The Battle of the Butters.

Now that my parents have replenished my American PB, I feel compelled to write about the differences between the American stuff and European stuff.

First of all, peanut butter of any form is not the easiest to find here. Grocery stores usually have 1 kind (pictured below) and don't shelve it where you would think, with the other spreads. I've seen it in a different section in each grocery store that I've gone to!

European peanut butter does not have the "salty/sweet" flavoring that American peanut butter has. It is dry, not processed, much healthier, and much less flavorful (no offense!). It's more like America's organic peanut butter, or peanut butter that you might make yourself out of your own peanuts. I've gotten used to it, but it took quite awhile and I still don't love it because it's so dry. It actually translates to "peanut spread" more so than "peanut butter" and that's what I would equate it to as well. There's nothing buttery about it! It's really not the same phenomenon as in the United States. For all intents and purposes, I still argue that Europe does not have peanut butter...at least as we know it!

Went to the grocery store and stocked up on the important things in life.

At the train station in Paris, I popped into a librairie and picked up a compact paperback thinking I would need something to read while I'm in Switzerland this weekend. I was excited to find Eating Animals, which is something I've wanted to read for quite awhile.

Jonathan Safran Foer (a favorite author of mine) wrote this when he realized he couldn't explain to his son why we eat some animals and not others (i.e. pig yes, cat no). Foer did a lot of research into the animals eaten in different cultures, and the conditions in which some of these animals are captured or caught, and then slaughtered, and how the manner in which this is done affects our health on a daily basis. I read about 30 pages en route from Paris to Luxembourg but wanted to save the rest for the weekend. I'll have to let you know what I learn!

Getting excited to see my parents in Luxembourg City tonight...and to spend the day with them tomorrow!