Peanuts

Peanuts are another of those "nuts" that's not really a nut. They are legumes. So that makes it more of a bean than a nut.

A southern slang term for them is goober peas.

From the song "Goober Peas" - written in 1866.

That's a funny name but it's more botanically correct than peanut.

As cookie bakers let's you and I accept it as a nut and let it go at that. Ok?

It is one of the better-known nuts in the United States and is grown in the Southern States.

More than half the national crop is used to make peanut butter. That will make a lot of cookies!

The two most popular varieties are Virginia and Spanish. The Virginia is oval shaped and larger than the small, round Spanish.

Other than as nut butter these nuts are sold in a variety of different forms. You can buy them with or without the shell, salted, unsalted, roasted, or dry roasted.

If buying fresh, look for unbroken shells that do not rattle when shaken.

The flavor of the nut is enhanced when roasted and you can buy them this way in jars or cans either salted or unsalted.

As with most other nuts they have a high fat content and must be stored properly so they don't turn rancid.

Store them in airtight containers or plastic bags in the refrigerator (3-6 months) or freezer (one year).

About Peanut Butter

There are worlds of differences in brands when it comes to this product. The better the quality the higher the price.

Some of the cheaper brands even remove the valuable oil and replace it with cheaper oil.

My personal preference is Smuckers All Natural. The ingredients list has two items: roasted peanuts and salt. Now that's as natural as it gets.

In fact when you first open it you have to stir in the oil because there are no emulsifiers and it separates while sitting on the grocery shelf.

You also have to refrigerate after opening because there are no preservatives and it will turn rancid.

Before you make a batch of cookies read the ingredients list on your jar. The better the peanut butter the better the cookie.