Neighbor news whats the story behind ritz, saltines, graham crackers and oreo cookies. The crackers were developed in the 1800s by the reverend sylvester graham, a man who believed that a healthy diet was the key to a healthy and moral life. Believe it or not, there is a distinct and disturbing connection between all three of the aforementioned things. The story behind the graham cracker begins with fire, brimstone, and a man of great conviction. In fact, they were first introduced by the eponymous. Wellknown by 1882, graham crackers are a flat, crisp cookie made with graham flour and typically sweetened with honey. Graham crackers were originally invented in the early 1800s by a presbyterian minister by the name of sylvester graham, who introduced this. Graham cracker crust is a style of pie crust made from crushed graham crackers. The current recipe is a far cry from their original one a mild, unsweetened biscuit made of unbleached flour with bran and wheat germ. Apr 18, 2012 in the 100 th anniversary of the animal crackers, the koala became the latest addition by beating out the penguin, walrus and cobra in the customer survey. Sex, fitness, and food in the legacy of degeneracy theory, graham crackers, kelloggs corn flakes, and american health history 1985. Aug 08, 2014 if you thought graham crackers were invented to sandwich melted chocolate and toasted marshmallows together, think again. The origins of the graham cracker are quite interesting.
Graham crackers were invented by a presbyterian minister. Today, graham may be best remembered for his promotion of unsifted and coarsely ground wheat flour, which he liked for its high fiber content, and for the fact that it was free of commonplace additives alum and chlorine. Graham cracker definition, a semisweet cracker, usually rectangular in shape, made chiefly of wholewheat flour. Graham crackers are the foundation upon which great american treats are built. The bizarre history of the graham cracker will make you never. Graham cracker definition of graham cracker by merriamwebster. The creepy origins of graham crackers and corn flakes. Antimasturbation collation the tasty and crumby smores bookends werent always just a delicious midday snack. These sweet, perforated crackers came into existence by the hands of evangelical minister sylvester graham, with the goal of controlling your.
Graham crackers comics 12 locations throughout the u. Honey maid graham crackers are made with real honey and contain no highfructose corn syrup, saturated fat, or cholesterol. Graham crackers are wholesome, whole grain and bland as all hell. Chances are youve enjoyed a bowl of cornflakes for breakfast or snacked on a. It turns out that some of our most loved snacks and breakfast foods are actually antimasturbation foods. Sylvester graham, a minister who lived and preached in the first half of the 19th century, carried on a dietary crusade in favor of whole wheat flour, arguing that to separate the bran from the rest of the wheat berry was against the will of god. These homemade graham crackers taste pretty close to the original grahams, which are my favorite, so if you want a. Graham crackers were invented by sylvester graham in 1829. Bake in an oven that has been preheated to 350f for 810 minutes. The peculiar origin of the graham cracker quirky science.
Graham crackers, kelloggs corn flakes and american health. Perfect on their own, honey maid graham crackers are also delicious when paired with fruit and spreads, crumbled on ice cream, or added to recipes. Apr 02, 2020 many markets sell graham crackers, and it is also possible to make them at home. The seriously unsexy origins of the graham cracker entrepreneur. The graham cracker is a sweet flavored cracker made with graham flour that originated in the early 1880s.
The curious history of graham crackers and corn flakes. Graham cracker and graham flour history the spruce. Chances are youve enjoyed a bowl of cornflakes for breakfast or snacked on a smore by the side of a campfire. His name was sylvester graham, and he was well before his time when it came to diets and healthy eating. Find quality snacks products to add to your shopping list or order online for delivery or pickup. These sublimely sweet graham cracker toffee bars are topped with semisweet. Truly, his origin story reads like a marvelcomicmeetsmorality play. Nov 04, 2014 in addition, john moneys the destroying angel. Graham was farm hand and a teacher who turned presbyterian. Its such a simple idea flour, water, perhaps a bit of salt, rolled thin and baked until crisp. The name graham is a boys name of scottish, english origin meaning gravelly homestead. This namesake cracker was inspired by the preaching of the somewhat eccentric sylvester graham 17941851 as a young man, sylvester tried many occupations, eventually deciding to be a clergyman. Sep, 2016 the graham cracker was invented to stop you from masturbating. The guy who invented them was a little bit crazy, but thats okay.
The original 1827 recipe for 8 calls for eight sticks, 16 graham crackers, 8 bars of plain chocolate each broken in half, and 16 marshmallows. Graham crackers were invented to curb your sexual desires. The first bearers of the graham surname are believed to have originated in the town of. It is eaten as a snack food, usually honey or cinnamonflavored, and is used as an ingredient in some foods. The graham cracker is generally dark tan and has a somewhat gritty texture. If youve ever wondered why graham crackers are called that its because it was graham. His followers, the grahamites, dissipated after grahams demise in the 1860s, but anyone whos ever quit white bread and pasta, cut out coffee, or.
The original recipe calls for the same classic ingredients. Graham crackers are a sweet american cracker made from unbleached, whole wheat graham flour. The flour was nicknamed graham flour and is the main ingredient in graham crackers. The graham cracker was inspired by the death of sylvester graham who was part of the. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes and then rotate the baking sheet. In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening and brown sugar. Graham cracker history sylvester graham diet background.
Dec 17, 2015 graham crackers are wholesome, whole grain and bland as all hell. Experience the sweet taste of childhood with honey maid graham crackers. The current recipe is a far cry from their original one a mild, unsweetened biscuit made of unbleached flour with bran and wheat germ added. It was the 19th century, and as he saw it, society was heading down the tubes. Today, animal crackers are all backed in a 300foot 91 m long traveling band oven in the fair lawn, new jersey bakery by nabisco brands. Aug 14, 2015 the original 1827 recipe for 8 calls for eight sticks, 16 graham crackers, 8 bars of plain chocolate each broken in half, and 16 marshmallows. Sylvester graham invented the boring snack staple around 1829. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used. The graham cracker is a cookie of sorts, common in the united states, which is typically sweetened with sugar, honey, andor cinnamon. Aug 20, 2002 todays graham crackers are made with bleached white flour, a deviation that would have set sylvester graham to spinning in his grave he regarded refined flour as one of the worlds great. The bizarre history of the graham cracker will make you. Buy nabisco grahams crackers original american food shop.
Graham crackers today are known as crunchy, sweet, and necessary to support a recently roasted smore. Origins of animal crackers foodimentary national food. Products with dark origins treadmills, graham crackers. The reverend sylvester graham, a presbyterian minister who became a social reformer and a ferocious advocate of healthful living, is the man who put the graham into the treat we now know and. Among the best known bearers are novelist graham greene, racing driver graham hill and painter graham sutherland, as well as musicians graham nash. If youre guessing they only wanted to create a delicious treat for the enjoyment of palates everywhere, youd be wrong. The crust is usually flavored and stiffened with butter or vegetable oil and sometimes sugar.
The reverend sylvester graham, a presbyterian minister who became a social reformer and a ferocious advocate of healthful living, is the man. Very finenear mint w jeff parker a bob q ca david mack the epic account of james bonds exploits during world war ii continues. Combine the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, stir into the creamed mixture alternately with the milk. The curious history of graham crackers and corn flakes now i. After barely surviving the clydebank blitz, james is determined to enter the royal marines, despite being two years too young. These sweet, perforated crackers came into existence by the hands of evangelical minister sylvester graham, with the goal of controlling your sexual desires. Bake for another 6 to 8 minutes, or until the cookies are dark golden brown and just firm to the touch. The graham cracker was invented to stop you from masturbating. Mar 24, 2014 masturbation, graham crackers, and kelloggs corn flakes. Shop for kroger original graham crackers at kroger. The somewhat bleak origin story of the humble graham cracker. Whats the story behind ritz, saltines, graham crackers. The curious history of graham crackers and corn flakes now.
What is the history of crackers and where did they originate. Graham cracker definition is a slightly sweet cracker made of whole wheat flour. Use them to make the crust of your homemade cheesecake or spread your favorite spreadable edible peanut butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, betty crocker frosting for a great afterschool or afterwork snack. Jun 26, 2012 a recipe for homemade graham crackers.
He fully supported the movement that sex should be forbidden and decided to invent the graham cracker to help out his fellow. This is because it is made from unsifted coarsegrind whole wheat flour. Well used in england and scotland since the fifties, the smooth and sophisticated graham is catching on here. Take a wild guess why someone invented the graham cracker. Graham crackers are sweet, simple, and feel like home, so its fairly shocking that they were a creation born of fear. They were created in the 1830s by sylvester graham as part of the other health foods he served at his hotels, along with pie crusts, granola, and grape nuts cereal that are also made with graham flour. Do you know why graham crackers are called graham crackers. However, the original recipe of the cracker was surprisingly designed to be a health food. Aug 01, 2017 i found one article that claims they were invented in new england, in 1792.
248 45 981 1417 914 236 1083 1071 797 1076 562 472 969 418 45 881 1333 380 397 1446 260 496 550 622 583 1430 182 1205 304 1383 149 954 739 1115 108 1490 567 1320 523