Barney Butter Goodness

now that valentine's day is over i don't have to bring you down/bore you by telling you about how i don't really believe in valentine's day. about how i think it should be called hallmark day and how couples shouldn't need a specific day to tell their loved one well, that they are loved. so luckily you all were spared my rant yesterday:)

today i had some (dun da da dun . . . ) barney butter. let me tell you first that my expectations for this almond butter were very high. i hate to have high expectations for things because then i am almost always disappoined. you know when you are the last person to see "the best movie of the year" and you think it's really not that great only because you were expecting an amazingly, wonderfully, powerfully, funny/romantic/dramatic epic movie. nothing can live up to those expectations. so i like to follow E's advice and keep my expectations low. however, so many other food bloggers have talked about this almond butter and raved and sang its praises that i couldn't help but think it was going to be good.

first let me say that i LOVE peanut butter. i love it on toast, on pancakes, on waffles, with chocolate, heck i love it straight out of the jar with a spoon. the only thing is it has to be creamy and it has to be pure peanut butter (although, let's be serious, i'll eat the kind with added junk i just love it so much).

unfortunately, i cannot say the same about almond butter. i mean, i like it but i haven't been able to bring myself to love it. it's probably because i have never found a truly creamy almond butter. no matter how much i try stirring it, it still isn't a wonderful creamy texture. so i have almond butter and i eat it occasionally in place of my beloved peanut butter but only because it's there, opened, in the fridge and it's good for me and it's a good change from peanut butter.

so, i finally tracked down a store that sold barney butter (none to be found at wegmans or whole foods!?!) but alas, the fresh market had it. i almost died when i saw it was $7.99 too. but the hype was too big, i had to buy it so i could try it. i purchased the creamy variety (of course) and brought it home.

it was worth every penny. first of all look at it! it looks like peanut butter. it's not lumpy and thick and speckled with darker almond skins like other almond butters. it is pure heaven. i am hooked. sorry peanut butter, you now have serious competition. the best news is you don't have to stir it or keep it in the fridge.

this morning i slathered it between a banana and i loved every bite. (i also had my favorite cherry almond yogi cereal - you can see the reflection of barney butter in the picture)

seriously, you must try this barney butter. go to their website here and search for stores in your area that carry it. you won't be dissapointed (unless, of course, i have talked it up too much and your expectations are now too hight:)

of course, it is a little saddening that this has added stuff (evaporated cane juice and palm fruit oil) but i don't care! i will eat this and i will love every bite!