of peanut butter is loaded with anecdotes and tidbits, drama and humor. The Sacramento Bee