Improved Peanut Butter

• Peanut butter's creamy texture and sweetness complement the chewy, sweet raisins in raisin bread. If your bread isn't already cinnamon-raisin, sprinkle on some cinnamon as well. Since orange, quince, apples and apricots also pair well with raisins, choose those flavors for jam. Be bold and experiment with other flavor and texture complements to both peanut butter and raisins, including sliced banana or pear slices, shredded carrots or chopped walnuts.

Salty and Sweet

• Salty sandwich fillings contrast with and balance raisin bread's sweetness. The ultimate salty choice is bacon -- keep the lettuce in a BLT on raisin bread to add freshness to the sandwich, but skip the tomatoes; the tomato acidity won't pair well with the raisins. Salty ham provides the same balance as bacon, and the fat in both meats also balances the fruity taste of the raisins.

Grilled Cheese Revisited

• Grilling brings out even more sweetness in the raisins, so a slice of ham in the sandwich adds a salty tang to balance both the cheese and the raisins. Other ingredients that add tang and freshness are goat cheese, fresh basil or just a sprinkling of lemon zest. If you're afraid of adding too much tanginess with these ingredients, give the sandwich more sweetness with a thin spread of honey or fig jam.

Mild or Spicy Poultry

• Thanksgiving stuffing frequently contains raisins because turkey's poultry flavor contrasts with the sweet raisins. The same concept works with a turkey or chicken sandwich on raisin bread. Add freshness and a dab of bitterness with plenty of lettuce or a thin layer of spicy chipotle chile mayonnaise, or cream cheese. Pick a tangy or flavorful cheese as well, such as smoked havarti, sharp cheddar or even blue cheese.