here's a dumb question for ya...

#1 11-09-2006, 10:37 AM

why do they call them oyster crackers?

we're having chili for dinner and i bou't oyster crackers to serve with
them, and suddenly i'm wondering....why?

--
~u2b

+*+*+*+*+*+*+

"Laugh and the world laughs with you... Cry, and the world looks sheepish
and suddenly remembers it had other plans."

#2 11-09-2006, 10:37 AM

"used2be" <used2be@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:m%v2h.4928$lx6.4719@tornado.texas.rr.com...
> why do they call them oyster crackers?
>
> we're having chili for dinner and i bou't oyster crackers to serve with
> them, and suddenly i'm wondering....why?
>
>
because you're supposed to put them in oyster stew

#3 11-09-2006, 10:37 AM

On Fri, 03 Nov 2006 00:24:50 GMT, "used2be" <used2be@nowhere.com>
wrote:

>why do they call them oyster crackers?
>
>we're having chili for dinner and i bou't oyster crackers to serve with
>them, and suddenly i'm wondering....why?

Oyster crackers are small, salted, buttery crackers, typically
hexagons about 0.59 in (15 mm) in diameter. They are popular in the
northeastern USA, where they are served as an accompaniment to soup,
and in the Cincinnati area, where they are frequently served with the
city's distinctive chili. In the U.S. state of Vermont oyster crackers
are served in oyster stew and chowders.

Oyster crackers do not contain oysters. The origin of the name is
unclear, but it may be that they were originally served with oyster
stew or clam chowder.

#4 11-09-2006, 10:37 AM

"Bacon" <rbkfour@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:6r7lk2hv5c04po7qpmlt003eh4nd12nta0@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 03 Nov 2006 00:24:50 GMT, "used2be" <used2be@nowhere.com>
> wrote:
>
> >why do they call them oyster crackers?
> >
> >we're having chili for dinner and i bou't oyster crackers to serve with
> >them, and suddenly i'm wondering....why?
>
> Oyster crackers are small, salted, buttery crackers, typically
> hexagons about 0.59 in (15 mm) in diameter. They are popular in the
> northeastern USA, where they are served as an accompaniment to soup,
> and in the Cincinnati area, where they are frequently served with the
> city's distinctive chili. In the U.S. state of Vermont oyster crackers
> are served in oyster stew and chowders.
>
> Oyster crackers do not contain oysters. The origin of the name is
> unclear, but it may be that they were originally served with oyster
> stew or clam chowder.

The practice of combining hard bread with liquid nourishment is ancient.
Roman biscuits and gruel, Medieval sops and stew, 18th century hard tack and
soup, and early 19th century common crackers and fish chowder are part of a
long tradition of using bread to extend thin foods to fill hungry bellies.
Oyster crackers are part of this tradition. These bite-sized crackers are
closely related to common crackers. Their lighter composition is the
by-product of mid-19th century leaveners, most notably baking soda. Today's
manufactured oyster cracker products are closer to saltines than common
crackers.

Why the name "oyster cracker?" Food reference books do not specifically
address this question. There are (at least) two possibilities based on the
history of the product: 1. They were used in chowders (thus the association
with oysters) and 2. They looked like oysters (crackers are
three-dimensional if not stamped flat; these lumpy white crackers might have
looked like oysters in shape and color.)

"Common crackers.
If there has been a constant in the history of chowder, at least for the
last two hundred years, it is the common cracker. A perfect companion for
chowder, the common cracker has remained unchanged...These round pufffed,
hollow, very hard crackers have been manufactured in New England for so
long...The common cracker descended from hard tack, also called ship's
biscuit--a very dense, unleavened brick of baked flour. Necessity wrote this
recipe, since flour would not keep in the damp and vermin-infested
conditions aboard ship. Hardtack was also a staple of all along the coast of
New England and in the Maritime Provinces of Canada...Hardtack had to be
shaved or shopped off the baked brick, then soaked with water then soften
before it could be used for chowder and other dishes."
---50 Chowders: One-pot Meals-Clam, Corn & Beyond, Jasper White
[Scribner:New York] 2000 (p. 205-6)

#5 11-09-2006, 10:37 AM

"%" <persent@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:V_Wdne73g5ZEPdfYnZ2dnUVZ_r2dnZ2d@giganews.com ...
>
> "Bacon" <rbkfour@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:6r7lk2hv5c04po7qpmlt003eh4nd12nta0@4ax.com...
>> On Fri, 03 Nov 2006 00:24:50 GMT, "used2be" <used2be@nowhere.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >why do they call them oyster crackers?
>> >
>> >we're having chili for dinner and i bou't oyster crackers to serve with
>> >them, and suddenly i'm wondering....why?
>>
>> Oyster crackers are small, salted, buttery crackers, typically
>> hexagons about 0.59 in (15 mm) in diameter. They are popular in the
>> northeastern USA, where they are served as an accompaniment to soup,
>> and in the Cincinnati area, where they are frequently served with the
>> city's distinctive chili. In the U.S. state of Vermont oyster crackers
>> are served in oyster stew and chowders.
>>
>> Oyster crackers do not contain oysters. The origin of the name is
>> unclear, but it may be that they were originally served with oyster
>> stew or clam chowder.
>
>
> The practice of combining hard bread with liquid nourishment is ancient.
> Roman biscuits and gruel, Medieval sops and stew, 18th century hard tack
> and
> soup, and early 19th century common crackers and fish chowder are part of
> a
> long tradition of using bread to extend thin foods to fill hungry bellies.
> Oyster crackers are part of this tradition. These bite-sized crackers are
> closely related to common crackers. Their lighter composition is the
> by-product of mid-19th century leaveners, most notably baking soda.
> Today's
> manufactured oyster cracker products are closer to saltines than common
> crackers.
>
> Why the name "oyster cracker?" Food reference books do not specifically
> address this question. There are (at least) two possibilities based on the
> history of the product: 1. They were used in chowders (thus the
> association
> with oysters) and 2. They looked like oysters (crackers are
> three-dimensional if not stamped flat; these lumpy white crackers might
> have
> looked like oysters in shape and color.)
>
> "Common crackers.
> If there has been a constant in the history of chowder, at least for the
> last two hundred years, it is the common cracker. A perfect companion for
> chowder, the common cracker has remained unchanged...These round pufffed,
> hollow, very hard crackers have been manufactured in New England for so
> long...The common cracker descended from hard tack, also called ship's
> biscuit--a very dense, unleavened brick of baked flour. Necessity wrote
> this
> recipe, since flour would not keep in the damp and vermin-infested
> conditions aboard ship. Hardtack was also a staple of all along the coast
> of
> New England and in the Maritime Provinces of Canada...Hardtack had to be
> shaved or shopped off the baked brick, then soaked with water then soften
> before it could be used for chowder and other dishes."
> ---50 Chowders: One-pot Meals-Clam, Corn & Beyond, Jasper White
> [Scribner:New York] 2000 (p. 205-6)
>
>
so how did white people come to be called "crackers" by blacks eh
(aside from a cracker's obvious whiteness)

are us honkies crunchy?
flakey?

#6 11-09-2006, 10:37 AM

"justabeing" <just.a.being@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:5lx2h.1019$vP1.662@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com ...
>
> "%" <persent@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:V_Wdne73g5ZEPdfYnZ2dnUVZ_r2dnZ2d@giganews.com ...
> >
> > "Bacon" <rbkfour@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> > news:6r7lk2hv5c04po7qpmlt003eh4nd12nta0@4ax.com...
> >> On Fri, 03 Nov 2006 00:24:50 GMT, "used2be" <used2be@nowhere.com>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >> >why do they call them oyster crackers?
> >> >
> >> >we're having chili for dinner and i bou't oyster crackers to serve
with
> >> >them, and suddenly i'm wondering....why?
> >>
> >> Oyster crackers are small, salted, buttery crackers, typically
> >> hexagons about 0.59 in (15 mm) in diameter. They are popular in the
> >> northeastern USA, where they are served as an accompaniment to soup,
> >> and in the Cincinnati area, where they are frequently served with the
> >> city's distinctive chili. In the U.S. state of Vermont oyster crackers
> >> are served in oyster stew and chowders.
> >>
> >> Oyster crackers do not contain oysters. The origin of the name is
> >> unclear, but it may be that they were originally served with oyster
> >> stew or clam chowder.
> >
> >
> > The practice of combining hard bread with liquid nourishment is ancient.
> > Roman biscuits and gruel, Medieval sops and stew, 18th century hard tack
> > and
> > soup, and early 19th century common crackers and fish chowder are part
of
> > a
> > long tradition of using bread to extend thin foods to fill hungry
bellies.
> > Oyster crackers are part of this tradition. These bite-sized crackers
are
> > closely related to common crackers. Their lighter composition is the
> > by-product of mid-19th century leaveners, most notably baking soda.
> > Today's
> > manufactured oyster cracker products are closer to saltines than common
> > crackers.
> >
> > Why the name "oyster cracker?" Food reference books do not specifically
> > address this question. There are (at least) two possibilities based on
the
> > history of the product: 1. They were used in chowders (thus the
> > association
> > with oysters) and 2. They looked like oysters (crackers are
> > three-dimensional if not stamped flat; these lumpy white crackers might
> > have
> > looked like oysters in shape and color.)
> >
> > "Common crackers.
> > If there has been a constant in the history of chowder, at least for the
> > last two hundred years, it is the common cracker. A perfect companion
for
> > chowder, the common cracker has remained unchanged...These round
pufffed,
> > hollow, very hard crackers have been manufactured in New England for so
> > long...The common cracker descended from hard tack, also called ship's
> > biscuit--a very dense, unleavened brick of baked flour. Necessity wrote
> > this
> > recipe, since flour would not keep in the damp and vermin-infested
> > conditions aboard ship. Hardtack was also a staple of all along the
coast
> > of
> > New England and in the Maritime Provinces of Canada...Hardtack had to be
> > shaved or shopped off the baked brick, then soaked with water then
soften
> > before it could be used for chowder and other dishes."
> > ---50 Chowders: One-pot Meals-Clam, Corn & Beyond, Jasper White
> > [Scribner:New York] 2000 (p. 205-6)
> >
> >
> so how did white people come to be called "crackers" by blacks eh
> (aside from a cracker's obvious whiteness)
>
> are us honkies crunchy?
> flakey?
>

if you're asking me , you're asking the wrong person ,
i haven't seen a black person in just over 8 years , except on tv ,
i don't know about crunchy , but some of us are definately flakey
>

#7 11-09-2006, 10:37 AM

"Bacon" <rbkfour@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:6r7lk2hv5c04po7qpmlt003eh4nd12nta0@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 03 Nov 2006 00:24:50 GMT, "used2be" <used2be@nowhere.com>
> wrote:
>
>>why do they call them oyster crackers?
>>
>>we're having chili for dinner and i bou't oyster crackers to serve with
>>them, and suddenly i'm wondering....why?
>
> Oyster crackers are small, salted, buttery crackers, typically
> hexagons about 0.59 in (15 mm) in diameter. They are popular in the
> northeastern USA, where they are served as an accompaniment to soup,
> and in the Cincinnati area, where they are frequently served with the
> city's distinctive chili. In the U.S. state of Vermont oyster crackers
> are served in oyster stew and chowders.
>
> Oyster crackers do not contain oysters. The origin of the name is
> unclear, but it may be that they were originally served with oyster
> stew or clam chowder.

wow...thanks bacon!

#8 11-09-2006, 10:37 AM

"%" <persent@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:V_Wdne73g5ZEPdfYnZ2dnUVZ_r2dnZ2d@giganews.com ...
>
> "Bacon" <rbkfour@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:6r7lk2hv5c04po7qpmlt003eh4nd12nta0@4ax.com...
>> On Fri, 03 Nov 2006 00:24:50 GMT, "used2be" <used2be@nowhere.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >why do they call them oyster crackers?
>> >
>> >we're having chili for dinner and i bou't oyster crackers to serve with
>> >them, and suddenly i'm wondering....why?
>>
>> Oyster crackers are small, salted, buttery crackers, typically
>> hexagons about 0.59 in (15 mm) in diameter. They are popular in the
>> northeastern USA, where they are served as an accompaniment to soup,
>> and in the Cincinnati area, where they are frequently served with the
>> city's distinctive chili. In the U.S. state of Vermont oyster crackers
>> are served in oyster stew and chowders.
>>
>> Oyster crackers do not contain oysters. The origin of the name is
>> unclear, but it may be that they were originally served with oyster
>> stew or clam chowder.
>
>
> The practice of combining hard bread with liquid nourishment is ancient.
> Roman biscuits and gruel, Medieval sops and stew, 18th century hard tack
> and
> soup, and early 19th century common crackers and fish chowder are part of
> a
> long tradition of using bread to extend thin foods to fill hungry bellies.
> Oyster crackers are part of this tradition. These bite-sized crackers are
> closely related to common crackers. Their lighter composition is the
> by-product of mid-19th century leaveners, most notably baking soda.
> Today's
> manufactured oyster cracker products are closer to saltines than common
> crackers.
>
> Why the name "oyster cracker?" Food reference books do not specifically
> address this question. There are (at least) two possibilities based on the
> history of the product: 1. They were used in chowders (thus the
> association
> with oysters) and 2. They looked like oysters (crackers are
> three-dimensional if not stamped flat; these lumpy white crackers might
> have
> looked like oysters in shape and color.)
>
> "Common crackers.
> If there has been a constant in the history of chowder, at least for the
> last two hundred years, it is the common cracker. A perfect companion for
> chowder, the common cracker has remained unchanged...These round pufffed,
> hollow, very hard crackers have been manufactured in New England for so
> long...The common cracker descended from hard tack, also called ship's
> biscuit--a very dense, unleavened brick of baked flour. Necessity wrote
> this
> recipe, since flour would not keep in the damp and vermin-infested
> conditions aboard ship. Hardtack was also a staple of all along the coast
> of
> New England and in the Maritime Provinces of Canada...Hardtack had to be
> shaved or shopped off the baked brick, then soaked with water then soften
> before it could be used for chowder and other dishes."
> ---50 Chowders: One-pot Meals-Clam, Corn & Beyond, Jasper White
> [Scribner:New York] 2000 (p. 205-6)

now *that* is alot of information about a simple cracker!

thnx hunny.

#9 11-09-2006, 10:37 AM

_/ justabeing wrote \_
> so how did white people come to be called "crackers" by blacks eh
> (aside from a cracker's obvious whiteness)

Whip crackers. As in plantation masters cracking their whips against the
blacks.

--
-slunky

#10 11-09-2006, 10:37 AM

"slunky" <slunky@globalzero.org> wrote in message
news:slrneklgig.s1.slunky@equator.zero...
> _/ justabeing wrote \_
>> so how did white people come to be called "crackers" by blacks eh
>> (aside from a cracker's obvious whiteness)
>
> Whip crackers. As in plantation masters cracking their whips against the
> blacks.
>
> --
> -slunky

now THAT makes sense!
thanks slunky

#11 11-09-2006, 10:37 AM

used2be wrote:
> why do they call them oyster crackers?
>
> we're having chili for dinner and i bou't oyster crackers to serve with
> them, and suddenly i'm wondering....why?
>

Fritos are what you're supposed to put in chili!

#12 11-09-2006, 10:37 AM

"Franz Bestuchev" <franz.bestuchev@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:4r2m66Fpbo91U3@individual.net...
> used2be wrote:
> > why do they call them oyster crackers?
> >
> > we're having chili for dinner and i bou't oyster crackers to serve with
> > them, and suddenly i'm wondering....why?
> >
>
> Fritos are what you're supposed to put in chili!

a spoon is what goes in chili

#13 11-09-2006, 10:37 AM

Bacon wrote:
> On Fri, 03 Nov 2006 00:24:50 GMT, "used2be" <used2be@nowhere.com>
> wrote:
>
>> why do they call them oyster crackers?
>>
>> we're having chili for dinner and i bou't oyster crackers to serve with
>> them, and suddenly i'm wondering....why?
>
> Oyster crackers are small, salted, buttery crackers, typically
> hexagons about 0.59 in (15 mm) in diameter. They are popular in the
> northeastern USA, where they are served as an accompaniment to soup,
> and in the Cincinnati area, where they are frequently served with the
> city's distinctive chili. In the U.S. state of Vermont oyster crackers
> are served in oyster stew and chowders.
>
> Oyster crackers do not contain oysters. The origin of the name is
> unclear, but it may be that they were originally served with oyster
> stew or clam chowder.

The ones I'm familiar with are round with small slices cut into the
edges, and they're more like saltines - not a buttery cracker.

#14 11-09-2006, 10:37 AM

% wrote:
> "Bacon" <rbkfour@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:6r7lk2hv5c04po7qpmlt003eh4nd12nta0@4ax.com...
>> On Fri, 03 Nov 2006 00:24:50 GMT, "used2be" <used2be@nowhere.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> why do they call them oyster crackers?
>>>
>>> we're having chili for dinner and i bou't oyster crackers to serve with
>>> them, and suddenly i'm wondering....why?
>> Oyster crackers are small, salted, buttery crackers, typically
>> hexagons about 0.59 in (15 mm) in diameter. They are popular in the
>> northeastern USA, where they are served as an accompaniment to soup,
>> and in the Cincinnati area, where they are frequently served with the
>> city's distinctive chili. In the U.S. state of Vermont oyster crackers
>> are served in oyster stew and chowders.
>>
>> Oyster crackers do not contain oysters. The origin of the name is
>> unclear, but it may be that they were originally served with oyster
>> stew or clam chowder.
>
>
> The practice of combining hard bread with liquid nourishment is ancient.
> Roman biscuits and gruel, Medieval sops and stew, 18th century hard tack and
> soup, and early 19th century common crackers and fish chowder are part of a
> long tradition of using bread to extend thin foods to fill hungry bellies.
> Oyster crackers are part of this tradition. These bite-sized crackers are
> closely related to common crackers. Their lighter composition is the
> by-product of mid-19th century leaveners, most notably baking soda. Today's
> manufactured oyster cracker products are closer to saltines than common
> crackers.
>
> Why the name "oyster cracker?" Food reference books do not specifically
> address this question. There are (at least) two possibilities based on the
> history of the product: 1. They were used in chowders (thus the association
> with oysters) and 2. They looked like oysters (crackers are
> three-dimensional if not stamped flat; these lumpy white crackers might have
> looked like oysters in shape and color.)
>
> "Common crackers.
> If there has been a constant in the history of chowder, at least for the
> last two hundred years, it is the common cracker. A perfect companion for
> chowder, the common cracker has remained unchanged...These round pufffed,
> hollow, very hard crackers have been manufactured in New England for so
> long...The common cracker descended from hard tack, also called ship's
> biscuit--a very dense, unleavened brick of baked flour. Necessity wrote this
> recipe, since flour would not keep in the damp and vermin-infested
> conditions aboard ship. Hardtack was also a staple of all along the coast of
> New England and in the Maritime Provinces of Canada...Hardtack had to be
> shaved or shopped off the baked brick, then soaked with water then soften
> before it could be used for chowder and other dishes."
> ---50 Chowders: One-pot Meals-Clam, Corn & Beyond, Jasper White
> [Scribner:New York] 2000 (p. 205-6)
>
>

You type a lot

#15 11-09-2006, 10:37 AM

"Franz Bestuchev" <franz.bestuchev@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:4r2malFpbo91U5@individual.net...
> % wrote:
> > "Bacon" <rbkfour@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> > news:6r7lk2hv5c04po7qpmlt003eh4nd12nta0@4ax.com...
> >> On Fri, 03 Nov 2006 00:24:50 GMT, "used2be" <used2be@nowhere.com>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >>> why do they call them oyster crackers?
> >>>
> >>> we're having chili for dinner and i bou't oyster crackers to serve
with
> >>> them, and suddenly i'm wondering....why?
> >> Oyster crackers are small, salted, buttery crackers, typically
> >> hexagons about 0.59 in (15 mm) in diameter. They are popular in the
> >> northeastern USA, where they are served as an accompaniment to soup,
> >> and in the Cincinnati area, where they are frequently served with the
> >> city's distinctive chili. In the U.S. state of Vermont oyster crackers
> >> are served in oyster stew and chowders.
> >>
> >> Oyster crackers do not contain oysters. The origin of the name is
> >> unclear, but it may be that they were originally served with oyster
> >> stew or clam chowder.
> >
> >
> > The practice of combining hard bread with liquid nourishment is ancient.
> > Roman biscuits and gruel, Medieval sops and stew, 18th century hard tack
and
> > soup, and early 19th century common crackers and fish chowder are part
of a
> > long tradition of using bread to extend thin foods to fill hungry
bellies.
> > Oyster crackers are part of this tradition. These bite-sized crackers
are
> > closely related to common crackers. Their lighter composition is the
> > by-product of mid-19th century leaveners, most notably baking soda.
Today's
> > manufactured oyster cracker products are closer to saltines than common
> > crackers.
> >
> > Why the name "oyster cracker?" Food reference books do not specifically
> > address this question. There are (at least) two possibilities based on
the
> > history of the product: 1. They were used in chowders (thus the
association
> > with oysters) and 2. They looked like oysters (crackers are
> > three-dimensional if not stamped flat; these lumpy white crackers might
have
> > looked like oysters in shape and color.)
> >
> > "Common crackers.
> > If there has been a constant in the history of chowder, at least for the
> > last two hundred years, it is the common cracker. A perfect companion
for
> > chowder, the common cracker has remained unchanged...These round
pufffed,
> > hollow, very hard crackers have been manufactured in New England for so
> > long...The common cracker descended from hard tack, also called ship's
> > biscuit--a very dense, unleavened brick of baked flour. Necessity wrote
this
> > recipe, since flour would not keep in the damp and vermin-infested
> > conditions aboard ship. Hardtack was also a staple of all along the
coast of
> > New England and in the Maritime Provinces of Canada...Hardtack had to be
> > shaved or shopped off the baked brick, then soaked with water then
soften
> > before it could be used for chowder and other dishes."
> > ---50 Chowders: One-pot Meals-Clam, Corn & Beyond, Jasper White
> > [Scribner:New York] 2000 (p. 205-6)
> >
> >
>
> You type a lot

about geoducks

#16 11-09-2006, 10:37 AM

% wrote: <snip>

Nice hack job, kid. Isn't is time for your cookies and milk?

#17 11-09-2006, 10:37 AM

% wrote:
> "Franz Bestuchev" <franz.bestuchev@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:4r2m66Fpbo91U3@individual.net...
>> used2be wrote:
>>> why do they call them oyster crackers?
>>>
>>> we're having chili for dinner and i bou't oyster crackers to serve with
>>> them, and suddenly i'm wondering....why?
>>>
>> Fritos are what you're supposed to put in chili!
>
>
> a spoon is what goes in chili
>
>

A spoon is what comes out of chili too