jayandstacey Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 Crackers? Finding locally produced cheeses seems pretty easy and loads of fun to explore. But what about crackers? Is the point to just buy some plain, nuetral crackers? Or should my explorations consist of crouching in the Giant isle for the bottom-shelf crackers? Or...are 'crackers' not the proper nomenclature, and I should instead be seeking 'flatbread' or some other less pedestrian sounding terminology? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 baguette or other crusty bread is better than crackers, IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lperry Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 It couldn't hurt to check with the producer for recommendations. I've been places and had cheese served with chutneys, with fruit pastes, with arepas, with fresh fruit, etc. Maybe they will surprise you with something fun and new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chocolatechipkt Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 I'm not a big cracker person, but now that you mention it, I can't think of any local crackers. Cheesetique does have a nice selection of crackers (from all over, though) -- though Whole Foods etc has plenty as well. Have you ever tried making them yourself? They're actually pretty simple. Martha's hors d'oeuvres cookbook has lot of recipes--and great pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Deb Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Crackers? Finding locally produced cheeses seems pretty easy and loads of fun to explore. But what about crackers? Is the point to just buy some plain, nuetral crackers? Or should my explorations consist of crouching in the Giant isle for the bottom-shelf crackers? Or...are 'crackers' not the proper nomenclature, and I should instead be seeking 'flatbread' or some other less pedestrian sounding terminology? How about crostini? Cut bread (baguette or raisin/nut bread) into thin rounds. Spread olive oil on a sheet pan. Dip slices into the oil and turn over. Sprinkle with a little salt. Bake slowly in low oven until crispy and lightly browned. You can get fancy with the olive oil and infuse it first with rosemary and garlic--just don't try to bottle garlic oil because of botulism. I warm the oil and let the rosemary and garlic sit in there for 15-30 mins then use right away. Depending on the cheese, maybe you can make mac and cheese. Take time to make a good mornay sauce. I like mine with mustard and garlic added. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweaked Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Toast some pita wedges. or get fancy and buy one of those small hand held ravioli cutters...pull the pita apart and cut out rounds or squares, then toast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monavano Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 I seem to recall that Everona makes crackers/flatbreads. I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsDiPesto Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Experiment. I find certain kinds of cheeses (e.g., Stilton) marry well with those Breton wheat crackers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayandstacey Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 great ideas everyone! I continue to experiment and enjoy...now I have a few new paths to explore. I guess it was more the realization that local cheese is everywhere, but local crackers seem scarce. While breads and crostini and other such options are often better, crackers are just plain convenient. Not better, just more convenient. There are lots of good crackers on the shelves of the grocery stores...I hoped to support local producers if possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy DeLion Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I've really enjoyed crackers from the Swiss bakery in Burke. Not sure if they always have them, but they were delicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Blume Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 I seem to recall that Everona makes crackers/flatbreads. I think Correct. You can find this Virginian cheesemaker in lots of farmers markets around these parts. Cowgirl Creamery likes to sell lines of locally produced foods that go well with cheese, so they might carry their crackers and other local stuff of that nature. Everona's crackers are very thin and crackly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldenticket Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 If you're feeling ambitious, you might try making your own crackers. Our resident baker extraordinaire, mktye, made some wonderful rosemary garlic crackers for a picnic many moons ago. Her recipe is here, along with several flavor variations (which she also brought to the picnic). As I recall, they were light and crispy, probably better for conveying slices of cheese than spreadable, soft cheeses. A quick look at one of my favorite iPhone apps (Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything) reveals an ultra-simple, 15 minute, 3-ingredient recipe (plus water) for crackers. He doesn't include mktye's instruction to place the dough directly on parchment paper, which is a very good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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