If Dr. Sylvester Graham could taste and evaluate what is now called graham crackers, he would raise hell. And he was already a recognized hell raiser in his day. His very modern dietary views upset the bakers and the butchers both. In the 1850’s as today, powerful interests worked against a healthy diet and better nutrition.
It is not always easy pulling recipes from history’s deep closet. I have looked at old baking books and researched the web. With this recipe, we will bake whole grain crackers that would meet his approval.
Preferment: Biga
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 teaspoon dry yeast
1 cup water
Mix and let sit for 12 hours at room temperature, ideally 65-70 degrees
Soaker
1/8 cup ground flaxseed
1/8 cup whole flaxseed
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 Tblsp canola oil
1 Tblsp molasses
2 Tblsp honey or agave nectar
1 Tblsp salt
Cover with 1 cup of boiling water and stir.
This should be prepared at least 30 minutes before you start to mix the dough so that it will be cool enough and not kill the yeast. It can sit for several hours, if you prefer.
Main Dough
Biga
Soaker
2 teaspoons dry yeast
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour plus 1/2 cup for the kneading
1 cup water
Rolling out the dough
Dr. Graham’s legacy of the graham cracker tells the story of a kernel of enduring nutritional truth that was sidetracked by religious belief and later hijacked by the sweet tooth. Dr. Sylvester Graham wasn’t really a doctor, nor was he an ordained minister, as far as I can tell. But it was more about the message in those days (as it may still be now) and whether the message attracted a following. Graham was convinced that lust and masturbation were caused by poor dietary choices: too much meat, refined flour and inadequate fiber. Raw food was high on his recommended list, but without California, Florida or Central and South America providing abundant fresh produce, I’m not certain how fulfilling a plant-based diet was in the 1830’s.
Dr. Graham advocated healthy living to suppress the carnal urges and to purify the mind and spirit. Healthy living meant no meat, raising the ire of butchers; no refined flour, making him unpopular with bakers; and no alcohol, angering the brewers and saloon keepers. But people signed up!
Since he had little support from the bakers, Graham instructed his followers to bake healthy bread at home. His recipe specified unsifted flour that contained all the bran and the germ. This flour would have come from the first grind at the mill and thus contained many particles of varied size, which is to say that it was very gritty to the feel and baked into a very coarse texture.
During my apprenticeship in Germany, I was able to find graham bread in the health food stores, and I indulged in its hearty flavor and texture to vary my otherwise daily rye bread fix. Graham flour is hard to find these days, although our miller, Keith Giusto at Central Milling, designates our custom ground spelt flour as graham flour.
As with many things, the graham cracker underwent many changes, and it only became a mass market success when it was sweetened up with sugar and honey and when vegetable oil or other fats (pig lard was a preferred fat in baking until 50 years ago or so) were added to make a more tender, cookie-like cracker. A sweeter cracker always works to broaden the appeal, and I freely admit I loved them as a child. And somewhere along the way, yeast disappeared from the recipe. Chemical leavening took over as sugar content increased (yeast does not like a sugar rich environment) and sped up the entire baking process. Once again, it is clear that faster food means nutritionally less healthy food.
The above recipe recreates the cracker as Dr. Graham and other bakers most likely baked. I love a hearty crust, and this type of cracker, like all Dr. Kracker flavors, is a tribute to the richness of flavor that develops in the bread’s crust. I’ve added some oats, sunflower seeds and golden flaxseeds for fun and additional fiber and flavor. Good luck recreating this lost treasure from our past!
For a very complete look at both Sylvester Graham and Harvey Kellogg check out this free article:
“Porn Flakes: Kellogg, Graham and the Crusade for Moral Fiber” by Carrie McLaren
I live in Bound Brook, NJ, where Sylvester Graham lived and worked for a time during the 1820s.
We are planning a downtown street fair for Saturday, October 2nd, and intend to include some kind of graham cracker recipe or baking contest in the event. We have not “fleshed out” this concept, but it has already been included in the initial publicity materials….so I guess we’re committed! Do you have any suggestions? It seems you have done a lot of research. I don’t know if the authentic Graham cracker or breads (i.e.; high fiber, low sugar) would be a hit with the public here. Our town is very diverse, with many Latino immigrants but also many blue collar long-time folks given to typical American fare. Not sure what direction we should take with this!
Any thoughts?
Thanks much.
Kerry Miller
732-560-9623
millerhuddell@yahoo.com
Kerry, you could use the recipe on the website. The problem is that any baking requires 3 to 4 hours. And there are all the different steps involved.
Dr. Graham was one of the first reformers of diet. There is much you could print up about vegetarian and whole grain that would be easier to do and in the spirit of Dr. Graham. You are welcome to use anything from our website. george
512.431.6966
this is great. Latinos naturally eat like this with emphasis on raw fruits, veg, homemade soups/dishes, and homemade tortillas, except when they adopt fast-food american ways. too bad they lose that part of their Indian culture. this recipe was awesome. thanks
Xofi, I am married to a Mexican, and even in our family (in Cuernevaca) I see my suegra struggle with diabetes. There is so much delicious whole grain and plant strong food that it makes eating relatively easy. The problem is resisting the call of refined sugars, refined flour and denatured everything. My wife, Liliana, can always fall prey to her antojos. But I do see this culture of poor food choices changing, one person at a time.
Thanks for posting. george