Peanuts are native to South America. In 1884, Canadian Marcellus Gilmore Edson of Montreal was the first to patent peanut butter. In 1895 the USA cereal pioneer John Harvey Kellogg patented a way to boil and grind peanuts, mainly for people with bad teeth. Peanut paste (as it was called) was a staple for older people. Peanuts became widely available after the boll weevil devastated cotton in the south. Meat rationing occurred during World War I, and peanuts were a common protein alternative. Today, peanut butter is found in 94% of American households.
Growing Home: Peanuts
