Graham crackers are a versatile snack that can be enjoyed on their own or as an added ingredient in desserts, such as s’mores, pies, and cheesecakes. Its sweetness is subtle and doesn’t overpower other tastes when used in recipes. They’re also a healthier alternative to other crackers, as they’re made with less refined sugars and more whole grains than other crackers.
However, the graham cracker we know today isn’t made to the original recipe. It was bland and made with simple ingredients that didn’t include fats, sugar, or salt. That was the intention, though, as it was part of a movement for dietary reform.
Who was Sylvester Graham?
Sylvester Graham, born in Connecticut in 1794, was a Presbyterian minister who was an advocate of the temperance movement. One of the movement’s advocacies was abstinence from tobacco and alcohol, which the minister greatly supported. Furthermore, he believed in abstinence from sex, as he claimed the act was immoral and would cause destruction to individuals and society as a whole.
Academic writer Dr. Ruth Clifford Engs, who wrote a book on health reform movements in the United States, said that Graham’s beliefs were extreme even for his time. “There were other popular health reformers at the time, but sexual urges was his particular thing,” she said of Graham.
Graham was also a proponent of vegetarianism, which started after he fell ill. His diet consisted of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and dainty amounts of eggs, milk, and cheese. He believed that this particular diet would prevent people from masturbating, which he claimed may cause early death. As the temperance movement gained traction, so did Graham’s reputation, and his supporters, called Grahamites, followed a movement known as Grahamism.
How were graham crackers invented?
Contrary to popular belief, Graham didn’t invent graham crackers himself. Instead, inspired by his preaching, his followers experimented and came up with graham flour, a type of whole grain flour with coarser grains. That was followed by graham bread, and eventually, they came up with the recipe for graham crackers in 1829. The crackers were especially popular, as they were easy to eat and carry around for long travels. And because Graham wasn’t a fan of spices, the original graham crackers were tasteless.
Graham crackers today
Graham did not advertise, nor did he patent graham crackers. This allowed others to create their own versions of the product by adding ingredients that would make them more appealing to others. In 1898, the National Biscuit Company (now known as Nabisco) developed their recipe for graham crackers and began mass production. In 1925, the company launched a new variant of the graham crackers that were sweeter than the original.
Today, several food companies have their own graham crackers, and they all have that hint of sweetness that everyone has come to love. They also come in other varieties and flavors, such as chocolate, honey, lemon, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice.
