Of all the crazy shortages we’re having during this pandemic, it’s with plain old saltine crackers. You can get other crackers. Triscuits, Townhouse, Ritz. But boxes of Nabisco Saltines are scarce as hens teeth. Even the cheaper copycats from Kroger and Meijer are sold out. I’ve tried to figure it out. They say it has to do with “supply chain issues” and other such things. But I have a feeling there’s just an overwhelming demand. We’re eating more meals at home, and crackers fill a lot of needs. Bread replacement. Soup Accompaniment. Between meal snacks. The list goes on and on. What to do during a cracker shortage? Make your own!
I went online to see if there were any recipes for cracker making. It turns out there are lots. All of them call for flour, which could be a problem in the future. Did you know that wheat is going to be in short supply? Seems we used to buy 30% of it from Russia and the Ukraine, and it looks like that ship has sailed. Our own farmers are struggling with droughts, flooding, and the skyrocketing cost of fertilizer, so American wheat is going to be expensive.
Personally, I’m stocking up on flour and yeast–just in case. As I’ve mentioned before, I lived through the rationing of many staple food items during the WW2 years in the 40’s. If the Ukraine war with Russia continues, there could be days when we have to make our own bread or crackers. Actually, the cracker shortage began before the war, so it may go on for a long time.
Yesterday, I decided to make my very first batch of saltines. The recipes online called for different ingredients. All started with flour, but the similarities ended there. The leavening agents varied –yeast, baking powder, baking soda.
I decided to start with the simplest recipe of all, which had few ingredients. The important thing I learned is that you must roll the dough out as thin as possible. Roll it too thick, and you end up with something more like hard tack than crackers. Thinner is better, and produces more crackers. . Try this recipe, and if you don’t like it, there are lots of others available online.
SALTINE CRACKERS
Ingredients:
4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ cup butter or margarine
1 1/3 cups milk
Salt for sprinkling
1 egg white mixed with 1 Tablespoon water in separate bowl
Directions:
Mix together flour and baking powder. Cut butter into flour mixture until it forms coarse crumbs. Add milk, and knead to form a ball. Divide dough in 4 parts and roll out paper thin on a floured surface. Cut the dough into squares. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and prick all with a fork. Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 325 about 15 or 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Once the crackers have cooled, store them in airtight containers to keep them fresh.