But today, peanuts are the source of both hope and fear: while there’s been a surprisingly steep rise of peanut allergies in recent decades that can—though rarely—lead to death, peanut butter is also the basis of a medical therapy used to save the lives of millions of children around the world. Author and journalist Jon Krampner is the author of Creamy & Crunchy: An Informal History of Peanut Butter, the All-American Food, which contains, alongside the story behind America's favorite sandwich spread, an extensive peanut discography and enough peanut butter recipes to satisfy even the most hardened addict.