December 16, dinner prep
December 16th, 2009 | by TJ |“Did you just use the same knife for the peanut butter and the jelly?”
“Yes, because I don’t want to dirty extra dishes.”
“That’s not how– you’re supposed to– first of all, you use a spoon for the jelly.”
“No, you use a knife for the peanut butter and you put it on the bread, then you wipe the knife off on the other bread so that one, you don’t waste any peanut butter and two, it is clean to go in the jelly.”
“No, that’s not how. You use a spoon in the jelly. There is probably peanut butter in the jelly now.”
“I don’t see any.”
“Well… there is. There has to be. There just is. You did it wrong.”
“No, I didn’t and it sounds like someone is making their own peanut butter and jelly sandwiches forever.”
“Sounds like someone just needs to learn how to make peanut butter and jelly correctly. And you have to use a big spoon.”
“… You are lucky that you are passably attractive.”
By boomer on Dec 16, 2009
Whoever uses a spoon in the jelly probably hangs toilet paper the wrong way, too.
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By boomer on Dec 16, 2009
Whoever uses a spoon in the jelly probably hangs toilet paper the wrong way, too.
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By Lara on Dec 16, 2009
I’m with the knife-wiper.
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By Diane on Dec 16, 2009
I don’t know which is which here, but I’m a knife-wiper. Married to a knife-wiper. Except we argue about which the knife gets dipped into first — I say peanut butter, but he insists jelly goes first, which allows the sandwich-maker to lick any excess peanut butter from the knife.
Basically, I married a caveman.
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By Awlbiste on Dec 16, 2009
I can’t tell who is who on this one, but I agree with whoever uses the one knife situation.
Spoon… wtf.
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TJ Reply:
December 17th, 2009 at 12:02 am
TAKE THAT YOU STUPID CORN.
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Mikey Reply:
December 17th, 2009 at 12:38 am
ftw!
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By Phil on Dec 16, 2009
Yes, SPOON!!! You use the back side of the spoon to smooth out the jelly. It just works better…damn it. I have a feeling I am going to lose this battle.
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Capn John Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
I would like to direct you towards this site: http://working-as-designed.blogspot.com/2006/03/peanut-butter-and-jelly.html
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TJ Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
I’m pretty sure my sandwich making method is adequate.
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Capn John Reply:
December 17th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Are you satisfied with ‘adequate’ sandwich making skills?
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TJ Reply:
December 17th, 2009 at 12:02 am
Dude, you lost a lot of battles the second you proposed.
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Liz Reply:
December 17th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Phil: Just say “yes dear, you are right” from now on. :)
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By Swistle on Dec 16, 2009
You use a KNIFE for the JAM, but you do the jam FIRST and then do the knife-wiping-on-the-bread thing. Because it is okay if there are traces of jam in the peanut butter, but NOT if there are traces of peanut butter in the jam.
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TJ Reply:
December 17th, 2009 at 12:02 am
Hmmm. I want to agree because you’re a fellow wiper, but I am a peanut butter first type, so we’re also at odds.
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By Louisiana Jeff on Dec 16, 2009
I’m a peanut butter 1st knife wiper, and I’m old, so I MUST BE RESPECTED!! lol
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TJ Reply:
December 17th, 2009 at 12:01 am
AGREED.
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By Mj on Dec 16, 2009
Peanut butter on both sides, so the jelly doesn’t soak through the bread. And buy the squirt jelly – it doesn’t need a spoon or knife (use the knife from the peanut butter to spread if you will)
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TJ Reply:
December 17th, 2009 at 12:01 am
Squirt jelly is GROSS.
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By Jade on Dec 16, 2009
Knife-wiper here, definitely. The hubs, on the other hand, is a spoon-user. And I really think he and I had this exact same conversation about a month ago.
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TJ Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 11:59 pm
Well, I hope he has since realized the error of his ways.
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By ggs_closet on Dec 16, 2009
You ALWAYS use a spoon with the jelly. Its a law or something.
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TJ Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 11:59 pm
The law of people who like to wash excess dishes!
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Adlib Reply:
December 17th, 2009 at 8:21 am
Word.
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By BugginWord on Dec 16, 2009
Bread? Utensils? I always just scoop the peanut butter onto my finger, drag gooped finger through the jelly, then shove it in my mouth. TaDah!! No dishes. Fight Over. You’re welcome.
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TJ Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
I only do that when he’s not looking.
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By Iain on Dec 16, 2009
I’ve never heard of anyone who uses a spoon and a knife.
I’m siding with the knife-wiper.
Is it just me… am I the only one who never knows which is Phil and which is TJ in these conversations?
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Melissa Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 11:24 pm
I’m with you – I thought for sure TJ was the jelly-spooner. How wrong one can be! (Like Phil – dirtying 2 utensils when one will do? Seriously?)
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TJ Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
I know, right? It doesn’t make any sense.
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Capn John Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
I think I read this one the wrong way. I was under the impression it was TJ insisting you use a spoon for the jelly, but I think it’s really Phil who is the spoon user.
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TJ Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
HE is the spoon user.
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TJ Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
People are often confused as to which is which. Sometimes it is more obvious than others.
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Capn John Reply:
December 17th, 2009 at 11:42 am
It’s twice as much fun if we don’t know who is who, because then you can read the post a second time and change the roles around.
On my first read TJ was the spoon user. Of course she was. The woman showers while wearing a glove so she never has to be naked, ever, so of course she’s the Jelly Spoon user.
But then you read that very last comment, which has TJ written all over it, and you realize PHIL IS THE SPOON USER! And that’s even funnier! :D
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By Tristan on Dec 16, 2009
PBJ for dinner, classy!
Also, do you know what the difference is between Peanut Butter and Jam?
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TJ Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
Hey, not every dinner can be a linen napkin affair. And he was having ramen.
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Tristan Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 11:59 pm
I guess, I had Peanut Butter and Cheese for breakfast this morning :P
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By Dammerung on Dec 16, 2009
Ummmmm.
Spoon.
Double knife usages? What? That is just wrong.
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TJ Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
But the knife is CLEANED OFF on the BREAD.
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Dammerung Reply:
December 17th, 2009 at 12:22 am
BUT THE KNIFE IS USED TWICE!
seriously.
spoon.
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Pablo Reply:
December 17th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Gotta go with knife wiping on this one…though I will admit to being jelly first since it cleans off of the knife easier. I’ve also found, through extensive research, that jelly sticks better to a clean, non-peanut butter laden knife.
I’ve never, ever heard of using a spoon for jelly…were you part of a cult or something as a child? WTF?
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By lenebean on Dec 16, 2009
Totally a knife wiper, peanut butter first. But I use jam or preserves; it could be different with grape jelly because it’s so gelatinous that it doesn’t really stay on the knife very well. I can’t stand grape jelly, or most jellies, really, so for me it’s moot.
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TJ Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 11:54 pm
Grape is gross. There was some in the house when I moved in, and I used it up making sandwiches for Phil. I will never buy any ever again.
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Dammerung Reply:
December 17th, 2009 at 12:22 am
Blackberry all the way.
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Adlib Reply:
December 17th, 2009 at 8:25 am
See, I can only eat grape jelly with peanut butter. I like strawberry, but it just doesn’t go as well with it.
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By Kestrel on Dec 16, 2009
Use the knife in the preserves, first (does anyone REALLY use jelly?). Then the peanut butter.
Why? Because the next person to use the jam/jelly/preserves just might have a peanut allergy. Was introduced to this by my youngest son when he was in college: One of his roomies did have a peanut allergy.
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TJ Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
Totally see the point there, but that’s not really a concern here, only Phil and I use the jelly.
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Dammerung Reply:
December 17th, 2009 at 12:23 am
You know… my mom has a peanut allergy. We simply don’t ever use/have peanuts of any sort when she’s at the house because even a good whiff = emergancy room. Of course she has it fairly bad.
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TJ Reply:
December 17th, 2009 at 12:28 am
I get that there are totally people in existence who HAVE peanut allergies. But I’m not one, and neither is Phil, and we’re the only ones who use our peanut butter, or are regularly AROUND our peanut butter, or in the general area of our knives which have been in contact with our peanut butter, so I am generally unconcerned.
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Dammerung Reply:
December 17th, 2009 at 12:33 am
Its not about the peanut allergy… its about the KNIFE being used TWICE and ONCE FOR A THING WITH WHICH KNIVES SHOULD HAVE NO CONGRESS.
That means SPOON.
Spoon all the way.
The peanut allergy thing though was wierd as it happened well after I was 25 and had grown up eating peanuts all my life… one winter BOOM peanuts now require hospital visits when visiting my mom.
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By Adrienzgirl on Dec 16, 2009
I use a spoon for the jelly.
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By JK on Dec 17, 2009
PB 1st knife wiper – that is all! :)
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By Mikey on Dec 17, 2009
You need a spoon for the jelly. Also toilet paper should roll under, that is all.
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Pablo Reply:
December 17th, 2009 at 11:25 am
Are you the anti-christ or something??
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By Becky on Dec 17, 2009
I suppose Phil is also one of those cooks that has to use every pot and 14 different spoons/spatulas when he cooks too? My husband is like that, and while I haven’t seen him make a pb&j sandwich (that’s kind of weird now that I think about it) I’m sure he either uses 2 knives or a knife and spoon. It’s just in his nature (to drive me crazy).
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By Jen_Ann_W on Dec 17, 2009
HA! This is awesome. Mine insists on using a spoon too, but I foiled his “system” by buying him a special jar of jelly that’s TOO SMALL TO FIT A SPOON INTO. Take that, mister I-WILL-DIRTY-EVERY-DISH-IN-THE-HOUSE-IN-ONE-DAY.
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By HokieJayBee on Dec 17, 2009
-10 man points for phil on this one. a second washable utensil? against mixing toppings? tisk tisk.
i have a 2.5 year old that eats PB&J for *every* meal. that is not hyperbole. he doesn’t like chicken nuggets, fries, hot dogs, grilled cheese, or anything else little kids are supposed to eat. he eats PB&J, that is it. [he likes bacon too, //proud//, but even i can't let the kid eat cooked pig for every meal, as much as he and i both want to]
in the last 6 months, it would not be an exaggeration to say that i have made over 200 PB&J’s. so i would consider myself somewhat of an aficionado.
PB&J can be a staple, that is fine. but you are to use as little washable dishwear as possible. this includes the exclusion of your wonderful plastic plates too TJ, i am sorry. [especially if they're not dishwasher safe?]
PB&J is a paper towel, two pieces of bread, knife the peanut butter onto one bread, wipe knife on other clean bread, two wipes is plenty, knife jelly onto clean bread (well, cleaner since it has two peanut butter streaks), close sandwich, hand to son on paper towel, rinse knife, toss in dishwasher.
that is the only way, and i won’t listen to anything else. thank you for your support.
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By ZombiePirateXXX on Dec 17, 2009
Slighlty off topic but if I can eat a meal using only a fork I will do, yet my wife insists on always giving me a knife with every meal. Even if I don’t use the knife she will still add it to the washing up… WTF!!!! That thing is still clean, I didn’t use it so you wouldn’t need to wash it.
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By Kestrel on Dec 17, 2009
Are we still talking jelly? You know, we did gain our independence from Britain over 225 years ago…that means we have the right to use REAL FRUIT PRESERVES on our PB sandwiches!
And of course, by that I mean American fruit: raspberries.
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By Kestrel on Dec 17, 2009
Hah! And I’m reminded of something that happened many, many years ago (sorry for the tangent, TJ).
After we became engaged, my wife-to-be picked out a silver pattern (Towle Old Master, for those of you scoring at home). I believe it was the Christmas before our June wedding that we received a piece of silver from her grandparents.
It was a spoon, but had an odd shape to it. Turns out it was a jelly spoon. I think we’ve used it for jellied cranberry sauce a few times.
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By Tim on Dec 17, 2009
Phil –
I’ve got your back here. Spoon is clearly the superior tool for the job, for both PB and J. Better portion control, smooth back works perfectly for spreading… The only thing that the knife has over Mr. Spoon is the ability to cut the sandwich in half after making, if one so desires. Although Spoon could do the job in a pinch.
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By JEC on Dec 17, 2009
I just use a knife, but I wipe it off on the inside edge of the PB or jelly jar. Nice flat knife blade against a sharp-edged container wall equals completely clean knife, ready to be dipped in your second PBJ component (I go PB to jelly, but it works in reverse). Using a spoon sounds wasteful. Squeeze jelly would make a nice compromise, but I can understand vetoing the idea.
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By Vronak on Dec 17, 2009
When in doubt, ask the Matrix, whose answer, obviously, is “There is no spoon.”
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By Mary on Dec 18, 2009
I use a spoon for both, the order varies. I like to mix a bunch of pb and j up in a bowl and then put that on some bread. Leftover eaten with spoon. :D
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By Chibi Jeebs on Feb 5, 2010
Don’t know how I missed this one the first time around.
We’re both knifers. How’s this for a head-scratcher, thought? My dear, darling, lovely other half demands a separate knife for the butter. HOWEVAH. He leaves half the loaf of bread in crumbs in the damned butter! *CHIBI SMASH*
Oh, I’m also like ZombiePirate’s wife in the giving him a knife even though he rarely uses it: it’s not that I’m intentionally being a wench, it’s just that that’s how you’re SUPPOSED to set the table. Hell, I twitch when he dumps the cutlery all willy-nilly on the plates instead of fork on the left and knife on the right.
Okay, I’m done being neurotic on your blog. For now.
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By Ikutai on Feb 5, 2010
Clearly, anyone with a civilized mindset would realize that the Jam/Preserves requires the careful portion control of a spoon.
Heathens, with their double knife mixing. Ugh.
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