Hello, everyone! We’re eager to share some great news … Pathfinder Produce will now be open at the Pathfinder Village Commons, Edmeston, on Thursdays, from noon to 5 p.m. That means that you’ll have an additional hour, conveniently scheduled at noontime, to shop at our market. With hearty family meals and Thanksgiving coming up, this is indeed welcome news! Of course, we also offer our online ordering too, with convenient pick-up locations in Edmeston and Morris.
Also, our Pathfinder Produce market will be getting a bit of a facelift with some new staging -- bushel baskets and wooden crates for displaying our delicious fruits and veggies. We want to make your shopping experience more enjoyable and satisfying. Our market is “rooted in community,” and we think it’s important that our weekly “pop-up” keeps in step with current customer service trends. New look, new hours … what’s not to love about Pathfinder Produce?
Yesterday, the market staff – members of our Adult Day Services program – rolled out some of these new displays as a dry run for Thursday, and you could tell how excited they were in making sure everything for our customers was just perfect. Ashley and Brandy, Chris and Casey, and other members of the crew have taken ownership of market operations; they are so proud of how they support their home community each week by serving customers through the market.
Along with being excited about these updates, November offers other reasons to be both excited and thankful. My colleague, Sally Trosset, sings her praises of peanut butter, an American staple since the late 1800s. (Peanuts are native to South America, and ground peanut foods were first developed by ancient South-Central American Native cultures. George Washington Carver was also a luminary in the commercial development of the peanut in the U.S.).
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National Peanut Butter Lovers Month
A peanut butter lover all my life, I had no idea that November is National Peanut Butter Lovers Month. While most of us spend the month anxiously awaiting Thanksgiving dinner, delicious pies and leftovers galore, who knew November also shares the spotlight with peanut butter? I certainly had no idea, so I decided to do some smooth and crunchy research to find out a little more about jelly’s best friend!
Speaking of smooth and crunchy, did you know that preference hits demographics and gender lines when choosing smooth versus crunchy peanut butter? Demographically speaking, people on the East coast prefer creamy peanut butter and people on the West coast prefer crunchy. Women prefer creamy peanut butter and most men opt for crunchy.
From a farming standpoint, America is the world’s third highest peanut producing nation after China and India. More than half of the American peanut crop is used to make peanut butter, and it takes approximately 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter. That’s a lot of peanuts!
While sometimes considered a comfort food (who doesn’t love a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich on dense white bread?!), peanut butter is quite healthy, especially if you opt for all-natural peanut butter. All-natural peanut butter has a very short ingredient list and typically includes just peanuts and trace amounts of salt for flavoring. “Less natural” kinds include added sugar and higher amounts of salt and oil. Either way you like it, any peanut butter you buy in the United States will be just that…peanuts! According to the Food and Drug Administration, the law states that all peanut butter must contain a minimum of 90% peanuts.
According to The Peanut Institute, there are many other health benefits of peanut butter. Eating five or more servings of peanut butter, nuts and peanuts can reduce the risk of heart disease by as much as 50%. Over 75% of the fat in peanut butter is unsaturated (heart healthy), and like all plant foods, contains no dietary cholesterol. Peanut butter is also a good source of protein, niacin, folic acid, phosphorus, and vitamin E. It is also loaded with potassium, which is shown to help counteract the effects of a high-sodium diet.
Peanut butter is a beloved pantry item in many homes across America and it can be used in almost anything. As we hit the half-way mark in November, and if you are a fan like me, I challenge you to try some new and interesting twists on the American staple in honor of Peanut Butter Lovers Month. You’ve got just enough time before the turkey coma settles in!
Until next time, enjoy great food and good times!
Sally (and Lori)
It is important to note that peanut allergies are one of the most common causes of allergy attacks, especially in children. Even if you or your child has only a mild allergic reaction to peanuts, it is very important to speak to your doctor. For some people with peanut allergies, even tiny amounts of peanuts can cause a serious reaction. Call 911 or your local emergency number if you or someone near experiences severe dizziness, breathing trouble or loss of consciousness from peanut exposure.
