¡Ombligo!

The Peanut Butter Utensil Report


The history on the peanut butter utensil controversy:

Last year, Jif had commercials where two little girls are having a sleep over and one little girl is sad and thinks the sleepover is a bad idea so the other little girl makes her a peanut butter sandwich with Jif. To make the sandwich, she uses a spoon to spread the peanut butter onto the bread. I figured that maybe Jif didn't want to encourage kids to use knives thus the application with a spoon. She then asks the little girl how her mom cuts her sandwiches down the center or across and then pulls out a knife!

It was mentioned to me that the little girl could have used to spoon to satisfy her own urges of wanting peanut butter and then licking it off the spoon. I was curious to know what Jif had to say about the entire utensil switching. I didn't of course expect a response from Jif, but the next day a representative from Jif called and apologized for the entire utensil switching. She explained that the advertising agency was involved in the making of the commercial and not Jif themselves.

The reason for the peanut butter utensil report:

Tania posted the following regarding the Jif controversy: This reminds me of a strange thing: a friend of mine once explained to me, while making me a PBJ using a spoon as a spreader, that her father became absolutely livid when his children used knives to spread the jam. They were warned, sternly, that the only appropriate utensil for the purpose was a spoon. Perhaps it is an odd lost bit of manners from a different age of kitchen habits? Or maybe freaks just think alike.

I searched all over the web to find out which was the proper utensil to use while making a peanut butter sandwich. Since the answer was not easily found on the web I then contacted peanut butter manufacturers and The Emily Post Institute regarding which was the proper utensil to use while making peanut butter sandwiches.

The responses:

Response #1:

The first peanut butter manufacturer to respond was once again Jif. On March 9, 2005 I talked on the phone to a representative from Jif. He he said that he himself uses a butter knife to spread the peanut butter. I asked him about using a spoon to spread peanut butter but he told me that a butter knife was more effective.

Response #2:

I also asked chattykathy who used to be a famous Pastry Chef in New York the following question: "In culinary school did they teach you which utensil is the proper one to use while spreading peanut butter?"

Her reply was "hmmm,. I feel like this is a trick question!! LOL! That was never addressed but I am a PB lover and I always use a small offset spatula to spread it. An offset spatula is used to ice a cake professionally. They come in diff sizes, I use the smallest one for PB. I never use a knife. The offset spreads more evenly. If you like PB you should try Peter Pan whipped PB. It's airier and it spreads more evenly. It's only available in the south and online. love it!"

Response #3:

Thanks for your e-mail message. We are the manufacturers of Krasdale private label peanut butter in White Plains, New York. If you see one of these jars on their stores' shelves you will see the silver stainless steel knife being used to spread the peanut butter on bread.

Thank you for your interest in our products.
Sincerely,
Linda Downing, Consumer Affairs, The Leavitt Corporation

The conclusion:

I am a bit disappointed not to have received a bigger response to my inquires but as it stands both of the peanut butter manufacturers recommended a knife as a spreading utensil. CK of course being the fancy person she is has to make a masterpiece of all her meals and uses an offset spatula. So far, no one has mentioned the use of a spoon as a utensil to spread peanut butter!