– **History:**
– Soda crackers described in “The Young House-keeper” by William Alcott in 1838.
– F. L. Sommer & Company started using baking soda in 1876, leading to the invention of Premium Soda Cracker (later Saltines).
– American Biscuit Company formed in 1890 from mergers, later becoming part of Nabisco in 1898.
– Export Soda became a generic term for soda crackers in Puerto Rico.
– Arnotts Biscuits Holdings holds the trademark for Saltine in Australia.
– **Uses:**
– Saltines are commonly used in soups, salads, and as toppings for various dishes.
– They are consumed as a home remedy for nausea and upset stomach.
– Saltine crackers are included in military field rations in the US (MRE).
– Cracker meal made from crushed saltines is used for breading and thickening.
– They are often sold in boxes containing stacks of crackers.
– **Baking Process:**
– Saltines are compared to hardtack but include yeast as a leavening agent.
– The dough is allowed to rise for 20-30 hours and then neutralized with alkaline soda.
– Resting the dough for 3-4 hours relaxes the gluten before baking.
– Perforations on saltine crackers prevent pillowing during baking.
– The outer layer of the dough hardens first due to the perforations.
– **See Also:**
– Cream cracker, Oyster cracker, Hardtack, Matzo, Water biscuit.
– Genericized trademark, List of crackers, Saltine cracker challenge.
– Saltines were made by Huntley and Palmers in the UK and Arnotts in Australia and New Zealand.
– **References:**
– Various sources provide historical information on soda crackers and saltines.
– Saltines have been used in different contexts, including military rations.
– Baking processes and engineering related to crackers.
– Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saltine crackers.
– Arnotts Biscuits Holdings still holds a trademark on the name Saltine.
A saltine or soda cracker is a thin, usually square, cracker, made from white flour, sometimes yeast (although many are yeast free), and baking soda, with most varieties lightly sprinkled with coarse salt. It has perforations over its surface, as well as a distinctively dry and crisp texture.
 | |
| Alternative names | Soda cracker |
|---|---|
| Type | Cracker |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Created by | Frank L. Sommer |
| Main ingredients | Flour, yeast, and baking soda |
| 42 (depending on brand) kcal | |
Some familiar brand names of saltine crackers in the Americas are Christie's Premium Plus (Canada), Nabisco's Premium (U.S.), Sunshine Biscuits' Krispy (U.S.), Keebler's Zesta (U.S.) (both owned by Kellogg's), Molinos Modernos' Hatuey (Dominican Republic) and Noel's Saltín (Colombia). Unsalted tops as well as whole grain saltines can also be found.