Best toast topping around?

I’m pretty sure this is the best almond butter I’ve ever tried. And it’s definitely the only one that’s ever won my heart. If you’re inclined towards almonds, I think you’ll find that you’re equally high on it. And if you like great peanut butter—like the delicious Koeze brand we bring down from Grand Rapids, I have a feeling you’re going to really enjoy this stuff, too.

The almond butter is the brainchild of Jaime Foster who lives outside Atlanta. A few years ago she decided to produce and sell the simple and delicious almond butter her grandfather had been making for years. It’s remarkably straightforward, but the key is its simplicity—just really high-quality almonds bought from one particular farm in California, ground in really small batches. No added sugar, oil, emulsifiers, gums or artificial additives at all. All they do is gently roast the almonds, then grind them in a few pounds at a time to preserve their natural flavor, add a bit of coarse sea salt, and that’s it. Jaime leaves the butter a bit coarser and crunchier than most—the ratio of almond pieces to ground butter is very high, so it doesn’t taste gummy or sticky at all.

Personally, I’ve been eating the almond butter because it tastes good. But, it’s also really good for you—almond butter has been tied to cardiac health and lower blood pressure, and it’s high in antioxidants. It’s a very healthy snack.

To be honest, I’ve been eating it out of the jar by the spoonful. But, of course, it’s great on almond butter and jelly sandwiches. Or almond butter, honey and banana sandwiches. Or almond butter and bacon on buttered whole-wheat toast! Pretty much anything that’d be good with peanut butter is also great with this nut butter from the South. Last week I mixed it with sherry vinegar and extra virgin olive oil to make a really excellent almond butter vinaigrette for salad. Amazing, delicious, addictive.