The Grown Up PB&J: A Gourmet Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipe

Hey sis. Some sandwiches are just lunch. And then there's the PB&J, which is a whole childhood pressed between two slices of bread. The one your mama made on white bread with the crusts cut off if you were lucky. I loved that sandwich. I still do. But we're grown now, and I decided our favorite sandwich deserved to grow up with us.

What makes a PB&J grown up

Three upgrades. That's all it takes.

The bread comes first. Skip the sandwich loaf and pick up something with a real crust and an open crumb, sourdough or a good country loaf, sliced thick enough to hold its own.

The peanut butter is next. Natural, the kind you have to stir, with peanuts and salt on the label and nothing else.

And the jam is the whole point. Instead of the grape jelly you grew up with, a generous layer of Blackberry Merlot. Deep blackberry sweetness with the richness of real Merlot cooked right into it. Plain jelly never even dreamed of tasting like this.

Why Blackberry Merlot works with peanut butter

Peanut butter is salty and rich, and it wants fruit with some depth to it. Grape jelly gives you sugar. Blackberry Merlot gives you layers. The blackberries bring the fruit, the Merlot lays a little velvet underneath it, and together they taste like somebody actually thought about your sandwich.

And before you ask, the alcohol cooks off when we make the jam. Only the flavor stays. This sandwich is safe for every lunchbox in the house.

The grown up PB&J recipe

This is how we make it at my house. The skillet step is optional, but look at that photo and tell me you're skipping it. Makes one sandwich, and you'll want to make two.

What you need

• 2 thick slices of artisan bread, sourdough or a good country loaf

• 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter, the kind you have to stir

• 2 heaping tablespoons Jam Vino Blackberry Merlot

• 1 tablespoon softened butter for the skillet

• A small pinch of flaky salt if you like

How to make it

1. Heat a skillet over medium and butter one side of each slice of bread.

2. Toast the slices butter side down until deep golden, about 3 minutes, then move them to a cutting board. A regular toaster works too if the skillet feels like too much for a Tuesday.

3. While the bread is still warm, spread the peanut butter on one slice so it softens and settles into the crumb.

4. Spoon the Blackberry Merlot onto the other slice. Be generous. This is not the moment to be shy.

5. Press the slices together, cut the sandwich in half, and finish with that little pinch of flaky salt if you're feeling fancy.

6. Pour something on the side. Cold milk for the lunchbox memories, a glass of Merlot for the grown up ones.

One bite and you'll understand. It's your childhood favorite with a glass of wine's worth of grown folks flavor.

Ways to change it up

Swap the jam and you have a whole new sandwich. Raspberry Moscato with peanut butter reads sweeter and brighter, almost like a raspberry truffle on toast. Strueberry Blanc, our strawberry blueberry jam, is the closest cousin to the classic, and it's what my strawberry jelly people reach for first.

A few slices of banana never hurt anybody. And if you're feeling bold, a strip or two of crispy bacon in the middle will change your whole afternoon.

One more thing before you go make this

If you're wondering what wine infused jam actually is and how the wine gets in the jar, I wrote the whole story down on the Jam Journal, and it's worth reading while your bread toasts. And if you're going to be buying jam anyway, join the Jam Society first. It's free, and every jar you buy earns points toward money off the next one.

You deserve a brand that says thank you. Everyday luxury, sis.

Love,

Chef Lorious