Art, for Peanut Butter's Sake

Art, for Peanut Butter's Sake

Peanut butter sandwich museumPhoto: Theresa Raffetto for Peanut Butter & Co.

A passion for peanut butter can drive a person to do crazy things -- eat entire jars in one sitting (I'm looking at you, boss); leave the safety of a hiding spot for Reese's Pieces (it's ok, it all turned out okay for E.T. in the end); or, in the case of Lee Zalben, open a shop that sells peanut butter in a variety of palate-bending flavors.

In the 13 years since Zalben first introduced Peanut Butter & Co. to New York City, he's continued to reinvent the PB&J. Last year, he challenged himself to create a new peanut butter sandwich for every day of the year. He did it, and 365 exotic, clever and downright crazy concoctions later, the idea for Nutropolitan -- "the world's first PB&J art exhibit" -- was born.

The Nutropolitan Museum of Art -- a three-day pop-up art gallery featuring images of some of Zalben's sandwich creations -- is the product of Zalben's peanut-butter know-how, food stylist Patty White's execution, and photographer Theresa Raffetto's artful lens. Just in time for National Peanut Month, Zalben, together with the National Peanut Board and Openhouse Gallery, is putting his artwork on display.