My Obsession
I never knew that peanut butter and fluff sandwiches were strictly a New England thing. I grew up in rural New Hampshire, after all. Clearly, I learned a lot of new things upon entering my first year of college. This first semester of college has taught me how to make friends, what people from across the world are like, and the kind of impact I can make. None of these discoveries, however, surprised me.
The one learning-curve that was more jarring than all of the rest combined was this: people outside of New England often do not eat—or even know of—peanut butter and Fluff sandwiches. I was shocked when I learned this. If I had to squeeze my whole childhood in between two slices of bread, a PB&F would be the result. Peanut butter and Fluff is more than a combination of two spreads—for my brother and I, it was a way of making eating fun.
Humble Beginnings
When my brother and I were children, my mom was always trying to find foods we would like. We both had our picky phases—mine after a diagnosis of anxiety-induced ‘tummy-aches’ at the age of seven, and his as an infant who was just too busy to eat. My mom struggled to keep us from shrinking.
So, peanut butter and Fluff sandwiches were a go-to for lunchtime in our household. Adding anything sugary to food items often awarded mealtime success. Gooey, sweet marshmallow Fluff was the perfect additive for nearly anything less-satisfactory to our tiny palates.
A True Inventor
My mother invented many meals and terms to make our food easier to swallow, one of which was the word “glub.” A glub is an amount usually pertaining to thick, liquid substances (like Fluff). When she made PB&F sandwiches for us, she always made sure to put extra glubs of Fluff, ensuring that we would eat up all of the protein that sugary-goodness was covering. Another invention, one that my mom is famous for, is her signature recipe for Peanut Butter and Fluff Muffins. She went to the kitchen one day, got creative, and there they were!
The fluffiest, moistest, most delectable sweet-and-salty treats my family has ever known had been made. We were in food-heaven. These are not average muffins. These are the kind of muffins you wrestle out of their hot molds and immediately cut open to spread butter—real butter—along the insides; the kind of muffins you crave for weeks on end.
I know, I have muffin issues. But really, they’re that good. It’s amazing that, with all of my peanut butter and Fluff passion, the idea for this article was not solely my own.
Some Help Along the Way
This being my first article for Spoon, I had no idea where to begin. I asked my brother for some inspiration, and the very first idea he had was for me to write about these muffins. Secretly, I think he just wanted an excuse for my mom to make us some—as did I.
When I got home for my fall break from school and told my mother about our conversation, she immediately offered to make some muffins to help me write.
This allowed for nostalgic conversation, photographic opportunities, and some tasty rewards too. It also made me realize just how much I’ve been missing peanut butter and Fluff since I arrived at college.
What I’ve Been Missing Since Leaving Home
Our dining halls, save one, do not serve peanut butter (due to allergies), and the one that does only offers a homemade variety (which is extremely addictive, but still not the same). Most of my friends here had never even heard of Fluff or marshmallow spread before I mentioned it to them.
Why Should You Care?
If there’s one thing you take from this article, let it be this: even though PB&F sandwiches may sound gross to you, they are an integral part of others’ childhoods. Be open to trying new things that your peers are passionate about—you might end up with a new favorite food.
Alright, one more takeaway (because I can’t help myself from sharing this): if you are a fan of this dynamic combination, give them a try! And if you aren’t, try them anyway!
The recipe for Peanut Butter and Fluff Muffins is captured in an image below. Simply omit blueberries and salt, decrease the sugar, and add two large glubs of peanut butter and three of Fluff. Swirl, don’t mix completely.
Or make up your own crazy combo based on your childhood favorites. You never know when you’ll stumble across something genius.
