Marshmallow Fluff and Peanut Butter

I've always had a strange attraction to marshmallow fluff.  When I would pass it in the supermarket, my eyes might linger a bit, flirting with the possibilities.  But I would never commit to a purchase.  It seemed like too much.  Too risky for me.  And so for years, the jar of fluff has been nothing more than a passing thought.

Then I was watching Chowdown Countdown on the Travel Channel, which featured a restaurant in NYC called Peanut Butter & Co which features an all peanut butter sandwich menu.  And on their menu is "The Fluffernutter."  It's "freshly ground peanut butter on one side and gobs of Marshmallow Fluff spread on the other."  And this made sense to me.  In fact, it seemed somewhat ingenious.  How have I not seen this before?! After a little research it's apparently a favorite in the Northeast.  In 2006, Massachusetts State Senator Jarrett Barrios had even proposed legislation restricting the serving of fluffernutter sandwiches in public schools in an attempt to combat childhood obesity.  How could she?! Marshmallow and peanut butter - it makes perfect sense.  And with that I set out to buy some fluff and make a sandwich. 

When I opened the jar, I was struck by the sweet powdery smell of marshmallows.  I dug the knife into the smooth creamy white substance and pulled away a large dollop. The crevice that was left behind in the jar was craggy and filled with holes.  I watched in amazement as the holes filled and surfaces oozed together reforming the perfectly smooth white surface.

The taste of marshmallow is immediate upon biting into a fluffernutter.  The sweetness lingers a bit, but it's followed by the richer salty peanut butter. The fluff adds body and even some moisture to the sandwich while avoiding the sogginess that sometimes comes with jelly.  After two, maybe three sandwiches (in the name of being thorough and sure), I can say that I am a fan.