You may never have heard about Graham cracker soup. It has two simple ingredients: milk and graham crackers in a bowl. Sure, you may dip your Honeymaids into your milk, but not in my family. We turn it into a delicious bowl of what looks like slop. But trust me, it’s good!

  Even more strange is the origin of the graham cracker. They were created by Sylvester Graham, who wanted to spread his idea of healthy eating.“He therefore began to advocate not only a vegetarianism that included whole wheat products but also the virtues of bath-ing, fresh air, sunlight, dress reform, sex-hygiene, and exercise” (Shyrock). For him, graham crackers had an important role in his big picture idea to “prevent urges.” Graham thought his  “brittle, stale-tasting, and ‘harsh to chew,’ crackers ‘could help suppress sexual desire, particularly in adolescent boys’”(Kile). Soon after the concept was created, a more tasteful and enjoyable snack was produced. Mass production started in 1898, “The National Biscuit Company (now called Nabisco) was manufacturing its own line of graham crackers, which were sweetened with sugar, opening the door for incorporating them into other sweet treats”(Lee). The beginning of a new snack that was widely available to everyone is how the snack would eventually become part of my family culture.

Graham crackers kept a simple concept, were easily accessible, and incorporated a great combination of flavors: “Grocery stores carry Graham crackers of all flavors: sweetened with honey, cinnamon sugar, and more” (Eveleth). When my Grandpa was growing up as a kid in the 1960’s, he lived a tough life and had little money. In his cabinets, he frequently had some graham crackers. In his refrigerator, he had some milk. That's when the combination was born, his favorite since he was a young boy.

No matter what day of the week I went over to my Grandparents’ house, I knew I was going to sit at the kitchen table and enjoy a bowl of graham cracker soup with him. Not only was it a tasty snack, but it was a time that I could enjoy stories and lessons he had to share. Sitting at the table one time, he told me the reason behind making it. With little in the house, he would not get full just from dipping a few graham crackers in a glass of milk, so he decided to grab a handful and put them in a bowl with milk and eat them with a spoon. Ever since I was young, he always called it graham cracker soup. We made it the same every time. Set the bowls and spoons out, grabbed a sleeve of graham crackers, and pulled the milk out of the fridge. The graham crackers make a satisfying crunch as we put them into our bowls. An aroma fills the air: sweet honey, hint of cinnamon, hint of vanilla, and toasted wheat. When you first put them in the bowl with milk, you get crunchy bites. After they sit for a few seconds, it turns into a soft, thick consistency; the mushy remains always looked gross, but sure were good. The inconsistent texture makes for some interesting sensory experiences, as well as the sweet combination of honey, cinnamon, vanilla, and milk. We would sit there for hours laughing and smiling over something as simple as a bowl of graham cracker soup.