Give Your PB&J Sandwich An Idaho-Style Upgrade With One Unique Jam

The classic PB&J sandwich is hard to beat: In between two slices of white bread sits a layer of sticky peanut butter, smooth jam, and a whole lot of nostalgia. Its simplicity makes it a childhood classic for a reason, but it remains a go-to for those who crave quick and easy comfort foods. Even so, the PB&J can grow tiresome if it's a regular part of your diet, but thankfully, there are ways to upgrade your PB&J. We aren't going to tell you to add a bunch of new ingredients; there are plenty of ways to be creative without altering the heart of the sandwich. To give your PB&J a little Idaho-style upgrade, for instance, simply swap out your favorite jam with the state-famous huckleberry jam.

The huckleberry is so special to Idaho because the berries grow at high elevations and thrive in cool forests of the Pacific Northwest, which Idaho is certainly not lacking. Their prevalence and cultural importance in the state made it the official state fruit back in 2000, and if you visit Idaho, you'll find plenty of products made with the unique berry, including huckleberry jam. The berry itself looks very similar to a blueberry, but it is more tart than sweet, tasting like a cross between a blackberry and a blueberry. When made into a jam, the berries are typically mixed with sugar, pectin, and a bit of lemon juice to create the perfect sweet and tart combo that will totally upgrade your typical PB&J.

We love the classic rendition of the PB&J that requires no cooking or dirtying of dishes. However, if you're already spicing it up with some huckleberry jam, you may as well go one step further and throw it on the stove for a few minutes. Grilling is one of our favorite ways to upgrade the PB&J, and it couldn't be simpler: Assemble the sandwich with some peanut butter and huckleberry jam, and then melt some butter over medium heat as you would for a grilled cheese. Place the sandwich on the stove, flipping it once the first side is golden brown and adding more butter if necessary. When both sides have reached the color you desire, remove it from the stove, cut into it, and enjoy all that delectable melty goodness.

If you grill your PB&J, consider using crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth, as this will give you a bit of additional texture. You may prefer an alternative nut butter instead, like almond butter or sun butter, and both of these work just as well. Plus, they taste similar enough to peanut butter, so you know that huckleberry jam will still work wonders. Grab a bag of some Idaho potato chips for some additional snacking, and you're on your way to becoming a true Idahoan.