Eugene Walter’s ‘goober toast.’

These hearty starters sound revolting, especially to anyone suspicious of peanut butter, and the transposition of ingredients admittedly is incongruous, but in alchemical style the odd agglomeration does work. The recipe is a verbatim quotation from The Happy Table of Eugene Walter, published after his death by his literary executors. The book purports to present only recipes that include some form of alcohol.

“Spread whole-wheat or rye bread or English muffin halves with a thin, even layer of unsalted butter, a not-so-thin layer of Creole or Dijon mustard or the new Dijonnaise; and a generous layer of good American peanut butter. Put into a 375-degree oven until peanut butter looks like it wants to splutter. Remove, put ice-cold slices of kosher dill pickles on top, and serve at once with cold beer.”

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