I’ve become a peanut-butter junkie. I go through jars of Teddie Old Fashioned Peanut Butter in an embarrassingly short time. I eat it plain — not in sandwiches, but in spoonfuls. That’s because Teddie peanut butter stands on its own, more snack than spread, too good to be relegated to condiment status. The difference between Teddie’s and name brands like Skippy or Jif is like the difference between Ben & Jerry’s and McDonald’s ice cream. One’s the real thing, natural, thick, and addicting. Eating the other is like eating whipped air, synthetic and unsatisfying.

Most modern peanut butter contains ingredients like corn syrup, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, and mono- and diglycerides, turning it into gobs of artery-clogging mud. Teddie keeps it simple: just roasted peanuts and salt. Not much has changed in the recipe since the company began downtown on State Street around 1920. Simplicity keeps the old-fashioned peanut butter naturally cholesterol-free, giving me a little more peace of mind when I reach the bottom of the jar in less than two days.

Available in smooth, chunky, and unsalted versions, for $2.50 for a 16-ounce jar, at local Shaw’s and Star Markets. Visit www.teddie.com for more information.