Ask a group of aspiring young chefs what they would combine to make the most creative peanut butter sandwich, and you are sure to get some interesting answers. How tasty they would be is up to those willing to actually try their suggestions.

At the Young Chefs Academy, 1545 Manheim Pike, members of the junior chef class took a break during their recent Italian dinner lesson to share their expertise. Putting aside the recipes of Eggplant Crostini and Tuscan Bean Soup, the group of 8- to 14-year-olds conjured up some interesting creations to share.

"I would start with a little bit of Baby Bam," said 8-year-old Michael Buffa, who has the distinction of Master Chef at the school.

Baby Bam, as explained by cooking school owner Randi Matson, is a blend of all different spices and has a slight kick to it, but isn't "too spicy."

"We developed this during our Celebrity Chef's week," Matson said. "It's kind of a take on Emeril's (Lagasse) 'Bam' technique."

"I put it on everything," Michael said.

Having two years of cooking school under his belt, Michael accepted the challenge before him with vigor and developed his first sandwich in a matter of minutes.

Michael dreamed of a combination of peanut butter and Baby Bam on a wheat bread.

Some of his other ideas combined pistachio, walnuts and London Pub (a steak sauce) mixed together and spread over a smear of peanut butter in a triple-decker sandwich, complete with a whole wheat bread bottom, Italian bread top and white bread gracing the middle.

A spin on the traditional peanut butter sandwich was Fernando Guiterrez's first thought. The 12-year-old combined peanut butter and banana with chopped celery.

"They have crackers that go good with peanut butter and crackers that go good with jelly," Fernando said. "This is kind of the same idea, adding the crunch with the celery."

Not to be outdone by his classmates, 11-year-old Joseph Deerin even gave serving suggestions for his sandwich of peanut butter, marshmallow creme, syrup, chocolate shavings, cookie dough crumbs, apple slices, mint leaves (cooled) and honey (cooled) on white bread.

Joseph would serve his sandwich with a cold drink, such as lemonade, ice water or a chilled margarita.

"A hot or thick drink would not work with this sandwich," Joseph said. "A hot drink would ruin the mint flavor."

Combining the sweet and spicy flavors is a popular trend now and 11-year-old Andrew King used it in his peanut butter sandwich combination.

"I would pretty much start with a basic peanut butter sandwich," Andrew said. "Then I would throw in some shredded chicken, Louisiana hot sauce, pesto and paprika." This would all be served on whole wheat bread "for the healthiness," according to Andrew.

"The peanut butter would add the sweet and the other seasonings would add the zing to it," he added proudly.

E-mail: cesbenshade@lnpnews.com