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Bowen Island, BC
Canada
610 Posts |
Posted - 06/05/2006 : 10:11 PM
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When my Mom made a peanut butter sandwich, it was good if it was eaten immediately. But if it was packed for lunch at school something happened during the morning. The honey soaked into the bread and some of it crystallized. The result was a gummy sandwich that was nourishing, but failed the texture test.
I believe I have formulated the better peanut butter sandwich -- especially if it is to become trail food.
Peanuts, honey and bread are almost as good as a powerbar for providing energy when hiking uphill. I find it takes my body somewhat longer to process the sandwich than the energy bar.
The following recipe can be made quickly -- in my case it's often in the pre-dawn as I race to assemble my gear to be on an early ferry sailing off Bowen Island.
BTW, I loathe the standard cookbook recipe format that lists precise amounts of ingredients, and then requires arcane procedures that only a graduate chef would know about (really, how do you scald milk, or tell when a custard 'coats a spoon')? Instead, I have a picture book for you.
Carefully measure out exactly one huge gob of peanut butter per sandwich. Add a big dollop of honey. The amount illustration will make 2 sandwiches. 
We are in a hurry, so it helps if these ingredients are warm. Therefore I nuke it for 15 or 20 seconds. Be careful, the honey eagerly absorbs the microwaves, and this is meant to be warm, not cooked! I give the warmed mixture a quick stir before I add the special powder. 
Okay, this next item is not necessary, but it is not necessary in the same way that it doesn't matter if nobody celebrates your birthday. Do this: wipe off your mixing spatula, or knife, and then use it to scoop out a generous amount of Cocoa powder (the real thing, no chocolaty milk powder). 
Now mix vigorously. What I've found is that the honey does not thin the peanut butter, it actually dramatically changes the texture as you mix. The mixture becomes stiffer and less sticky. 
This is meant to be energy food, so I recommend you use whole wheat bread. If you are slicing it yourself, keep the slices thin. We make bread frequently, but as I am rushing to be on that early sailing, I use frozen commercial slices. It is easier to spread the mixture on frozen bread, and it has hours to thaw in my pack. Put a large dollop on the bread. 
Spread it in a thick layer, but taper it toward the crust so that it won't ooze out. 
Put the top slice on the sandwich, and don't cut in half.
This mixture will not soak into the bread, and it is very easy to eat out on the hill.  |
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 Coffee swillin', wine lovin', Owl fearin' Andie McDowell stunt double, who sports retro gear
Vancouver, BC
4988 Posts |
Posted - 06/05/2006 : 10:39 PM
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That looks good!!
I'm not a huge fan of peanut butter sandwiches, but often eat them on the trail as they are cheap, easy, and won't go bad and make you sick. But.....boooooring!!!
Next time I will try your method. Thanks for including detailed instructions and photos!! |
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 | Dru
Mountain Grammar Police
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Sardonic sandbagging scoundrel, Cascade Climbers lobotomized spraymeister, space blanket flyer, new millennium vulgarian betaboy and friend to all squids
Climbing, a mountain
Canada
∞ Posts |
Posted - 06/05/2006 : 10:43 PM
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If you really want some good energy on the trail:
Peanut butter on one slice of bread
Mayonnaise on the other
A layer of raisins or dried cranberries in the middle.
Yum!
I was introduced to this recipe by Vance Culbert, but I think it's public domain. 
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Thinking you are seeing, but not seeing. Thinking you know, but not knowing. This spring is full of a lot of such things. |
Edited by - Dru on 06/05/2006 10:43 PM |
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Outward Bound author of the Seinfeld Thread, who builds his own snowshoes
PoCo, BC
Canada
2713 Posts |
Posted - 06/05/2006 : 10:52 PM
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great recipie, looks like I have something to have for lunch tomorrow, and on my hike after school
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Bryan |
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Coffee swillin', wine lovin', Owl fearin' Andie McDowell stunt double, who sports retro gear
Vancouver, BC
4988 Posts |
Posted - 06/05/2006 : 10:55 PM
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| Mayo and peanut butter together?? I dunno..... |
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| Dru
Mountain Grammar Police
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Sardonic sandbagging scoundrel, Cascade Climbers lobotomized spraymeister, space blanket flyer, new millennium vulgarian betaboy and friend to all squids
Climbing, a mountain
Canada
∞ Posts |
Posted - 06/05/2006 : 10:59 PM
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That's what I thought, too, until I tried it. 
And since it's a Culbert recipe, it practically guarantees mountaineering prowess.
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Thinking you are seeing, but not seeing. Thinking you know, but not knowing. This spring is full of a lot of such things. |
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Coffee swillin', wine lovin', Owl fearin' Andie McDowell stunt double, who sports retro gear
Vancouver, BC
4988 Posts |
Posted - 06/05/2006 : 11:02 PM
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| I suppose I could use a little mountaineering prowess. But I'll substitute all cranberries for raisins. Also, no mayo in hot weather...unrefridgerated, I think it could make you sick. |
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| Dru
Mountain Grammar Police
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Sardonic sandbagging scoundrel, Cascade Climbers lobotomized spraymeister, space blanket flyer, new millennium vulgarian betaboy and friend to all squids
Climbing, a mountain
Canada
∞ Posts |
Posted - 06/05/2006 : 11:07 PM
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I have personally eaten mayo that was unrefrigerated for a week with no ill effects. Maybe the cloud of black flies that I inhaled with it staved off any unpleasantness  
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Thinking you are seeing, but not seeing. Thinking you know, but not knowing. This spring is full of a lot of such things. |
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Manitoba's misadventurin' bushwhackin', dog sloggin', dehydratin', beer drinkin' biggie - who's eager to peak bag Mt Currie in a dress
Squamish
4688 Posts |
Posted - 06/05/2006 : 11:24 PM
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Mmmmm. So while you were rushing in the morning to gain the ferry, you still had lots of time to take photos of you sandwich?
A great picture book story of the humble PB sandwich. I note that that Ballantyne PB sandwich ain't so humble. |
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 adventure seeking, peak-bagging, high-enduring, strong and silent forest gnome
N49°09', W122°47'
Canada
3812 Posts |
Posted - 06/06/2006 : 05:57 AM
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Mmmmm  Looks great, Robert! |
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Bowen Island, BC
Canada
610 Posts |
Posted - 06/06/2006 : 11:10 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by blackfly
Mmmmm. So while you were rushing in the morning to gain the ferry, you still had lots of time to take photos of you sandwich?
You noticed. That was last Saturday's lazy start for short day on Mt. Strachan. The new digital camera makes taking shots easy, even with one hand. And I can see the results immediately.
A couple of additional points:
- if you use natural peanut butter that is made of just ground peanuts (the kind you have to stir to mix in the oil), you may find that it is so pure that the makers added no salt. Since I lose salt when I sweat, I think it is a good idea to add a healthy amount of salt to the mixture.
- Sometimes I make an egg bread (challah). My girls prefer it if I make it very sweet (yes, lots of white sugar). You know the bread, chewy and made from a 6-strand braid of dough. Thin slices of challah with this chocolate peanut butter & honey filling makes a confection to die for. Almost too good for the trail
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map hatin', coffee perc totin', garbage collectin', backpacking, action hero wannabe, who loves to hide out in Garibaldi park and will have his scouts sing if you keep him awake at night
Vancouver, BC
Canada
2257 Posts |
Posted - 06/06/2006 : 11:17 AM
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I've been using a variation on this for lunches on the trail.
Peanut butter, honey and Nutella. Wrapped in pita shells, or soft tortilla shells.
I'm pretty much addicted to them at this point.
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www.shiftlessbum.com |
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summerland, bc
Canada
647 Posts |
Posted - 06/06/2006 : 11:25 AM
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Thanks I will give it a try and thank maybe take it to the next level and do the Pb mixture on one half and strawberry jam on the other because we all know that the only thing better than a peanut butter sandwich is a Pb and J sandwich  |
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Bowen Island, BC
Canada
610 Posts |
Posted - 06/06/2006 : 11:45 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Marc
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www.shiftlessbum.com
Marc, I thought that was an clever URL and I wondered what it was all about. There is no web site there. When I checked the registrant, it is Jim Hamlin / TallTech / LongShadow. It is also urgently in need of attention. Interesting. |
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map hatin', coffee perc totin', garbage collectin', backpacking, action hero wannabe, who loves to hide out in Garibaldi park and will have his scouts sing if you keep him awake at night
Vancouver, BC
Canada
2257 Posts |
Posted - 06/06/2006 : 11:56 AM
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Must be time to renew my domain. It would normally take you to my website. I'll have to send LongShadow an email.
EDIT:
One quick email to Longshadow later and I'm back online!! Thanks Jim and thanks Tall Tech for hosting my site.
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www.shiftlessbum.com |
Edited by - Marc on 06/06/2006 12:20 PM |
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Coffee swillin', wine lovin', Owl fearin' Andie McDowell stunt double, who sports retro gear
Vancouver, BC
4988 Posts |
Posted - 06/27/2006 : 11:21 PM
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I've made it!!
I made a sandwich of it for tomorrow's Statlu Lake trip. Preliminary taste testing reveals, indeed, a Better Peanut Butter Sandwich. I will let you know how it withstands the test of the trail. |
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Coffee swillin', wine lovin', Owl fearin' Andie McDowell stunt double, who sports retro gear
Vancouver, BC
4988 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2006 : 12:35 AM
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It was pretty good! You can see here that I spread it into the sandwich rather generously, and that I used chunky peanut butter.
It was definitely better than straight peanut butter and honey (call me weird but I don't like peanut butter and jelly). However, I felt that it needed something to make it taste a little less dry. Perhaps a little whipping cream to make it smoother and moister? But then it might go off. Any suggestions?
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Bowen Island, BC
Canada
610 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2006 : 3:17 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by wilderness_seeker
I felt that it needed something to make it taste a little less dry. Perhaps a little whipping cream to make it smoother and moister? But then it might go off. Any suggestions?
I'd recommend a inexpensive Chardonnay chilled in a glacier fed stream (in a glass or cup, not in the sandwich).
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
1120 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2006 : 3:38 PM
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| Peanut butter and mayo hey? Is Miracle Whip an acceptable alternative (not the reduced fat stuff I swear!)? |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
235 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2006 : 3:47 PM
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Here is my take on a peanut butter sandwich....
Ingredients:
Whole wheat bread
Adam's All Natural Creamy Peanut Butter
Hummus
Slice of tomato
Slice of red onion
Black pepper
butter
Put all the ingredients on the brown bread, sprinkle some black pepper and enjoy!! |
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Coffee swillin', wine lovin', Owl fearin' Andie McDowell stunt double, who sports retro gear
Vancouver, BC
4988 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2006 : 4:02 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by howesound
I'd recommend a inexpensive Chardonnay chilled in a glacier fed stream (in a glass or cup, not in the sandwich).
Hey, not a bad idea. Except that I might not feel like finishing the hike afterwards. |
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Ballantyne's Better Peanut Butter Sandwich
