Revue au Beurre d’Arachide – Partie 15 » Print

Ever subscribe to a magazine that conveniently skips an issue but then releases a “special double issue” that’s only about 10% longer? That’s like this post! I apologize for the infrequent posts but it’s due to my vacation in Canada, which led me through Montreal, Quebec and Jacques-Cartier National Park, with a stop in Manchester (Vermont) on the way home. But this Special Double-Post will offer a glimpse into my vacation and my discoveries of Canadian peanut butter. Can the midget-sized jar of Mystery Butter defeat the triple-sized jar from the corporate-giant Kraft in a taste test? Moreover, does this Mystery Butter give me magical powers? Probably. Is it delicious? Definitely.

Canada:

Nobody wants to see an endless photo-reel of someone else’s trip, so click the picture below for a picturesque summary:

: A gorgeous sight at Jacques-Cartier National Park.

: Babies in Canada aren’t born, they’re baked.

: J.A. Maison, a gourmet shop on Rue St. Jean in Quebec City, was by far the best food store we found. We ate lunch here by getting bread, sliced meats and cheeses at the counter. It’s also where I got some of the peanut butter below!

: An excellent selection of nut butters at J.A. Maison!

: Look for the golden pig (or the sign that says Le Cochon Dingue) and you’re guaranteed a good meal. The pork burger? Fantastic!

: Tucked down a side street, through a tunnel and past an opened gate we found Harry Potter’s school.

: You absolutely MUST go to this restaurant! It’s a bit pricey and in a touristy area, but Aux Anciens Candiens is well worth it! The smoked bison over the pheasant breast was incredible!

: Every few hours I stopped to get one of these and enjoy the sights! It’s pretty much my favorite thing to do in foreign countries.

: We obviously had to get poutine. This one had onions, mushrooms and beef on top of the french fries, gravy and cheese curds. Quite tasty but I think my heart slowed down a little.

: Found a duck whose head was way too large for it’s body. His only interest in me was because my fingers look like fat worms.

: Freshly hatched piglets in Manchester! The noise at feeding time was defeaning.

: Cocoa the Bear at The Village Peddler in East Arlington, VT. He weighs 100lbs.

: Make sure to get a sandwich-to-go from Zoey’s sandwich shop in Manchester, VT! This buffalo chicken sandwich was delicious, and all sandwiches come with a bag of homemade potato chips.

Reviews:

Kraft Extra Creamy

= 70%

Kraft is a huge company, with hundreds of products here in the United States, yet they don’t sell their peanut butter here. It’s a shame because they have at least 8 different varieties of peanut butter to choose from! However, this one in particular is nothing special, it tastes like any other regular creamy peanut butter. It is a little creamier and lighter than regular peanut butter, but not much. And unfortunately I didn’t buy the regular Kraft Creamy for comparison. But overall, it’s a good standard peanut butter.

Kraft Whipped

= 80%

This Kraft variety is much cooler than the previous. It’s similar to Peter Pan Whipped but I think it’s even lighter and fluffier. It’s not very sweet but it still tastes like you’re eating peanut butter frosting. This variety isn’t great for making sandwiches or cooking with since that just takes the air out, but it’s excellent for dipping carrots, celery, chips and apples into.

Beurre d’Arachides Naturel Croquant
= 85%

In the photostream above there’s a picture of J.A. Maison, a gourmet food store located at 699 Rue St. Jean in Quebec City. And to the right is a photo of this peanut butter, a fresh-ground natural chunky variety. The only ingredients are peanuts, and it tastes just like you’d expect. It’s nicely roasted and had plenty of chunks to satisfy my craving for natural peanut butter in Canada. The only thing I added was some salt to give it a little flavor. We used it on everything from baguettes to dark chocolate gelato.

Nuts to You Mystery Butter 2

= 90%

This brand is fairly popular in Canada – I saw it in several locations. Nuts to You has an incredible variety of natural nut butters, including several “Mystery Butters”, as well as some varieties that even have dried fruit mixed in. Unfortunately, the mystery butters aren’t as mysterious as they sound, although I do believe it’s making me stronger (or fatter). This variety in particular is a combination of peanuts and hazelnuts, making it a super creamy nut butter similar to Trader Joe’s Natural Creamy. The flavor is excellent too, a perfect combination of peanuts and hazelnuts that make you think you’re eating a new type of nut. A pinch of salt is all that’s needed!