The Putney Special
Photo: Aaron Krill
About
This dish was created in 1935 during the Great Depression at a summer labor camp that became the Putney School, a progressive boarding school in Putney, Vermont. It has been on the menu since then. The dish became more regular fare during WWII and now is served very infrequently, but is known to generations of graduates of the school as a part of "the Putney Experience."
Yield:
2.0 Servings
Added:
December 10, 2010
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Comments
April 21, 2011
A Putney grad was my roommate in California in 1957. She used to get homesick for something they ate for Sunday supper, but she didn't know just what it was. Years later, a friend and I were leafing through her mother-in-law's cookbook, and I saw it: Putney Special! I love it.
Now I'm trying the Poverty Diet ($4.23 on food a day for 3 days) to make a statement to my legislators, and it's perfect - I'm making the P.S. for lunch! I figure .20 for the peanut butter, .80 for the tomatoes and another .20 for the bread; steep for lunch, but worth it. It's the veggies that get you!
February 10, 2009
Thanks to Don Cuerdon at the Putney School for providing an image!
February 10, 2009
Would love to have someone upload a photo..especially a vintage photo!
December 20, 2008
This is exactly the way I remember it. It wasn't until about 11th grade that I got brave enough to try it and loved it, sorry I didn't start eating it in 9th grade. I have made it a few times in the years since. Larry Schwartz '63
December 20, 2008
Huh? When did we ever eat this, Barnaby? I do remember a borst that had some historical (WWII, I think) significance, but I think I would recall such an odd concoction. Am baffled.
December 20, 2008
Interesting. I never had this dish when I was at Putney (or I've blocked it out). But the combination of peanut butter and stewed tomatoes sounds African. I bet it would be better over rice than bread.
Celinabean
January 20, 2012
Celinabean, it actually tastes wonderful over rice or couscous. I work at The Putney School and have been experimenting with the basic recipe whenever I'm on vacation and miss the dish. My current, favorite version: tomato stew, peanut butter, sliced pork belly, couscous.