Here is my latest column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail:
The quintessential Christmas cookie tray often includes peanut butter blossoms with the Hershey Kiss in the center, classic sugar cookies in the shape of trees and bells and maybe some peanut brittle for a mix of sweet and salty.
Peanut brittle is a smooth, flat candy broken into shards with peanuts embedded inside. It is buttery, crunchy, nutty – and will add some West Virginia folklore flare to your platter.
Much like how folk heroes Johnny Appleseed planted apple trees down the coast and John Henry raced a steam-powered drill, Tony Beaver – a giant lumberjack who lived in the mountains of West Virginia – brought us peanut brittle.
Tony Beaver’s adventures were created by the West Virginia “woodhicks,” a common term for loggers in the state from 1880 to 1920, according to e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia Online, when they would try to out-lie each other during evenings in the logging camps.
Known as a cousin to Paul Bunyan, Tony Beaver was said to have been born regular-size but grew to 18 feet tall and operated a lumbering camp up on the mountain on the mythical “Eel River.” He was friends with two giant oxen, Hannibal and Goliath, invented both clothespins and match sticks, and grew jumbo-sized watermelons and peanuts.
During one particularly rainy summer, the Eel River rose to alarming heights, and the village people begged Tony Beaver to save their town from flooding. He loaded his giant peanuts into wagons and instructed the townspeople to shell and toss them into the river, while his logging crew dumped barrels of molasses into the water to slow it down. As the river churned and toiled the peanuts and molasses, it created a thick, golden brown sludge that hardened, creating a dam and halting the rising river.
After the weather returned to normal, Tony Beaver took a giant ax to the dam, shattering it into shards and creating the world’s first peanut brittle candy that the villagers exclaimed was “dam good.”
Another common origin story is one of a southern cook who, while making taffy, accidentally added baking soda instead of cream of tartar, creating the hard, brittle structure instead of a stretchy taffy one.
Regardless of how the confection arrived in the region, peanut brittle rose to popularity in the 19th century and gained traction in the American south where peanuts helped make the dessert versatile and affordable.
Made from sugar, peanuts, and a touch of baking soda that is carefully boiled, stirred and poured onto a cool slab, peanut brittle helps tell a story of resourcefulness.
In Appalachia, where families rely on locally sourced ingredients and creative cooking methods, peanut brittle quickly found a home. The candy’s long shelf life made it ideal for preserving a sweet treat during leaner months, and its simple preparation ensured it could be made even in kitchens with modest resources. By the 20th century, peanut brittle had become a hallmark of Appalachian kitchens, with recipes passed down through generations.
Recipes are frequently handwritten on stained recipe cards or remembered by heart, ensuring that the candy remains a link to past generations. Each bite carries with it the flavors of tradition and the pride of preserving a regional favorite.
Peanut brittle embodies the region’s ingenuity, using simple ingredients to create something delightful. It connects people to their past, with each recipe telling a story of family, tradition, and community - perfect for the holidays.
