That is Extremely Advocate, a column devoted to what we’re consuming, consuming, and shopping for. Right here, Carey Polis writes concerning the mini crackers which can be infinitely higher than their full-sized counterparts.
Look, I’m no physics professional, however I perceive that in case you shrink a Saltine, you get…a smaller Saltine. However Saltine minis enhance upon normal-sized Saltines a lot that it’s important to query in the event that they’re even the identical cracker, regardless of having all the identical components.
Everyone knows Saltines as a intentionally bland cracker, nice for when your abdomen is doing flips or once you’re on the lookout for a tableau for cheese or dip that purposely doesn’t impart a heavy taste. It’s the Ann Veal of crackers; it’s a secure assumption that Saltines will not be what anybody would name thrilling. They’re completely advantageous. Too crumbly and too sticky on the roof of your mouth, however advantageous. Regular. Common. Dependable. Mundane.
Saltine minis, nonetheless, are means past advantageous. Whereas every chunk of a daily Saltine alternates between too salty and never salty sufficient, the one-bite mini is evenly and completely salted throughout, seemingly because of its dimension. You additionally sidestep the common “gahhh I’ve crumbs throughout me” expertise since this cracker is a one-and-done chomp. The mini is sturdier than its older sibling, and has extra character. There’s nuance, there’s savoriness, there’s a satisfying gentle salt aftertaste that instantly encourages you to seize extra from the field.
It’s exactly this bigger-is-NOT-better dimension, paired with the crispier-but-not-overly-so construction, that makes this a superb snack for my prolonged household. My one-year-old hoovers them and I’m not anxious about them gumming up his eightfour-toothed mouth. My four-year-old finds them pleasant, a commendation that’s granted to few meals as of late (principally cheese, rice, pasta, and seaweed snacks). My in-laws introduced a field on a current long-haul flight. My brother and sister-in-law get them organized by the six-pack. My brother additionally dragged the crackers from Washington, DC to a bachelor celebration in Austin the place a bunch of 30-year-old dudes additionally noticed the mini Saltine gentle. He later despatched a six-pack as a well-received housewarming current.
As I deeply researched this text (a.okay.a., ordered my very own six-pack), I gave my dad and mom one cracker every. They instantly requested for extra, with my salt-averse mom additionally commenting on how balanced they had been. I additionally talked about this text to my sister-in-law, who deadpanned, “That is undoubtedly a profession spotlight for you…or a minimum of, on your profession because it pertains to me.” I’ve labored in meals media for over 16 years, together with six at this very journal, however you recognize what? I believe she’s proper. I do care that deeply about spreading the gospel of those unheralded gems of the cracker world.
My solely confusion is why the Nabisco/Mondelez overloads don’t market these extra. There’s a success on their fingers, however the minis are surprisingly elusive. No concern, they’re simply obtainable on-line, and at a number of main retailers too.
So, go forward, order that six-pack. Like my dad and mom and the bachelor celebration bros, you’ll in all probability solely want one to understand it’s a purchase order price making.
