Crackers

[Kim WB]

I enjoy the sedate green boxes of Bremner Wafers..and Ritz's and Wheat Thins Harvest Crisps Garden Vegetable flavor. What's your favorite packaged cracker?

Edited June 4, 2003 by Kim WB (log)

[JSD]

I just recently tried the Triscuit Cheddar, and thought it was quite good. Is it new?

[s'kat]

I was a huge fan of Stoned Wheat Thins, until I discovered Vinta Crackers. I still go back and forth between the two.

[claire797]

I just recently tried the Triscuit Cheddar, and thought it was quite good.  Is it new?

I think Cheddar Triscuits are pretty new.

Kim, that's a good question. I can't say that I really have a favorite cracker as I am more of a Chex mix/Gardetto's/Chips girl when it comes to snacking. I rarely buy crackers, and when I do, it's either for a party or a recipe. On the other hand, I'm always amused by the cracker selection at parties -- it tells me something about the host.

Ritz -- very down home, no pretense

Bremner Assortment -- trying hard to impress

Wheat Thin -- likes sports, eats junk food

Triscuits -- wants to be liked

Vegetable Crackers -- repression

Ak Mak -- good taste, a sense of style

Saltines -- poor planner, passive aggressive

Come to think of it, why don't people bake their own crackers more often? Are they really that difficult to make?

[s'kat]

Come to think of it, why don't people bake their own crackers more often?  Are they really that difficult to make?

An excellent question. I have several cracker recipes floating around in various cookbooks. They look absolutely delicious, and easy to make. Yet I've never made them, nor even gotten the ingredients together to do so. Why not? Because when it's cracker time, it just feels natural to rip open a bag of pre-manufactured goodness.

[Suzanne F]

Claire, I love your taxonomy!!

I am not ashamed to admit that my all-time favorite cracker is . . . regular old unsalted saltines. They may be ubiquitous, but they're not worthless for all that. They're the blood type O of crackers, the maiden aunt of crackers. They are there whenever you need a* cracker, and they always do what a cracker should do. They are modest. They make everything you put on them stand out. They have many other non-cracker uses. They crunch when dry, and make the most wonderful mush when you crumble them into soup or chili. Their flavor is mild but balanced -- a teeny bit sweet, but not too; slightly nutty; not overly alkaline; not greasy, yet properly shortened. They are small enough to eat in one bite, but support two or more bites of topping. They are GOOD. (Please note, I do not mean the whole wheat versions, or the low- or non-fat or totally-unsalted ones; just the regular kind, but without the extra salt on top.)

Thank you, Kim, for giving me the opportunity to post this paean. I've wanted to for a long time.

* I do NOT like Uneedas. Too big, too clunky, too alkaline.

[elfin]

I like Triscuits and Rye Crisps (with butter).

[bilrus]

My favortie is Plain Wheat Thins - Nutty, Salty, Crunchy without a flavor that overpowers what you put on top.

But another holdover from my youth are Chicken in a Biskit. My dad would put port wine cheese, a slice of pickle and salami on them. I particularly remember this on New Year's Day watching Bowl games. To this day New Year's Day is not the same to me without this guilty pleasure.

[claire797]

My favortie is Plain Wheat Thins - Nutty, Salty, Crunchy without a flavor that overpowers what you put on top.

But another holdover from my youth are Chicken in a Biskit.  My dad would put port wine cheese, a slice of pickle and salami on them.  I particularly remember this on New Year's Day watching Bowl games.  To this day New Year's Day is not the same to me without this guilty pleasure.

Some of these look good

[Schielke]

So far each product in the Partners Crackers line has been great. They are by far my favorite.

Partners Web site

As a kid I was a huge Vegetable Thin and Chicken in a Biscut fan.

[Fynnicki]

I enjoy the Carr's Biscuits for Cheese assortment, when accompanied by cheese or (gasp!) peanut butter. For snacking alone, I enjoy Wheat Thins...as well as Cheddar Goldfish, if those qualify as "crackers."

Other favorites: Ak Mak, Stoned Wheat Thins, and the occasional Triscuit.

[LEdlund]

So far each product in the Partners Crackers line has been great.

I like these too.

My other favorite is Ak Mak.

I don't know if they are new or not, but I just discovered sesame rye crisp. Really, really tasty.

Edited June 4, 2003 by LEdlund (log)

[Rhea_S]

Come to think of it, why don't people bake their own crackers more often?  Are they really that difficult to make?

They're really easy to make. One batch of crackers usually only takes me 30 minutes total working and baking time. The hardest part is rolling out the dough, but none of the recipes I've tried have stiff doughs.

Favourite store-bought: Stoned Wheat Thins. I have a bit of a giggle when I see the "Imported" label on the boxes here in the US. (cheap thrill, I know)

[rcarter]

I like stoned wheat thins with a thin layer of butter and jam.

[sparrowgrass]

I have never made crackers, but I was wondering if I could roll them out with my pasta machine?

[claire797]

I have never made crackers, but I was wondering if I could roll them out with my pasta machine?

That sounds like a good idea. Not knowing the consistency of cracker dough (yet!), I couldn't tell you.

I think I'll try to make some tomorrow.

[torakris]

Mark Bittman has some cracker recipes in HTCE.

I ate so many saltines during my 3 bouts of morning sickness, I can't look at them any more.

Occasionally I have craving for ritz crackers (and cheap cheddar cheese!), but normally I forgo the cracker and just eat the cheese.

[Schielke]

Ritz crackers have two uses in my book:

Ritz, peanut butter, honey

and

Ritz, hard salami, parmesan

I hear mock apple pies are good...

[hjshorter]

Ak Mak, usually plain, sometimes with sharp cheddar or hummus

Oyster crackers in my soup

graham crackers with chunky peanut butter

I recently switched to crackers without hydrogenated fats - They're OK, but the originals are so much tastier.

I also had too many saltines while pregnant and can't eat them anymore. They used to be my favorite.

[cakewalk]

Sesmark Savory Thins (they're sesame rice crackers), which are very good, and Sesmark Sesame Thins (which are sesame wheat crackers) that are really the best. I noticed them a while ago in the supermarket and decided to try them, and now I can't stop eating them. The sesame thins are my favorites. And triscuits, always.

[Xanthippe]

Ritz crackers have two uses in my book:

Ritz, peanut butter, honey

and

Ritz, hard salami, parmesan

I hear mock apple pies are good...

I'm with you, Lionel, although I'd add a third use:

Ritz, smoked oyster, sour cream

I've heard the same 'bout the mock apple pie, although I've not had one.

[Katherine]

I have never made crackers, but I was wondering if I could roll them out with my pasta machine?

Yes, not only can you roll them out with your pasta machine, but you should, as it makes for a more uniform product.

[fifi]

For some things There's Nothin' Like a Ritz. I have had the mock apple pie. Amazingly, it tastes like apple pie. I have yet to figure that out. Also, Ritz crumbs makes the best yellow squash casserole ever.

But for others... Plaine Olde Nabisco Saltines... the originals, none of the mutants. I got this confirmed last weekend. I had made a batch of pickled shrimp from an ancient family recipe that calls for serving with saltines. I couldn't find my box so we started with some Waverly Wafers. Then I found the saltines. All the difference in the world.

Sometimes I just groove on the texture of Triscuits. Then... Anything with sesame.

[relatuit]

Crackers are just really really thin flat bread, or you can think of them as savory tuiles. As long as it's thin, and flat, and crispy, you can pretty much call anything a cracker. I make them all the time and yes, you can take a basic sweet tuile batter, eliminate most if not all the sugar, increase the egg white and butter (the coagulation of the albumin mitigates the spreading properties of the melted butter), and herb it, cheese it, flavor infuse it anyway you want. The coolest thing about making your crackers with templates instead of rolling them out is that you can shape them while hot just like a tuile. Plus it's fun, and only takes about 2 minutes to whip up a batch of batter (including melting the butter!) About 5 minutes to bake a batch, but I usually bake them twice to get a uniform golden color. If you're not familiar with templates, you can just spread out the batter in circles with the back of a spoon and break them into shards when cool. You guys should really try making your own. Sprinkle them with cracked pepper, black sesame seeds, lobster roe dust...the possibilities are endless!

[bigbear]

Ritz crackers have two uses in my book:

Ritz, peanut butter, honey

and

Ritz, hard salami, parmesan

.....

I'm with you, Lionel, although I'd add a third use:

Ritz, smoked oyster, sour cream

.....

Ritz, chunky peanut butter, orange marmalade