Peanut Butter & Co.

THE PEANUT GALLERY
"Seventeen"

Bring on the peanut butter! Sales of the spread made from this member of the pea family (peanuts are legumes, not nuts) have increased over the last three years, and even QVC, the mega-home shopping network, has sold gourmet peanut butter by the barrel. It seems that everyone's stuck on this stick-to-your-ribs spread. Russell Stover has introduced a new candy: a peanut butter cup with grape or red raspberry jelly inside. And Jif now has three new flavors-apple cinnamon, berry blend and chocolate silk.

With all peanut butter's got going for it (studies have shown that peanuts may reduce the risk of heart disease), Peanut Butter & Co., a new restaurant in New York City, comes as no surprise. The menu includes a peanut butter BLT and a Cheesecake Sandwich (cream cheese and PB). Owner Lee Zalben also sells his homemade peanut butter on his Web site, www.peanutbutterco.com Here, Zalben shares two of his most popular recipes.

--Jennifer Parris