Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Goodness, How Delicious

Today's Wonder of the World is...the Peanut!

Public domain photo
Three cheers for Peanuts! Otherwise known as earthnuts, goobers, goober peas, pindas, jack nuts, manila nuts, and my favorite, monkey nuts.

Flickr photo by TXPhotographer
Hey! I resent that!
Sorry monkey.
But even you must admit, the peanut is an amazing plant. Did you know it's not really a nut at all? It's really a legume, in costume.

Public domain photo
Most peanuts are grown in China now. For those of you who like numbers, that's over 13 million tons worth of goobers, or 37.5% of the world's monkey nut production.

Flickr photo by livingstonesvillage

One day I'd love to yank a peanut plant out of the ground and examine it.

Flickr photo by jackjoann123(JoAnn)
I've never seen them growing up close, though lately I've seen a whole lot of peanuts.
Todd made several batches of peanut brittle over the holidays.

Flickr photo by PinkCupcake
Yey tooth decay!
And of course we eat lots of boiled peanut around these parts.

Flickr photo by crowebasalt
What? You've never eaten boiled peanuts? You must try them!
They're a southern tradition, and guess what...THEY'RE NOT EVEN FRIED!
I know!!! How could this be?
The best part is finding a good boiled peanut stand to buy them from. This one looks promising...

Flickr photo by Jacob...K
Actually, I don't even know Dude, but it's a good photo.
Generally I've found that the more ramshackle the stand, the better the boiled peanuts. You give the man a couple of dollars and he ladles them out of a kettle of brine into a Styrofoam cup.
Yum yum.

Of course if you're a big fat chicken and are too afraid to try boiled peanuts, you could always go to one of those steak houses where they serve peanuts while you wait for your order. Why not do what everyone else does, and throw the shells on the floor?

Flickr photo by rhonamccallum
Why not? Because it gives me nightmares about secret mouse parties, where gangs of mice and all their friends dance the macarena in the shells, kicking them with their little mouse feet, and tossing them up in the air for fun.
They need to clean those places up.
Maybe they could use this soap!

Photo by HowardsHome.etsy.com
Sorry, I tried to restrain myself from posting too many yummy peanut treats since so many of us (including me) are trying hard to keep our resolutions for at least another week, but I LOVE Reeses cups. I thought the Resoaps might wash the thought of chocolate and peanut butter out of my brain.
Shoot. It didn't work. (But you can still find these soaps at etsy, here.)

Let's distract ourselves.
Allow me to introduce you to my favorite peanut in a top hat!

Flickr photo by agilitynut
Hey there Mr. Peanut!
Would you like to know more about the man (sort of) behind the monocle?
You there in the peanut gallery, watch this short clip from the Food Network. You'll be amazed. And you'll find out where the peanut gallery comes from!

Have a wonder-full Tuesday everyone!
Love, Becky

18 comments:

David Ebright said...

Mmmmmm..... then you have the airline peanuts - 3 per bag - they make the flight worth the $360 ticket price.

Tried boiled peanuts. Ummm... they're right up there with Collards & Okra in my book.

Reese's Cups - Bring 'em on.

Peanut butter is my favorite - better than steak & so good for your arteries too...

Anonymous said...

What a great post---I wish I had my old Mr. Peanut bank!!!

I about choked on my Peanut butter on toast as I read the part of the mice doing the macarena in the shells and "tossing them up in the air for fun!"

Have a great day! Dana

Ronnie said...

So wierd. I was planning a painting with this peanut dude. No, not the shack dude, but the Planters dude. My mom suggested it yesterday and I was planning research today. Serendipity at work again! Thanks Becky. Brilliant as usual.
I'm on chapter 24 of your book and I'm lovin' it.
Southern Blasphemy, Jaxpop! No okra, collards OR boiled peanuts. I'll give you a pass. You're in that weird Southern nether world where fried shrimp and grits reign supreme.
I'm with you, Becky. I could eat a dump truck load.
Thanks for you nice comments yesterday. :)))

Susan said...

I also thought the image of the dancing mice was a hoot. I live only several hours away from the birthplace of Mr. Peanut (Suffolk) and remember going there and can also remember, as a child, seeing Mr. Peanut walking up and down the street in front of our local Planters Peanut store on the weekends. He was the perfect mascot, wearing black tights and twirling his cane. All the younger children wanted to go there. So cool!

lotusgirl said...

I LOVE me some boiled peanuts!!!! While they're still hot! Yum! I have a cousin who was living in the west and got to craving them so bad that she boiled roasted peanuts. *shakes head at the insanity of that venture* She admitted that it didn't really work out as she'd hoped.

Just the thought of them takes me back to high school football games.

David Ebright said...

Ronnie - Not to take up space on Becky's page here but I'm a Philly guy originally - so ya gotta cut me some slack. I do like grits! That should count for something. (See - Toldja her book was great.)

Kat said...

Not even the lure of my usual favorite Reeses Peanut Butter Cups can make me say "Mmm" today. But thanks for trying! ;)

Rosemary said...

All I can say is Yummy!!
Now I want some peanut butter.
And Reese's, are the best.
My new son in law doesn't like nuts or peanut butter, can you imagine? He is a great guy though.
He told my daughter when they have kids he can't be around the PB&J.
Thanks for visiting me, and have a great day!
Rosemary

Unknown said...

I LOVE boiled peanuts and make them in the Crockpot. So, so easy. When my oldest daughter went into the military and was stationed far away, she said what she missed most was boiled peanuts.

Adrienne said...

I love Unwrapped! I'm sad that we don't get the Food Network anymore.

My favorite peanut is Snoopy :)

Leah Skaggs said...

It was not a good day for my teeth when I learned to make brittle in the microwave... and there is nothing better than boiled peanuts from a road side stand - in a (glass) bottle of coke... how's that for southern?
Becky - you continue to ruin my diet... you are deliciously evil. I love it. Now I need to go raid Steve's jar of organic peanut butter just to get rid of the craving!

CC said...

I LOVE chocolate + peanut butter, but I was never really into peanuts until I tried them at "peanut shops" in Virginia. Then OMG! I'm in love!!!!!!!

Kelly H-Y said...

Ohhh, your posts always make me smile! And, I learn so much ... like about boiled peanuts ... never had one of those! Love, love, love peanut butter though ... the JIF kind ... keep trying all the 'natural' kinds, but returning to my tried-and-true JIF! :-)

Alexandra MacVean said...

A legumee...what??? ;)

Happy Peanut Day. :D

Attic Rat said...

Yum, I love peanuts!

Teresa

Fete et Fleur said...

I love peanut butter! Unfortunately, sometimes it doesn't love me. Great Post!

Nancy

Unknown said...

Mmmmmm that sounds good right now...maybe I'll go buy some peanut butter! LOL! I learned 4 years ago that peanuts are really legumes and I remember being crushed and amazed all at the same time!

Cindy said...

Reeses...my favorite peanut taste! :D

c