I am still getting visits and comments about Deaf Smith County Peanut Butter

Deaf Smith County Peanut Butter. That's a post from four years ago and I stil get hits via Google.

Nice to know that I am not the only one who misses it. Wish I could find an authoritative explanation of why it was so good.

Comments

[Jim Fleischman]

Deaf Smith Peanut Butter had a great texture and color and I have never found another peanut butter that even came close. I do believe that they ground the skins of the peanuts which gave it a slightly bitter (tart) flavor and darker color. While in college I baked my own bread, often an oatmeal bread. Nothing can match warm oatmeal bread with Deaf Smith peanut butter and hot apple cider on a cold winter day in Wisconsin. I was sad to find it was no longer produced

[Kiki]

I have been trying to find Deaf Smith Peanut Butter for a friend of mine. Your post states it is no longer being produced. Is this still true? I don't know anything about it but was hoping there would be a way to track some down.

[MtDewd]

I believe the taste difference in Deaf Smith peanut butter is from using Valencia peanuts. Most US peanut butters are made with Virginia peanuts.

It's always been made by Arrowhead Mills (and still is). As far as I can see, the only difference (besides the name) is that it "may contain 0.5% or less of the following: cashews, almonds and/or organic sesame seeds." (this is quoted from the jar in my desk at work) As I recall, it used to say "made from 100% Valencia peanuts", or words to that effect.

Many chain groceries carry Arrowhead Mills products in their organic section, and if you go to a 'whole foods' store and see a large bulk container saying Valencia peanut butter, you have probably found what you're looking for.

[Jon Krampner]

Does anyone either have or know where I can find a jar (or label) of Deaf Smith p.b.? I'm writing a book about the history of peanut butter and will have a section about Deaf Smith as the first peanut butter to use Valencia peanuts, to be organic, and to herald the revival of natural peanut butter.

Am looking for a jar or label to use as an illustration, but it's turning into quite a scavenger hunt. Any leads or suggestions will be appreciated.

By the way, Deaf Smith still exists in the form of Arrowhead Mills Organic Creamy Valencia. It's under different management, Frank Ford having sold the business to Hain-Celestial, and has a slightly different formula (it still includes the skins, but not so many of them).

Jon Krampner
[email protected] (WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS POSTED)

[Jon Krampner]

To amend the post of MtDewd at Jan. 21, 2009: most American peanut butters are not made from Virginia peanuts; they're made from runners. Most peanut butters used to be made from a combination of Virginia peanuts (for flavor) and Spanish (for high oil content). But when prolific runner hybrids were developed in the early '70's, notably the Flo-runner, the big companies switched to them as a way of maintaining a low price for their product and increasing their profit margin.

[David Sucher]

No idea how to help you on the photo.

But I did try Arrowhead Mills Organic Crunchy Valencia and I was unimpressed.

Now that might mean that I misremember the original. Or that the crunchy differed from the creamy. Or that the current formula is not close enough to the original to be represented as the same.

[Jon Krampner]

The best crunchy I've found is Krema, which has been made since 1908 (oldest U.S. peanut butter) in Columbus, Ohio:

http://www.krema.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PBCRU1

Their creamy is good but unremarkable. You can remove the link if you think I'm shilling for them.

[Cate M.]

I see Arrowhead Mills has changed their organic peanut butter to a "valencia peanut blend". The ingredients now state 100% organic dry roasted peanuts. This is a shame. Why must they change a good thing? I guess this is what happens when big corporations take over.

[David Weitz]

Arrowhead Mills has changed their peanut butter formula from pure Valencia to a Valencia blend. They don't give a percentage. In any case the peanut butter does not taste as good, and informed the company of this observation by phone and email. I may need to use another brand.