The Food
When it comes to comfort food, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are at the top of my list. It's one of my go to foods when recovering from an illness and favorite anytime snack. Over the years I have developed a process for making the perfect PB&J and it starts with using the right ingredients. Growing up the brand named peanut butters that I remember are Skippy, Peter Pan and Jif. My brand of choice is Jif extra crunchy, Why Jif? "Choosy Moms Choose Jif." is the jingle that has stuck with me into my adult hood. For the bread it has to be Wonder Bread - Classic White, and it has to be fresh. Last but not lest is the jelly. It is important to note that jams and preserves simply will not do, it has to be Welch's grape jelly. I love the taste of Welches and the fact that Concord grapes are listed as its main ingredient.
Now for the process - When spreading peanut butter (especially extra crunchy) I find it spreads easier if you start with a single slice of bread flat on a plate. Nothing will ruin a perfect PB&J quicker than jelly dripping through hole torn bread. I tend to use generous amounts of both peanut butter and jelly when making my sandwich so this is a critical step. Once you have your sandwich assembled you are ready for the final step, which is to cut it diagonally. This last step may seem trivial but do not discount the importance of presentation. And there you have it -- The perfect PB&J.
The Thought
Clayton M. Christensen summarized his essay "How Will You Measure Your Life?" with this thought "... the metric by which God will assess my life isn't dollars but the individual people whose lives I've touched." The essay is from the book "Harvard Business Review 10 Must Reads on Managing Yourself", and has been the catalyst for some great conversations between my wife and I as we read through it together. The book is just one of a series and has earned a spot on our reading table.
The author reminds us to make time for one of the most important things in life, our relationships with people. Yet it is one of the first things that goes to the wayside once you get on the rollercoaster of life. It doesn't help that when we think of success it is money and power that are the forerunners for our attention and relationships are what we sacrifice to gain them. Harry Chapin's Cats in the Cradle is a sad song of lost time between a father and son and an example of how easily we lose touch with this precious bond.
The Brain
So what is your prefect recipe for a successful relationship? Are you using fresh and named brand products you can trust. Does the quality of the ingredients you're using concern you? Do you have a process for success? Does how it looks matter? Not sure or unhappy with your answers. If so maybe you should take the time to make yourself the perfect PB&J and give it some thought.
"Stale bread makes stale toast."
