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The peanut, America’s
favorite nut, is no nut at all. Instead, the peanut, arachis
hypogaea, is a legume.
It begins as a plant, forming flowers that bend and burrow
into the soil.
From there, the flowers turn into edible seeds (the legume)
that ripen underground. As a legume, the peanut is
more a cousin to the black-eye pea.
But it’s a pea with qualities of a nut,
so it has the best of both worlds.
Grown in the American South
and important in Southern
cuisine, the peanut is most often
consumed whole, as a snack,
or as peanut butter. These foods
rise to the level of cultural icon,
as evident in the song,
Take Me Out to the Ball Game:
Buy me some peanuts
and Cracker Jacks
I don't care if I never get back
Indeed, to many Americans,
peanuts belong at the ballpark.
Peanuts and peanut butter,
like apple pie, are icons of
American happiness, comfort and fun.
The marketing of peanut butter
and peanuts has given us
the unforgettable, and squarely American
planters icon.
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