PRODUCTS Lee Zalben invites us all to revisit his childhood. BY DONNA PACE A ah, the golden days of youth. Afternoons spent building snowmen or darting through the sprinklers gave way to playing ball until the streetlights came on and sleepover parties. And many a lunch menu featured that staple of American cuisine: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Our craving for nostalgia is evi- denced everywhere we go, includ- ing New York City's Greenwich Village. On any given street, one may come across clothing boutiques brimming with vintage designs and shop windows enticingly displaying fresh-baked pink-frosted cupcakes. Or, in the case of Peanut Butter & Co., customers are beckoned to stop in to sample jars of peanut- butter-based concoctions. The brainchild of Lee Zalben, 32, the cozy shop is reminiscent of a school lunchroom with sunny yellow walls, plain wood tables and shelves lined with vintage lunch boxes and peanut-butter kitsch. Beginning with six sticky flavors — including Cinnamon Raisin Swirl (tastes like cinnamon-raisin toast with peanut butter) and the Heat Is On (blend- ed with fiery spices) — that are available nationally, Zalben offers a dozen sandwich combinations served on colorful Fiestaware. Among the customer favorites are the Lunchbox Special of classic PB & J and the Elvis, a decadent grilled combo of peanut butter and banana drizzled with honey (bacon is optional). Also on the menu are similarly nostalgic comfort sandwiches such as bologna, chicken salad and grilled cheese, all served on thick slices (to evoke the little-hand feel- ing) of white or whole-wheat bread (yes, they'll cut off the crusts) and accompanied by potato chips and carrot sticks. For dessert? An assortment of peanut butter-laden treats, including Peanut Butter Cookies, Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie and Peanut Butter Tiramisli. 34 • % 1 R 11 • JNPLATINUM Lee Zalben, aka the Peanut Butter Guy, has a snack in front of his shop in New York City. The shop has developed a passionate following, including Jerry Seinfeld, who wrote the foreword to Zalben's book, The Peanut Butter & Co. Cookbook (Chronicle Books; $16.95), which hit bookstores last November. His fans' love of downing gooey gourmet blasts from the past have made Zalben's enterprise the fastest-growing peanut-butter company in the world: Within his first two years in business, Zalben's jars of peanut butter were available in 4,000 stores nationwide. Growing up in Philadelphia, Zalben spent a lot of time around both food (he, his mother and his broth- er each had their own jar of peanut butter with their names on it) and the entrepreneurial spirit: His grandmother's kosher catering business was the largest in the city. "Food is such an important part of our culture — and especially Jewish culture," says Zalben. "It marks happiness, sadness and religious holidays. 1 recall eating latkes at Chanukah or matzah ball soup any time, and it takes me back to family