Jill and I are often asked what our guilty secrets are, food-wise. Mine’s crisps – I can do a family bag in one sitting. Jill’s is peanut butter. I didn’t think I was partial until these bad boys appeared on the shelf of my new favourite bread shop in Hebden Bridge, Blue Sky Baker.
Stuart & Kathryn Franklin lived in New Zealand for a while and developed a taste for the very different artisan peanut butter they discovered there which wasn’t over processed or too sweet. When they moved back to Yorkshire they realised it was impossible to source anything remotely similar, so started to make their own. It wasn’t long before friends and family were clamoring for it, and it became obvious that they had to up the ante. From the kitchen table they moved to a small factory in Dewsbury, installed a roaster and grinder; they roast their peanuts slowly roasted in small batches, then they’re ground – and nothing artificial is added. ‘Nowt but Nuts’ is 100% peanuts, and ‘Slightly Salted’ has a smidgen of sea salt. And that’s it. I’m a complete convert. NOTHING beats a slather of it on buttery toast with my morning espresso. NOTHING. Jam? Pah. Check out their website for stockists and recipes – today I will mostly be making chocolate and peanut butter brownies.