Peanut Butter is Nuts!!

We brought a jar of peanut butter with us from the States because we didn't think it would be easily available, and we were right.  The supermarket shelves are filled with Dulce de Leche and mermelada, but peanut butter can not be found.  I hoarded our sole jar and only let the kids have a nostalgic nibble periodically.  This was most difficult for Carmela who is a peanut butter junkie, but we survived.

In February, we delightfully discovered a little market off the beaten track that sells the gooy brown goodness, and we bought one jar to discern its quality.  It was perfect!  Not as sweet as the USA, yet rich in creamy flavor.  After that, it was on.  We gorged.  Everyone could eat as much as they wanted because we could always buy more.  And buy we did... Every week or two on our way home from mass and the carniceria we loaded up, two jars, three jars, four jars, whatever they had on the shelf.

See!!  Gringos love the Pasta de Mani!

During Jamie and Hans' visit, I ducked in the mini market, grabbed the only three jars on the shelf and set them in front of the astounded cashier.  She was in awe at our constant consumption, so I tried to deflect the blame on our friends visiting from the USA.  Jamie was listening in the doorway, and she threw me under the bus!!

"We just arrived!  We haven't eaten any of the peanut butter!  It's not our fault!" I admit; she was right.

When we got home, the Kiesermans decided to try it.  Over the next few days, they didn't eat all of the peanut butter, but Nina did put a good dent in it, and I was happy to take photos and share pictures with the cashier on my visit the following week - when we bought four more jars. 😂

Peanut Butter Tales from the Kids

Caleb

I do not like peanut butter. The peanut butter here is horrible. It is so sticky and creamy. We eat four KING boxes in one week. It is CRAZY. Everybody else thinks it's yummy, but I don't. I like it more in Seattle than here.  

I think with pancakes and peanut butter, it is fine. I think maple syrup and pancakes tastes better with peanut butter. They don't have maple syrup here.  My dad had to make it with fake maple flavor from home. It is not as good as real maple syrup at home. 

I like to write in cursive. 

Sofia

Instead of going home for lunch for two hours on Mondays, Caleb and I stay at school for special group activities called Taller. On the first day of Taller, I brought a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Everyone thought I was crazy, and many of my friends didn’t even know that peanut butter existed. 

Yup - that is a splot of peanut butter on my cheek!

Some people said it was gross, so I responded with sass as sticky as peanut butter, “Why do you think it’s so bad? Have you ever tried it?!?!?”  

Since it was so weird and everyone thought I was crazy, the next Monday I asked Mom if I could have something something different.  She said, “Yes,” so I brought a miga.  A miga is a type of Argentinian sandwich. I like migas with pineapple and ham.  I brought one with ham and cheese.  Nobody thought I was crazy.  Most people buy mini pizzas, pasta, or milanesa from the school cafeteria.  

Next Monday, I am going to bring peanut butter again because…

PEANUT BUTTER ROCKS!

Carmela

Peanut butter; the main item of my diet. Where would I be if this glory had not descended upon me? 

Even Dad loves it - on bananas!

Yeah. Pretty crazy. I am not kidding. It's sort of embarrassing how much peanut butter I can fit in my stomach. Then again its pretty fun being able to say how many relationships our family has sparked due to peanut butter!  We made great friends with the shop owner of the corner market.  It's still funny seeing her face when she sees how much we buy, “Five tubs of peanut butter please. See you tomorrow!”

But of course that’s all in Spanish, so it would be, “Hola, Buen dia. Cinco botellas de pasta de maní por favor.  Gracias!  Hasta mañana.”

Sounds crazy but we eat around a bottle ever two days, and we buy the King Size jars of Mani King! 

Now we are the "Loca, gringa familia, whose mom fue atropellado de un auto y comen un monton de peanut butter!"

We have made our mark.