first tray
second tray
Went a little overboard there with the scoring.
I did not eat these. They're to be given away tomorrow. Here's the thing; I've been making a lot of crackers lately, honing my mad cracker-making skillz. I've searched all over the internet for ideas ... Okay FINE! ... I searched the first ten pages of images and clicked on a few. Saw that they all say pretty much the same thing, didn't see anything at all unusual. Doesn't anybody have any unique ideas out there? Come ON. So I thought maybe I could find a book, perhaps on Amazon. There is one, plus a bunch of things with "crackers" in the title that have nothing at all to do with proper crackers. The one book that fit the criterion was a thin little thing in paperback, available used, priced at nearly $20.00 plus shipping. Probably doesn't have any pictures and it doesn't even pop-up.
What?
That's too much. $23.00 ÷ 167 pages = 13.7¢ per page. This violates my used-book cost protocol that I just now made up.
Just buy it. No, don't buy it. Buy it. No, don't buy it. BUY IT! NO!
Back and forth I go like that.
I live two blocks from the main library. The book is not in their catalog so back and forth I go again with the buy/don't buy debate inside my head tearing me apart. I notice the bookseller at the top of the list is a few miles from where I live. I write to Dream Books:
Hello. I have a question about a paperback book you're offering for 19.00 (plus 4.00 shipping)
Crackers!: Fun, Easy Recipes for Baking Delicious Crackers, Linda Foust, Tony HurschISBN-10 0936067160ISBN-13 978-0936067162167 pages.I've been making a lot of delicious crackers and that caused me to become interested in looking at this book. I live 2 blocks south of Denver Public Library, but alas, they don't have this book in their catalog. I could order this easily enough online but $23.00 seems kind of steep for 167 pages. See the problem? A quick cost analysis shows nearly 14¢ a page for crackers. No offense intended, I do believe I can do as well online. It's a matter of curiosity as to the content of the book. My question is, would you consider selling the book for $10.00?Thank you for considering my question.Cheers,Bo
Dream Books writes back:
Hi Bo,
Thank you for your email. We have a brick and mortar bookstore on 410 W. Hampden Ave. Englewood, CO 80110. This is about 10-15 minutes from your home. If you are interested in picking it up, I can take the shipping cost off. But if you are really interested in buying the book for $10, I will be willing to cut the $9 off for some of your homemade crackers (which looks delicious). Please let me know if any of my propositions sound interesting to you so I can arrange the book to be moved over from our warehouse to the bookstore or just shipped to your house.
Regards,
David Chung
Dream Books Company, LLC
P.O. Box 440530
Aurora, CO 80044-0530
Bless their hearts. It's on, Baby. I confirm:
David,Yes. I'm am interested in visiting your bookstore in Englewood. I can visualize the storefront's location. I understand I am to bring crackers that I made myself in order to obtain a $9.00 discount. May I assume usual business hours? Please expect me tomorrow, Tuesday 5/24.Cheers, Bo
The crackers I made yesterday will not do. Too overpoweringly seasoned for this sort of thing. Oh no, they will not do at all. Although I find them irresistibly delicious I'm aware not everybody will. Therefore I whipped out this batch which are more universally acceptable, and oh my GOD are they ever good, such a nice balance of flavors there
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup A/P flour
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 level teaspoon baking powder
2 oz. shredded Parmigiano (the real stuff)
1 cup water
Topping:
S/P ground together
rosemary crushed.
400℉ / 200℃ for thirteen minutes
7 comments:
Your designer crackers are really pretty. Very artsy looking - cracker art. Seriously, they all look delicious. I plan to try a recipe or two. Looks like you got a good deal on that book. Let us know how it goes when you pick it up.
I'll bet the library would order any book for you through interlibrary loan for free. And although the interlibrary loan department LOVES homemade goodies, you wouldn't be obligated to share any...but they sure love 'em...
Yes Anon, I've used that service, and I didn't bother exploring beyond the surface online catalog. They go much deeper there and cooperate with other libraries. As it is, I have this book now. It would be a disappointment if I had any expectations. I've read it half way through and so far haven't learned anything. I could have written the first half myself. Zip zip zippity zip, flours, measuring ingredients, grains, effects of liquids, fats, etc. I already know about all that. It's boring. No pictures.
:-(
My book would have pictures. LOTS of pictures. BIG pictures.
The store wasn't even opened yet. They totally faked me out because the address has a different name than the one I was looking for. It seemed nobody was there. The place was a complete mess. Construction, books everywhere. A single workman. Nobody answered. Oddly, a laptop hooked up sitting on a chair right there at the front door where anybody could just walk right in (like me) and just take it. Finally the workman there to fix up plumbing went to the back Waaaaaay to the back, and brought forward somebody who was back there. He gave me the book, I gave him the crackers and $10.00, then I left for other errands. Got home, read the book. Bleh. It's written for someone who doesn't know anything at all.
The second half is one recipe per page sometimes two pages. They're all basically the same thing but varying the grain, the fat, the liquid, or the shape. I'll keep the book and use it but it will not be that helpful. When it comes to art, I'm on my own.
In the end, I'm glad I have my book. The whole thing was kind of fun.
Well, Chip Ahoy, maybe it's time to start that book. It could be artsy with lots of photos and delicious recipes along with your comments and asides. I would buy your book - if I knew about it and if it wasn't too expensive.
I came to leave a comment about ILL but I see someone beat me to it. :)
That was definitely nice of them to do that for you though. You should totally write a book about crackers! I generally don't buy cookbooks unless they have decent pictures.
My first batch of crackers... they are completed!
And eated!
Yay Synova! I take it by the rapid consumption they exceeded expectation. Were they simple as I say? Fun?
Post a Comment