I am a peanut butter evangelist and am checking in to say that if you own a food processor, you can make your own peanut butter at home and it's incredibly easy! Dump (roasted, unsalted) peanuts in, add salt to taste, and stop it when you reach the consistency you want.
I hazard to recommend this, because I've seen it more places, but if you like Michigan good like Koeze, you should most definitely check out American Spoon. They make my favorite grain mustard (available at BiRite in SF). Their HQ is in my in-laws hometown, and good grief they make good jam. The other all-star from Michigan is Zingerman's Deli. The proprietor wrote some essential books on management with a strong Socialist / Anarchist tilt.
Zingerman’s mythological newsletter was the inspiration for a great book about Spanish cheese, betrayal, and revenge by occasional GQ writer Michael Paterniti called “The Telling Room,” which I read once a year b/c it is so damn good.
The matzoh rebrand reminded me of something truly cursed—the Diamond Crystal salt packaging redesign, which came with a huge price hike! The owners noticed that chefs were recommending it and decided to dress it up more and squeeze more profit out of THE pantry staple. Still so pissed about that one.
Diamond Crystal is cursed, period... it's owned by diabolically evil, definitely NOT based agri-biz giants Cargill. Just sayin'. Alicia Kennedy's writing on the subject is worth a read.
Red Gold canned tomatoes are the best maters in the US. It's funny that the NYT always hails them because I could never find them when I was on the East Coast, but here in Chicago they're like $2 per large can, packed in Indiana (s/o the locals), and absolutely bursting with tomato flavor. San Marzanos could never, to say nothing of the often-false labeling and exceedingly hinky DOC provenance
Shout out also to Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes. A bit more $$ than Red Gold, but truly the best available canned tomato on the market, brainchild of pizza genius Chris Bianco, grown and packed in CA by multi-gen farmers & canners, and still family-owned.
I am a peanut butter evangelist and am checking in to say that if you own a food processor, you can make your own peanut butter at home and it's incredibly easy! Dump (roasted, unsalted) peanuts in, add salt to taste, and stop it when you reach the consistency you want.
Fantastic write up. 2 paragraphs in I was sharing with multiple friends. wholly Roman empire made me laugh so hard I almost woke up the baby
Finally someone notices it !! 😉
I hazard to recommend this, because I've seen it more places, but if you like Michigan good like Koeze, you should most definitely check out American Spoon. They make my favorite grain mustard (available at BiRite in SF). Their HQ is in my in-laws hometown, and good grief they make good jam. The other all-star from Michigan is Zingerman's Deli. The proprietor wrote some essential books on management with a strong Socialist / Anarchist tilt.
Zingerman’s mythological newsletter was the inspiration for a great book about Spanish cheese, betrayal, and revenge by occasional GQ writer Michael Paterniti called “The Telling Room,” which I read once a year b/c it is so damn good.
The Zingerman's books are essential reading and the deli is an absolute must-visit
I heard of these Zingermann's books from Cody Cook-Parrott (a Michigander and writer) and they sound so cool!
oh baby love a grain mustard...and i'm feeling a socialist/anarchist management guru???
appreciate the tip !
The matzoh rebrand reminded me of something truly cursed—the Diamond Crystal salt packaging redesign, which came with a huge price hike! The owners noticed that chefs were recommending it and decided to dress it up more and squeeze more profit out of THE pantry staple. Still so pissed about that one.
!! missed this cursed rebrand
Diamond Crystal is cursed, period... it's owned by diabolically evil, definitely NOT based agri-biz giants Cargill. Just sayin'. Alicia Kennedy's writing on the subject is worth a read.
Ugh yikes! Any non-evil salt recs? (I love Alicia Kennedy and missed her on this!)
Red Gold canned tomatoes are the best maters in the US. It's funny that the NYT always hails them because I could never find them when I was on the East Coast, but here in Chicago they're like $2 per large can, packed in Indiana (s/o the locals), and absolutely bursting with tomato flavor. San Marzanos could never, to say nothing of the often-false labeling and exceedingly hinky DOC provenance
Shout out also to Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes. A bit more $$ than Red Gold, but truly the best available canned tomato on the market, brainchild of pizza genius Chris Bianco, grown and packed in CA by multi-gen farmers & canners, and still family-owned.