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I Brake for Boiled Peanuts

The Roadside Guide to Boiled Peanuts
A service of the Global Boiling blog. Submit your reviews here or via thomas(at)global-boiling(dot)com.
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Jaemor Farm Market
5340 Cornelia Hwy. 365N
[near Cornelia on east side of highway]
Alto, GA 30510, US
770-869-3999
Rating: 4 peas on 5-pea-pod scale
Verdict: Smallish nuts a wee bit on the firm and crunchy side. I was told they boil “sun-dried” peanuts. I said I want peanuts, not tomatoes (just kidding). But I guess that means they’re closer to raw than green, which is fine by me. They have proper salinity and are easy to eat using the one-handed method (so you can snack while you drive).
Season: n/a (probably year ‘round)
Hours: n/a
Price:$3 (or thereabouts)
Serving: n/a (about a pint?)
Notes: Usually served hot from a large pot in front a very large market. Mainly an apple farm I think. They sell lots of juices, jams, etc.
Proprietor: n/a
Last taste: 2006 08; 2003 09
Nut type: Sun-dried, medium-sized
Soak time: n/a
Boil time: n/a
Other:
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Elderly man named Sleepy or something
Archer (or was it Jasper?), Florida, USA
Rating: 0 peas on 5-pea-pod scale
Price: $2 (?)
Serving: n/a (don't matter)
Verdict: I do respect my elders. They deserve it mostly. But this was especially awful. I don’t fault Sleepy (?) because I only understood every fourth word he said. He seemed friendly enough. And I felt bad making this man get up out of his chair; I thought it might the last time he ever walked. But I do fault him because he did say that he boiled his peanuts for a couple of hours. NOT GOOD ENOUGH SIR. If you want to support the cause, be polite and stop by. Give him a few bucks. But don’t eat those half-stewed legumes. Undercooked. Tiny fragments. Awful tastin’. I didn’t. Even. Finish. The bag.
Notes: Had read about him in the Gainesville Sun. They obviously wrote a human interest story, not a boiled-peanuts interest story.
Proprietor: Sleepy
Season: n/a (don't hold your breath)
Tasted on: 2002 (circa)
Soak time: n/a (doubtful)
Boil time: 2 hours
Other: This man has a machete. I would say be careful, but I’m not sure he can lift it over his head.
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Fruit Basket, The
7716 Hwy 140
Adairsville, GA 30103, US
(770) 877-9500
Rating: 3 peas on a 5-pea-pod scale
Verdict: The Fruit Basket disappointed on this visit. Though they had a 50-pound bag of New Mexico Valencias sitting out front -- doing nothing but tantalizing -- the servings we got seemed more like jumbo runner types.

We got there just as the fellow was closing. He had just put away his extras for the day, so they came out of the refrigerator. Unfortunately, they weren’t cold yet. Chilled is cool, and hot is cool. But lukewarm is not cool.

We would have downgraded the rating one pea, but they held up well as snack later in the week. Probably because they were at least somewhat freshly boiled; the fellow said he makes a batch every other day.

Season: Probably all year round
Hours: Probably all day long
Price: $2.50
Serving: Probably a quart in a Ziploc bag
Notes: The stand is on the left (south) as you head west off I-75; exit 306
Proprietor: n/a
Last taste: July 2008; 2003; 2001
Nut type: Maybe Valencias, but they were large
Soak time: n/a
Boil time: n/a; new batch every other day
Taster: Thomas
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God's Way Farm
somewhere along SR 53
[3.5 miles west of GA400/19]
Georgia, USA
Rating: 3.5 peas on 5-pea-pod scale.
Verdict: Hot, very tasty peanuts. Not many splitters.
Season: n/a
Hours: n/a
Price: about $3(?)
Serving: n/a (generous amount)
Notes: Lots of other fruits and veggies and stuff to be had.
Proprietor: n/a
Last taste: 2005 10
Nut type: Regular-sized. Must’ve been raw to start with.
Soak time: n/a
Boil time: 8 hours
Other: Great place to stop for leguminous bio-fuel on the way to Edge of the World rapids or Amicalola Falls State Park from ATL.
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Mickey’s Jumbo Boiled Peanuts
North Ave NW & Techwood Dr NW
Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field (and, presumably other Southern stadia)
Atlanta, GA 30313, US
Rating: 1 pea on 5-pea-pod scale.
Verdict: Buying boiled peanuts on the sidewalk on the way into a stadium is an iffy proposition. Unless you sample them beforehand, you never know what you’ll get. And you’ll never see that purveyor again. So I was glad to see BPs on the menu at Tech football games. Jumbo nuts, no less! Unfortunately, these are barely passable. Very mealy. Very mushy. Not firm. And they taste industrial. Both times I’ve tried ‘em. Must be hard to make and serve BPs on that scale. Maybe they were frozen too long. I confess that I ate the whole serving. That’s no endorsement, though. Just the only reason to give a 1-pea rating instead of 0.
Season: Football
Hours: Game day, game time
Price: $5
Serving: 20-ounce cup
Notes: From their website: “Precise quality assurance ensure (sic) consistent quality and Flavor.” True that. Consistently awful quality and flavor. These taste suspiciously like another gross Florida brand, Papa John’s, which I found in the grocery.
Proprietor: Mickey Freymuller
Last taste: 2006 11; 2006 09
Nut type: From their website: “Exclusively hand-selected Virginia Jumbo and Fancy peanuts.”
Soak time: n/a
Boil time: n/a
Other: Get them only if you’re desperate. But don’t let BP newbies try them, lest they think all BPs are this dreadful.
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Two women and a trailer
Table Rock, South Carolina
Rating: 4 peas on 5-pea-pod scale.
Verdict: When I saw they were flying the boiled peanuts flag above their trailer hitch on the corner at this intersection, I knew these were going to hit the spot. Having missed out on a b-nut fix the previous Friday, my craving on this Sunday was at a fever pitch. Luckily, these were very fresh tasting peanuts of average size, with moderate salinity, and a generous helping of ‘em.
Season: n/a (definitely around major holidays like Thanksgiving)
Hours: n/a
Price: $3
Serving: 32 ounce (?) cup
Notes: One of the women said the flag came from her father! They had a nice concession-stand-on-a-trailer hitch ed up to a truck (I think) with a huge boiling vat and room for them stand in whilst serving. Very impressive.
Proprietor: n/a
Last taste: 2006 11 26.
Nut type: Regular-sized, maybe Valencia type nuts.
Soak time: Yes.
Boil time: 8-10 hours.
Other:
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Ohoopee Mart
Swainsboro, Georgia
Rating: 2 peas on a 5-pea-pod scale.
Verdict: For so long, the utilitarian in me just adored jumbo boiled peanuts. After all, considering the economies of shell, you get more peanut meat for less work. And bigger is just plain better as us Texans says. But we left Texas when I was the ripe old age of three... These Vidalia Peanut Company boilers--available in convenience store hot pots and grocery stores’ freezers across Georgia and beyond--have forced me to reconsider. My impression was that these were a decent, consistent brand. And perhaps this is so. But these jumbo peanuts just don’t have the generous flavor of the smaller Valencia varieties--or even Spanish redskins! Splitters abound. And I’ve noticed that the bigger the peanut, the more inconsistent the flavor in a given batch. This is aside from the fact that you never know if the c-store clerks faithfully clean and replenish the pot every day. And the big five- and 10-pound freezer bags usually have lots of peanut debris in them, which is just odd... I can’t blame the good folks at VPC. I’m the one who has changed.
Season: Most days
Hours: Most of the day
Price: $3
Serving: A giant Styrofoam cup
Notes: They also sell the frozen Vidalia brand boilers here at the Ohoopee Mart.
Proprietor: A gas station and convenience store.
Last taste: 2007 04 21.
Nut type: Jumbo.
Soak time:?
Boil time: Pre-boiled, boiled in-store.
Taster: Thomas
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David's Produce & Country Store
3561 Lavista Rd
Decatur, Georgia 30033
404-325-0709
Rating: 4 peas on a 5-pea-pod scale
Update May 3, 2008: Bought two bags served out of one of the warm pots, not the steaming hot one. It was a slightly more inconsistent batch than last time but neither fact prevented me from gorging whilst maneuvering I-285 on the way home. Later, we enjoyed them chilled, on ice, with friends at a Derby Day gathering. Still the best place to get your fix on a regular basis ITP in the ATL.
Verdict: For intowners, the idea of snacking on boiled peanuts regularly is downright exotic. So much of the experience (allegedly) lies in the sudden application of the brakes to get your fix on a lonely, country two-lane whilst en route to a hiking trail, a watering hole, a tent revival, or the rustic-road-trip-destination-of-your-choice.
In places like Atlanta, much of which cannot be considered as part of the Deep South, that’s changing. You can get decent boiled peanuts at a smoky, hipster rock club. You can get cruelly mistreated (and terrible tasting) boilers at a neighborhood-pub-and-Democratic-stronghold. If you’re somewhere between desperate and insane, you can get a can of Rodenberry’s from just about any grocery store in the South.
Until there’s a Starbucks for gourmet boiled peanuts, however, there’s David’s Produce in north Atlanta. Being easily accessible from both I-85 and I-285, it’s got convenience going for it. And the boilers are every bit as rich and flavorful as any OTP purveyor’s (that’s “outside the perimeter,” I-285, for those of y’all who don’t know). If you’re road-tripping through Georgia and passing near the ATL, here’s a reliable stop fronted with nutty, down-home folk art that would make Rev. Finster proud. No need to go on a wild peanut chase. If you’re an Atlantan just out-and-about running errands on the north side of town, get in the habit of making this your last stop. David’s Produce is here. It’s near. You really need to make it a part of your life.
Season: Year ‘round
Hours: Open until 7:00 pm (closed Sundays)

Price: $2 (maybe $3; I wasn’t paying attention)
Serving: About a quart by volume in a plastic bag
Notes: Lots of other sauces, veggies, gifts, and other goodies at this little shop with the always-overflowing parking lot and the painted boilers out front.
Proprietor: David? It’s run by a couple.
Last taste: 2007 07.
Nut type: Sun-dried (raw) Valencias from New Mexico
Soak time: No soak (No joke!)
Boil time: Seven hours
Other:
Taster: Thomas
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Confederate Dixie Gift Shop (or something like that)
McCaysville, GA
Rating: 2.5 peas on a 5-pea-pod scale
Verdict:I’m not sure which was saltier,* the boiled peanuts or the overwhelming display of Confederate pride.
Noting a BOILED PEANUTS banner flying amidst the Confederate battle flags -- and I do not mean Stars & Bars -- we stopped at this storefront on the main street in downtown McCaysville. My hope was that they were selling the flag of the Red, White & Leguminous. Alas, the friendly fellow explained to me that they were adverts, not inventory. A man from Florida comes through once a year selling the full-sized BOILED PEANUTS flags at $25 a pop. Talk about a freak flag.
That settled, it was either buy a bikini-type swimsuit styled in the manner of the flag of the Army of Northern Virginia (one of the smaller units, no doubt) or try some boilers.
The gentleman was certainly a rebel in that he uses green peanuts. On the other hand, he boils them for an eternity. I’m not sure how the logistics work out, but he boils them all night and sells them during the day. They’ve got a hot pot set up behind the counter.
For green peanuts, these were nearly acceptable in texture. I’m partial to raw, however. But it didn’t matter because these peanuts were saltier than General Pierre Gustave Toutant de Beauregard’s flag committee’s post-Bull-Run cussin’ contest.
Nearly inedible without a beverage with which to rescue the lips, these were over the top. I surrendered. Never finished the bag. That doesn’t happen.
The seller did make an interesting, if unrelated, point. He thought it odd that people eat hot boiled peanuts in the summer when it’s hot -- and rarely in the winter, when peoples’ cockles need warming the most. It just drove home to me that chilled, straight-from-the-fridge boilers are a legitimate enjoyment for sweltering summers. Not that I have to justify any of that. It’s my heritage, dammit.
* Double-pun score! While the various flags of the Confederacy are certainly “salty” as in provocative, that diagonal cross with the stars was known as a “heraldic saltier” or “saltire” back in the day. But I digress.
Season: n/a
Hours: n/a
Price: $3.75 (I think)
Serving: Probably about a quart by volume
Notes: Some great license plates, weapons, figurines, bumper stickers, and flags are also for sale here. Oh, and a few reproductions of the Second Confederate Navy Jack.
Proprietor: Didn’t catch his (or her) name.
Last taste: 2007 08.
Nut type: Green peanuts, medium-large but not jumbo.
Soak time: I think none.
Boil time: Overnight; not sure how he does that.
Other: This is a cute little town on the Tennessee-Georgia border. We recommend the slow, sublime, two-hour tube float down the Toccoa River. It’s just $6 and right around the corner (turn right at the Hometown IGA by the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway tracks).
Taster: Thomas
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Phillips 66 - Metter
Metter, Georgia
Rating: 0 peas on a 5-pea-pod scale
Verdict: The philosopher George Santayana is most frequently credited with saying "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Well, here’s hoping you can learn from our recollection and avoid repeating our mistake. That’s why we’re here. Such. A noble. Cause.

We must hand it to the proprietor for having the progressive, visionary moxie to sell these boilers on ice (in a big, red barrel by the register) in the midst of what was boiler of a summer. We support the presentation. But that’s about where our admiration ends. Against our better judgment, we bought a Ziploc sandwich bag of what looked to be green peanuts.

We asked the cashier how long they were boiled, to which she replied, “Yesterday.” When we finally communicated to her that we were asking how long, not when, she worked in a scoff as she said she had no idea.

These boilers were dry. They were low-sodium flavorless. Almost every one was a splitter, and it what our President might call “hard work” digging out the meat. The few that weren’t splitters were dried up like raisins.

By far the most disgusting (to the palate) and reprehensible (for what they do to boiled peanut perception) tasting of the year, these were terrible in their own special way. They’re not at all like the south Georgia peanuts we’ve encountered elsewhere. Others tend to be jumbo, raw affairs. And they’re certainly edible.

These reminded us first and foremost of the Roddenbery’s canned green peanuts. In fact, we would suggest they were repackaged Rodenberry’s if they weren’t so desiccated and obviously only boiled for an hour or two at the most.

Remember the past, folks. Please, do not share our fate.

Season: n/a
Hours: n/a
Price: $2.75
Serving: A Ziploc sandwich bag (More than a pint, less than a quart?)
Notes: There’s really not much else to do driving along this I-16 corridor. We’ll keep searching for delectable boilers on this stretch of road.
Proprietor: Phillips 66.
Last taste: 2007 08.
Nut type: Green peanuts, medium-sized.
Soak time: Probably none.
Boil time: Not much.
Taster: Thomas
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a roadside stand
Browns Bridge Rd (GA 369) and Keith Bridge Rd (GA 306)
Cumming, Georgia
Rating: 4 peas on a 5-pea-pod scale
Verdict: The north Georgia drought continues, and nearby Lake Lanier is scraping bottom. The lake hasn’t been this low since they filled her up in the 1950s. Though outright disaster looms, the more immediate impact on local business has already hit.

Hopefully this fellow — and his tasty boilers — won’t suffer. This was excellent late-Sunday afternoon find. We were set to bring them with us on a visit, but plans changed. We got them all to ourselves.

These well-done-but-firm, generously salted Valencias were done right like they (usually) do them in the foothills and above. We’ll be back some day, hopefully soon when Sidney’s lake isn’t so parched anymore.

Season: n/a
Hours: n/a
Price: $5 for large or $2 for small
Serving: Seemed like well more than a quart?
Notes: Looks like there are plenty of other goodies to peruse.
Proprietor: ?
Last taste: 2007 09.
Nut type: Raw New Mexico Valencias.
Soak time: n/a
Boil time: n/a
Taster: Thomas
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Trawick’s Hot Boiled Peanuts
Review needed--via online survey

No review for this purveyor yet, but they've gotta be good (and just four blocks from where my mom grew up!)...

"While the A&M study may have come as a surprise to some, Dothan’s own “expert” on the subject wasn’t surprised at all when he heard about the health benefits of his boiled peanuts.


“That sounds about right,” said 79-year-old Byron Trawick, who has been selling boiled peanuts in Dothan for more than 25 years.


Standing outside of Trawick’s Hot Boiled Peanuts, a small white trailer at the intersection of West Main Street and Ross Clark Circle where you’ll find him seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Trawick was quick to point out Monday that there’s no nut like a boiled peanut.


“Boiled peanuts are really the best peanuts you can eat. I don’t think there’s anything about a boiled peanut that can’t be good for you.” said Trawick, who is known by many as simply “the peanut man.”


Like Walker, Trawick said the key to boiling peanuts is to not overdo it. Trawick’s recipe is simple — “Just plain peanuts. Just salt and water” — because, as he said, “You can make a mess out of good stuff sometimes.”


Simple. Just the way Trawick likes it. So don’t expect see any “Peanuts prevent cancer” signs the next time you’re headed South on Highway 231.


“They’d probably just think I was trying to sell peanuts,” Trawick said. ” ... People don’t even believe their doctors anymore.”"


Full story here.
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Raymond’s World Famous Peanuts
Atlanta, Georgia 30306, USA
Rating: 3 peas on a 5-pea-pod scale
Verdict: You’ve heard of tiny, regional airstrips with, say, one weekly flight to Cancun that bill themselves as “international” airports? “World-famous” can be just as misleading. Sell to one strange customer from a distant land and you’re “world-famous,” no? People from Indonesia, Algeria, Vietnam, or other boiled-peanut-friendly nations may rightly wonder: just what are Raymond’s boilers really famous for?

Our first of two recent purchases at Raymond’s began with the simple, pleasant surprise that this fruit and veggie stand was even open (in our experience they aren’t open according to their posted hours, daily noon to 7:00pm). This batch tasted a little old, with peanuts of varying doneness. But they were fairly well-seasoned, well-cooked Valencia-types.

More recently, we bought two large bags to discover that Raymond had mixed Valencias with some larger, Virginia- or Runner-types. That’s unique, though perhaps not something to be famous for. So this was a very odd and very inconsistent batch, but a little fresher than the previous servings — and served piping hot. We let them cool and then chilled them in fridge, powerless to resist snacking on them all weekend long.

We are resisting the urge, however, to print up a certificate of appreciation and present it to Raymond so he could add “award-winning” to “world-famous” on his sign. We’re glad Raymond’s there, but there’s room in his world for improvement.

Season: All year round?
Hours: Noon to 7:00pm
Price: $3
Serving: Probably more than a quart’s worth
Notes: Lots of other fruits and veggies
Proprietor: Raymond
Last taste: March 2008; May 2008.
Nut type: Mixed, if you can believe that.
Soak time: n/a
Boil time: n/a (Cooked offsite)
Taster: Thomas
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Marion & Buck's Bait & Tackle Shop
Review needed--via online survey
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Huckleberry Bar
588 Grand St
Brooklyn, NY 11211, US
Review needed--via online survey
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Nigeria
"Everywhere you look, it appears, there is a small child or two laden with oranges, boiled peanuts running in between vehicles on the highway trying to make a sale or trying to pacify a yelling infant while 'madam' is determined not to have her makeup ruined. All these, most times, during school hours."
Being female in Nigeria | Vanguard News (25 June 2009)
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/06/18/being-female-in-nigeria/
http://snipurl.com/kvz94
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India
Served with flamboyance
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Quite at the end of the world is Flamboyante, named for the large gulmohur tree in the centre of a courtyard in the World Trade Centre.... With the drinks arrive boiled peanuts in soya sauce, a nice variation on the boiled peanuts which are so luscious in the monsoon season, eaten on a rainy day with the wind lashing your face on Marine Drive.
Daily News and Analysis
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1172652&pageid=2
Mumbai
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Philippines
"Cheap but nutritious alternatives," By R. Valencia and S. Bismark, Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 16 2008

"The next generation" By Stella A. Estremera, Sun Star, Sunday, July 20, 2008.
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Vietnam
Street charades: A child actor swallows a snake as part of his routine
Groups of children perform circus acts nightly around Ho Chi Minh City to earn a living encumbered by exploitation.... Suddenly, the festivities quiet down at the calls of several young boys age 5-14 dressed in funny costumes who have just entered the scene. These children comprise one set of several “circus troupes” that earn a living by performing on the streets.... Vo, the youngest boy, pulls out a green snake and hands it to Hieu. The boy inserts the snake into his mouth and pushes its head deep into his throat until only the tip of its wiggling tail remains visible. Lastly, Cuong chews a piece of red-hot coal... After their acts, the three boys approach different tables to beg for money.... Some patrons invite the boys to smoke cigarettes and drink beers and give them some boiled peanuts to chew on.
http://www.thanhniennews.com/features/?catid=10&newsid=38145
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Evening Mass Offers Busy Migrant Workers Spiritual Nourishment And More
December 1, 2008
Migrant workers in Ho Chi Minh City work long hours to make ends meet, and Sunday evening Mass is the only chance for many Catholic migrants to go to Church.
Redemptorist Father Joseph Le Quang Uy initiated the evening Mass in August, especially for migrant workers coming from rural areas to this city, 1,710 kilometers south of Ha Noi...."Local Religious care for me even though I am not a Catholic," noted Tam, who sells boiled peanuts and rice sheets.
UCA News
http://www.ucanews.com/2008/12/01/evening-mass-offers-busy-migrant-workers-spiritual-nourishment-and-more/

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"In Vietnam, boiled peanuts are called "Dau Phong" in the southern part of the country and called "Cu Lac" in the northern part of Vietnam. They are often appreciated by eating them at informal gatherings of friends and family while drinking beer poured over ice." http://www.littlesaigoncookbook.com/newsletter.htm "Tet Boiled Pinders"http://www.southernfoodways.com/images/Gravy%2018%20Spring%202005.pdf
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United States of America
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Hungry Mother
233 Cardinal Medeiros Ave
Cambridge, MA 02141, US
American Southern-French cuisine
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Florida Citrus Center
High Springs, Florida
Rating: 1 pea on a 5-pea-pod scale
Verdict: One would think we’re old enough to know bitter by now: When in doubt, ask for a sample tasting.

Mind you, there’s no reason why a convenience store can’t serve delicious boilers from a countertop hot pot, periodically pulling them from the freezer throughout the day. There are, however, excellent reasons why they could repulse the palate. These pre-boiled peanuts were probably simmering for another four, six or eight hours. As a result, they passed “mushy” into “mawkish” territory. We kid. They were peanut-slushies-in-a-shell.

But that wasn’t the worst of it with these Hawk’s Original Jumbo Boiled Peanuts. We confess to a prejudice against the “Georgia Jumbo” type peanuts (actually, their website calls them “Virginia type jumbo peanuts;” we defer) used by this Tampa-based company. They lack any depth of flavor, usually imparting bitter, industrial, sour, and/or metallic aftertastes. And these jumbos fit that bill.

Our biggest mistake was opting for the Cajun flavor. Or perhaps it was Jalepeno. Because the regulars were not ready to serve and we were craving, we succumbed. Think stale hot sauce. That desperation set us up for quite a fall as we motored toward the Georgia border on a Sunday afternoon.

We could have avoided the misery -- and saved $4.50 -- just by asking for a sample.

Season: Probably all year round
Hours: Probably all day long
Price: $4.50
Serving: Probably a quart in a giant Styrofoam cup
Notes: Maybe they have something better next door?
Proprietor: n/a
Last taste: July 2008.
Nut type: Virginia-type jumbos.
Soak time: n/a
Boil time: n/a
Taster: Thomas
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A roadside stand
I-75 at US 411 north of Cartersville; exit 293
McCallie, Georgia
Rating: 3 pea on a 5-pea-pod scale
Verdict: We were headed north and had put few hours between us and brunch. Seeing the boiled peanuts advertised on a 40-foot billboard towering over the interstate highway conjured mixed emotions. We knew they were there, but we knew they were probably not well-boiled.

Actually, these may have been well-boiled. But call it too much of good thing. Their mustiness suggested that they had been lingering for a while.

These boilers — though of our preferred variety, the smaller and sweeter Valencia type — were served from a slow cooker at a lukewarm temperature. Hotter would have been better. Cooler would have been better, too, considering the 95-degree heat. But these were just kind of warm.

We had no problem finishing off the bag. These days, that alone warrants a three-pea rating.

Season: Probably all year round
Hours: Probably all day long
Price: $2.00
Serving: A generously proportioned plastic bag
Notes: The stand is in a gas station parking lot east of I-75; exit 293
Proprietor: n/a
Last taste: July 2008.
Nut type: Probably Valencias.
Soak time: n/a
Boil time: n/a
Taster: Thomas
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Pit Stop Bar-B-Q / Pure Oil
off I-20, exit 98, a mile or two north on GA 11
Social Circle, GA
Rating: 4 pea on a 5-pea-pod scale
Verdict: We weren’t exactly craving boilers after blueberry picking and a Southern lunch the size of Lake Oconee, but we had to sample the offering from this Pure Oil gas station, convenience store and, apparently, bar-b-q shop.

Even if it’s boiling peanuts, it’s a little unnerving to see an open flame fueled by a propane tank near gas pumps. But we were re-nerved to hear that they boil their own peanuts “from out west,” or words that effect.

And indeed, these were Valencias, the variety you’re most likely to find in North Georgia and western South Carolina, but thoroughly boiled. Although the flavor was quite respectable -- mildly salty with some curiously sweet peas in the mix -- the texture was strange. These were extremely tender --verging on precious in fact. It made us think about the pros and cons of boiled-peanut-butter or perhaps a boiler-based hummus dip. Anyway, these BPs were even more delicious later in the day as a chilled summer snack.

We won’t wait for blueberry-picking season to return for more boilers at the Pit Stop Bar-B-Q.

[Map it on the Roadside Guide]
Season: Probably all year round
Hours: n/a
Price: $3.00 (plus tax)
Serving: A generous portion in a plastic bag inside a paper bag
Notes: Actually a gas station and convenience store and bar-b-q joint
Proprietor: n/a
Last taste: August 2008
Nut type: New Mexico Valencias
Soak time: n/a
Boil time: n/a
Taster: Thomas
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Sheffields Seafood & Grocery
57 Causeway Dr
Ocean Isle Beach, NC, United States
Review needed--via online survey
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Zimbabwe
"Burn, Harare, burn"
The Times (South Africa), April 20, 2008:
"The night before, four border jumpers like ourselves — we later start referring to the [journalists] accredited with the Zimbabwean government as embedded — were picked up. That can cost us three months of a boiled peanuts-only diet and God knows what else at Harare’s notorious Chikurubi Prison."
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Trailer at Exxon station
about 3.5 miles north of I-85 at exit 1 in SC, highway 11 (Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway) at the Georgia-SC border north on 11
near Fair Play, South Carolina
Rating: 4 pea on a 5-pea-pod scale
Verdict: Bravo! We knew when we saw the yellow, vintage RV comfortably tucked away in the corner that we were in for a treat. And not just because the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway never fails to deliver. This gentleman knows the score.

He’s got everything you need: three different sizes, napkins, a bag for your shells. And of course, they’re Valencias boiled to perfection with a fresh, clean taste. A bit on the salty side, but just wonderful overall. Bravo!

Season: Year round
Hours: Fridays and Saturdays
Price: $5.00
Serving: Three sizes; we opted for two of the giant, 40-something ounce styrofoams cups
Notes:
Proprietor: A friendly fellow
Last taste: September 2008
Nut type: Valencias
Soak time: n/a
Boil time: n/a
Taster: Thomas
(view on the map)
Art and Soul Cafe
415 New Jersey Ave NW
Washington, DC 20001, US
Review needed--via online survey

From the Washington Post:
http://www.expressnightout.com/content/2008/10/a_chef_with_art_soul_art_smith.php
(view on the map)
Japan
Mount Fuji
, JP
Konohana Family (organic farming community near the base of Mt. Fuji)
"It was a rainy afternoon, and the farmers inside one warehouse had taken a break from sorting carrots and pickling radishes to enjoy a snack of bean pancakes with delicious soft-boiled peanuts and bacteria juice."
The Walrus Magazine, November 2, 2008
http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/10/24/can-bacteria-juice-save-the-world/
(view on the map)
Sugarfoot & Peaches BBQ
1601 E Wall St
Fort Scott, KS, United States
Review needed--via online survey
(view on the map)
Golden Shopping Mall - Stall 38
41-28 Main St
Queens, NY, US
Review needed--via online survey

Directly across the hall, Stall 38 presents the food of Tianjin, a city-state just east of Beijing. A place from the same region in the old J & L Mall mainly sold the wheaten baked goods for which the city is famous, but this establishment concentrates on round steamed dumplings stuffed with leeks and pork. A couple of salads stood out: one of elastic bean-curd skin tossed with Chinese celery and salty boiled peanuts; and another of pressed and smoked tofu with cucumber spears in a light sesame-oil dressing. Tianjin food is known as some of the healthiest in China, and the stall's proprietor—wearing a baseball cap and a big smile—is an enthusiastic advocate for it.
http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-04-22/restaurants/regional-chinese-fare-hits-flushing-like-a-ton-of-bricks/

Our Man throughly enjoys himself at the food court. He finds all sorts of regional dishes, like Sichuan composed meat salads swimming in chile oil, and the lighter fare from Tianjin, such as a salad of bean curd, celery and boiled peanuts.
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/forkintheroad/archives/2008/04/our_man_sietsem_6.php
(view on the map)
Class 302
1015 S Nogales St
Rowland Heights, CA 91748, US
Review needed--via online survey

CLASS 302
1015 S. Nogales St. No. 125, Rowland Heights, CA
(626) 965-5809
"....You have to have the boiled peanuts and pickled cabbage; it's just plain essential...."
From "Theme restaurants make dining a zany experience"
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_10976837
(view on the map)
The Feed Store
3841 Main St
Atlanta, GA 30337, US
Review needed--via online survey

The Feed Store
College Park, GA
404.209.7979
"....I also tried the Mixed Greens with celeriac, boiled peanuts, and apple cider vinaigrette. The mixed greens and celeriac were light and refreshing. The peanuts were salty and offset the sweet vinaigrette for a nice balance. I liked this salad much more, and I felt less guilty after it than the one served with fried cheese..."
Atlanta Restaurant Examiner
http://www.examiner.com/x-863-Atlanta-Restaurant-Examiner~y2008m11d11-Fall-Flavors-at-The-Feed-Store
(view on the map)
Hwy 80 E
Savannah, GA 31410, US
Review needed--via online survey

"If you drive down on a weekday, stop by Davis Produce on Talahi Island and pick up a bag of boiled peanuts. Most of the time, the batch will be steaming hot because the peanuts have been boiled in a giant stainless steel cooker."
http://savannahnow.com/node/519761
(view on the map)
Hucks Produce
Hwy 78
Ladson, SC 29456, US
Review needed--via online survey


"Hucks roadside produce stand: a taste of down-home nostalgia
For more than 50 years, Hucks Produce off U.S. Highway 78 in Ladson has been a family operation led by Bobby Hucks... But Hucks Produce is renowned for its boiled peanuts. People have left their home states and driven hundreds of miles to purchase the peanuts, Lora said."
http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/jun/26/hucks_roadside_produce_stand_taste_down_45610/
(view on the map)
Indonesia
"When Life Is a Carnival"
March 9, 2009
by Dalih Sembiring
Jakarta Globe
"....Carts and tents offering meatball soup, boiled peanuts, grilled corn and cotton candy line the streets near the night fair.Carts and tents offering meatball soup, boiled peanuts, grilled corn and cotton candy line the streets near the night fair...."
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/life-times/arts-entertainment/article/12333.html
(view on the map)
Hungry Mother Restaurant
233 Cardinal Medeiros Ave
Cambridge, MA, United States
Review needed--via online survey

Hungry Mother | 617.499.0090 | 233 Cardinal Medeiros Avenue, Cambridge | Open Tues–Sun, 5–10 PM | AE, DC, DI, MC, VI | Full bar | No valet parking; validated discount at Binney Street garage at Kendall Cinema, $5 | Access to some tables up two steps; most tables up four steps
----------------
"We started with a bar bite of boiled peanuts ($3). They’re served like edamame, in the shell and sprinkled with salt. Before this, I’d never seen the point of boiled peanuts. It turns out that the key is serving them hot so they are squishy and starchy, more like potatoes."
http://thephoenix.com/Boston/Food/62006-HUNGRY-MOTHER/
(view on the map)
4-Way BBQ
401 West Broad St
Lumpkin, GA, United States
Review needed--via online survey

4-Way BBQ
http://www.stewartcounty.net/4_WAY_BBQ_MENU.htm
401 West Broad St
Lumpkin, GA 31815
(229) 838-4969
Open Tue-Wed 10:30am-3pm; Thu-Sat 10:30am-8pm; Sun 11am-3pm
--------------------
We fueled up for the easy hike with a stop at 4-Way Barbecue on the Porch at the crossroads in Lumpkin - great pork, excellent sauce and yummy boiled peanuts."
http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/travel/entries/2008/05/21/stop_and_stay_a.html
(view on the map)
City Market on the Green
Martin Luther King Jr Blvd & Poplar St
Macon, GA 31201, US
Review needed--via online survey

Surely SOMEONE will be selling boiled peanuts here:
-------------
City Market on the Green
(Local produce & handmade crafts)
Saturdays, March 21 through December 19, 2009
9a.m. to 1p.m.
Corner of Poplar & Martin Luther King
Downtown Macon, Georgia
-------------
Look for Holloway's picked boiled peanuts!
http://www.global-boiling.com/2008/12/get-your-vinegar-on.html
(view on the map)
Shady Acres Fruit Stand
624 Hwy 49
Seminary, MS 39479, United States
Not 100% sure about the location:
"The boiled peanuts we picked up at the Shady Acres Fruit Stand on blue Highway 49 outside of Hattiesburg..."
From "Waffle Housing"
http://blogs.suntimes.com/hoekstra/2009/04/waffle_housing.html
(view on the map)
Malaysia
Malaysia
, MY
The new vegetarian: Sundal
The Guardian (18 May 2009)
"...Here I've combined the chickpeas with soy-boiled peanuts, a recent discovery from Malaysia that make the most addictive snack on their own."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/may/16/yotam-ottolenghi-sundal
(view on the map)
Circa 1886
149 Wentworth St
Charleston, SC, United States
"The best meal I had was at Circa 1886, a restaurant in the renovated carriage house of the Wentworth Hotel.... Then I had boiled peanut soup. I had encountered boiled peanuts a few nights earlier at Hyman's, a restaurant, the taxi driver who brought me into town explained, "started by a Jew-man and continued by his family." You apparently soak peanuts in brine then boil them for several hours -- they're incredibly tasty. This peanut soup had a pungent texture, which Collins contrasted with a mound of celery foam. Again the combination was dazzling."
The Cultural Tourist - NY Daily News (1 June 2009)
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/culture/2009/05/eating-in-charleston.html
(view on the map)
The gentleman in Villanow
E. Armuchee Rd (GA 201) and Resaca Lafayette Rd (GA 136)
Villanow, GA, US
Rating: 4 pea on a 5-pea-pod scale
Verdict: If you’re on your way to Cloudland Canyon from points east, don’t blink or you’ll miss Villanow, Georgia. You’ll also miss the fine sir who was selling raw Valencia-type boilers. These were very well done by the time we came along, but they were a hot, delicious comfort on surprisingly chilly day.

Season: n/a
Hours: n/a
Price: $3.00 we think
Serving: Big bag; at least a quart
Notes:
Proprietor: Our man in Villanow
Last taste: May 2009
Nut type: Valencias
Soak time: n/a
Boil time: n/a
Taster: Thomas

Villanow street view
(view on the map)
Aloha Stadium
Aiea, HI, United States
Boiled peanut and mochi shop is closing
Honolulu Advertiser - Honolulu,HI,USA
"Old-timers likely remember the Nakos for their boiled peanuts, which were sold in plain brown paper bags outside the old Honolulu Stadium during athletic..."
(view on the map)
Joe's Noodle House
1488-C Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD, United States
"Of all the local restaurants I have frequented, both as critic and regular ol' diner, few get me as excited as Joe's Noodle House in Rockville. Sometimes I get keyed up just thinking about going here. Part of it is the simple thrill of discovery as you work your way through Joe's long and diverse menu, from the steamed dumplings and boiled peanuts to the double-cooked pork and Szechwan-style beef noodle soup..."
Washington City Paper
(21 July 2009)
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/youngandhungry/2009/07/17/young-hungry-dining-guide-by-the-day-joes-noodle-house/
(view on the map)
Perrin & Son Inc
5300 Hwy-280 S
Birmingham, AL 35242, US
"Boiled peanuts are one of our biggest sellers, been selling 'em for 30 years. We boil 'em for 14 hours," he says, offering a sample. "We got roasted peanuts, too."
A Relaxed Pace (28 July 2009)
http://www.bwcitypaper.com/Articles-i-2009-07-23-230500.113121_A_Relaxed_Pace.html
(view on the map)
Poor Boy's BBQ
840 N 700 E
Provo, UT 84606, US
Three brothers from Florida opened Poor Boy's BBQ, a Southern-style barbecue restaurant, to give Provo a taste of what they say it has been missing....
Besides sandwiches, Poor Boy's BBQ offers Mini Melts and will offer boiled peanuts, a staple among Southerners, by the time school starts in fall. Jenkins said he'll come back to Poor Boy's BBQ just for those peanuts, but even more for the atmosphere.
Three brothers bring southern tastes to Provo | Universe.byu.edu (28 July 2009)
http://universe.byu.edu/node/1096
(view on the map)
Montgomery Curb Market
1004 Madison Ave
Montgomery, AL, United States
Curb Market vendors try to heat up business beyond summer

By Robyn Bradley Litchfield • August 7, 2009

"But it's important to buy from local farmers," said Grier, who has been selling produce, butter, boil­ed peanuts and other items at the curb market for 36 years."

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20090807/NEWS01/908070335/Curb+Market+vendors+try+to+heat+up+business+beyond+summer
(view on the map)
Brazil
Salvador, BA, BR
"In India, Nigeria, the Philippines, Indonesia and Salvador, Bahia, boiled peanuts are eaten as street food."

Boiled peanuts: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article (10 August 2009)
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Boiled_peanuts

----------

"Growing up in Orangeburg, I heard peanuts called ground-nuts, goobers, goober-peas, and pindars, but the dictionaries and usual sources haven't helped much with those words, either. Sir Hans Sloane published a natural history of Jamaica in 1707 in which he described the pindal, or Indian Earth-nut, but the first citation the OED lists for goober is 1887. We know that the words goober and pinda, like okra, gumbo, and yam, are of West African origin. Food writers mostly avoid any mention of boiled peanuts, but Jessica Harris, the eminent scholar of the African diaspora, has found boiled peanuts in Ghana, whence the recipe probably arrived in South Carolina, and in Brazil, whence it arrived in Africa. The peanuts were simply boiled and eaten as a snack in Ghana – or with boiled ears of corn on the cob; in Brazil they were served as part of a Candomblé spiritual ceremony."
http://hoppinjohns.net/peanuts.aspx
(view on the map)
Peru
Peru
, PE
"Tamales are wrapped in banana leaves and given a slightly sweet edge with meats, boiled peanuts and olives. Tamale casserole is contains above, plus a corn porridge, it solidifies then is sliced."
FOOD SITE  OF THE DAY (13 August 2009)
http://www.foodsiteoftheday.com/peru2.htm
(view on the map)
Mali
Mali
, ML
After the end of Ramadan, things have been getting back to normal. Everyone is in a better mood and drinking tea again in the afternoons to pass the time. It's a busy time in the fields though – rice is ready to be harvested, corn, millet, watermelon, and oh, the peanuts!! Fresh peanuts, boiled peanuts, roasted peanuts, I'm eating them all. I went over to my homologue, Aissata's house one day to find piles and piles of peanut plants unearthed and spread over her compound. We spent the afternoon pulling the peanuts off of the plants.
On Air in Mali: Steamy and Sweaty (13 August 2009)
http://onairinmali.blogspot.com/2009/01/steamy-and-sweaty.html
http://snipurl.com/ptdze
(view on the map)
Ghana
Ghana
, GH


"Growing up in Orangeburg, I heard peanuts called ground-nuts, goobers, goober-peas, and pindars, but the dictionaries and usual sources haven't helped much with those words, either. Sir Hans Sloane published a natural history of Jamaica in 1707 in which he described the pindal, or Indian Earth-nut, but the first citation the OED lists for goober is 1887. We know that the words goober and pinda, like okra, gumbo, and yam, are of West African origin. Food writers mostly avoid any mention of boiled peanuts, but Jessica Harris, the eminent scholar of the African diaspora, has found boiled peanuts in Ghana, whence the recipe probably arrived in South Carolina, and in Brazil, whence it arrived in Africa. The peanuts were simply boiled and eaten as a snack in Ghana – or with boiled ears of corn on the cob; in Brazil they were served as part of a Candomblé spiritual ceremony."
http://hoppinjohns.net/peanuts.aspx
(view on the map)
Chef Jack's Hot Dog Chili Shack
3750 Battleground Ave
Greensboro, NC 27410, US
Chef Jack's Hot Dog Chili Shack
3750-A Battleground Ave.
Greensboro, NC

“...the restaurant serves a couple of additional items as daily specials, as well as specialty items such as South Carolina-style boiled peanuts. The latter had me excited for a return visit ---- I'll just have to remember to save some room.”
Chef Jack's barbecue steps up to the plate : goTriad.com (28 August 2009)
http://www.gotriad.com/content/2009/08/19/article/chef_jacks_barbecue_steps_up_to_the_plate