here at Peanut Butter Boy. This time I take an exclusive look at foreign (non-U.S.) peanut butter. Can the rest of the world live up to the U.S., the powerhouse producer of peanut butter? Frankly, no, they can’t. While we’re not #1 at everything, the United States can’t be beat in the world of peanut butter. But that doesn’t stop the rest of the world from trying, and there are some close contenders. Whether you’re from North America or abroad,
Reviews:
Kelkin Crunchy (Ireland)
= 60%
I did a brief review of
Kelkin Creamy upon my return from Ireland. This crunchy variety is nearly identical but with the addition of, you guessed it, chunks. The ingredient list is simple and enticing (peanuts, palm oil and sea salt), but the
peanut butter has a major lack of flavor. It seems the peanuts were hardly roasted at all before mashing them into a jar. After trying this crunchy variety, I now question my positive feelings towards the creamy one. The texture is still very thick (in a good way) and the oil doesn’t separate, but the only way I can imagine enjoying this brand to begin with was due to my excitement of finding
peanut butter in my homeland. The concept is good, but it needs some work. Uses:
Oatmeal,
Oatmeal and
Oatmeal.
Calvé Crunchy (The Netherlands)
= 65%
If you compare the Calvé and Kelkin
peanut butter in the above photo, you’ll notice a big difference in color. This is partly due to Calvé using unblanched (skin on) peanuts which adds an extra depth of flavor, similar to
Trader Joe’s peanut butter. But it’s also because Calvé roasts their peanuts more before mashing them into a jar. Appearance alone, Calvé wins. However, the ingredients are a little strange: Peanuts, Vegetable Oil, Fat, Salt. What exactly is “Fat”? If you chalk that up to mistranslation and don’t ask any more questions about it, this
peanut butter isn’t bad. It’s got a good flavor, nice thickness, and good amount of salt. As I recall, is was a little bit sweet too, but I’m not sure why. Maybe the “Fat”? Uses:
PB&J Pork Roast and
Spicy PB Marinade.
Ceres Organics Crunchy (New Zealand)
= 70%
Sail across the ocean to the home of the Kiwis and you’ll find Ceres Organics. This crunchy variety has only 2 ingredients: Peanuts and Sea Salt. Like many foreign brands of
peanut butter, Ceres Organics doesn’t roast their peanuts enough, but it’s still better than most. The chunks are nice and the sea salt is a great addition, but there isn’t quite enough. Add a few dashes of extra sea salt and we’re in business! This is definitely one of the better foreign
peanut butters I’ve tried. Uses:
Peanut Butter Cereal, on a banana.
Eta Seriously Smooth (New Zealand)
= 35%
As far as New Zealand goes, Eta is on the opposite side of the spectrum from Ceres Organics. Ingredients here consist of: Peanuts, Vegetable Oil, Salt. Good start, but it only goes downhill from here. Once again, this
peanut butter is about as UN-roasted as you can get, and the texture is a thick, glue-like paste. It has almost no flavor and certainly doesn’t make me proud to have the name Peanut Butter Boy. Uses:
Trapping Vermin.