Ahhhh, nut butter. The spread for your morning toast, the dip for your afternoon snack, the topping for your late night dessert. Nut butter can easily be incorporated into any meal of the day is something to shout about.
A nut butter tastes best to me when the ingredients are natural - sans vegetable oils, please! so when I came across Pip & Nut at Whole Foods about a year ago, I was hooked. The only downside was committing to a flavour and settling the dilemma between smooth and crunchy consistency for an entire 1kg tub.
I wasn't alone. Pip & Nut have taken community feedback and have newly launched their products in glass jars. Not only does the move to glass improve the recyclability of the products, but it also means that in 300g and 170g sizes, trying new flavours and rotating between them once you've found your favourites can happen more often.
The new glass jars come in ten flavours, and the six I tried were the perfect teaser.
The Smooth Peanut Butter had been my go-to in the previous tubs, but the 300g jar made it much easier to mix in the natural oil separation and get an even consistency. This peanut butter is a classic, perfectly smooth but not creamy with a nice salty, authentic peanut finish.
The Ultimate Crunchy Peanut Butter (300g) is made with dark roasted peanuts, changing the flavour profile. It has a deep rich flavour with coffee-like notes, which would make it the perfect companion to chocolate. The crunchy texture has good chunks which aren't overwhelming.
There is a distinct sweet smell that hits you immediately upon opening the Crunchy Maple Peanut Butter (300g) lid. As a Canadian, I LOVE maple syrup, but the flavour is not particularly prominent, so anyone who doesn't like the sweet, tree sap stuff could enjoy this as well. Unlike traditional maple butters, the peanut crunch texture and distinct peanut taste make this unique. It would be excellent on toast with banana or apple, and because of the subtly sweet maple flavour, no honey is necessary!
The Smooth Almond Butter (170g) has a salty roasted flavour, unlike the sweetness in the flavour of raw almonds or almond paste. Although it is labelled smooth, this one has a little more texture than smooth peanut butter. Because of this, I would use it as a dip with apples or other firm fruit rather than mixing or blending it into a sauce or smoothie.
The Dark Chocolate & Cornish Sea Salt (170g) is a limited edition packaged in a smaller sized jar so get it quickly! It's not overly chocolatey and has a smooth texture, but the sea salt provides a nice bite to it. It would make for a perfect high protein ice cream sundae topping, and I can't wait to drizzle it over some orange slices.
The Coconut Almond Butter (170g) has a distinct coconut flavour which is well balanced with the salt from the almonds and has a nice smooth texture. You will find me using this in upcoming Asian savoury marinades and salad dressing recipes!
With the new glass jar packaging, Pip & Nut are inspiring alternative ways to reuse their jars after the good stuff inside is gone. From salad dressing to bedside storage, the options are endless. I will be using mine as flower vases to tablescape my next dinner party or girls brunch I host!
Chatting Food Contributor ALYSSA LEANNE:
Alyssa's motto is, "The fastest way to the heart is through the stomach" and she has fallen in love with cities, cuisines and people after tasting their food. After over seven years in lifestyle PR, she landed in her true passion for food and beverage where she makes food and drinks look gorgeous for the camera and informative to consumers. She loves a tasting menu and is always up for creating her own by sharing with whoever she is dining out with. While at home, she is an avid dinner party host, experimental recipe developer and enjoys everything extra spicy!