Fascinating facts about the invention
of the graham cracker by Sylvester Graham in 1829.

TO LEARN MORE

RELATED INFORMATION:
History of Snack Food    from The Great Idea Finder
Sylvester Graham, Inventor Profile   from The Great Idea Finder

ON THE BOOKSHELF:
Vegetarian America: A History
by Karen Iacobbo, Michael Iacobbo / Hardcover: 288 pages / Praeger Publishers (April 30, 2004)
The first complete history of vegetarianism in the United States, this story reveals the people, the organizations, and the events from the late 1700s to the present. Until now, no one has chronicled the contributions that advocates of vegetarianism have made to the American way of life in areas such as general eating habits, preventative medicine, feminism, environmental awareness, and elsewhere.
The Heretic's Feast: A History of Vegetarianism
by Colin Spencer / Paperback: 416 pages / University Press of New England; 1st edition (1995)
A fascinating study of one of humanity's oldest and most maligned eating habits. One of the more interesting questions Spencer addresses is why vegetarians have been the victims of harassment and even persecution by the mainstream culture throughout history.
The New Becoming Vegetarian: The Essential Guide To A Healthy Vegetarian Diet
by Vesanto Melina, Brenda Davis / Paperback: 373 pages / Healthy Living Publications (2003)
Updated with the latest recommendations for intakes of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fats, the authors show how to achieve optimal nutrition for all stages of life. Easy-to-read tables, figures, menus, and food guides help you determine how to meet your nutritional requirements. You'll also learn what plant-based dietary components and factors play active roles in both the prevention and treatment of chronic illnesses.

ON THE SCREEN:
Cookies
DVD / 1 Volume Set / 50 Minutes / History Channel / 76488 / Less than $25.00
In the 1930s, the nation made its greatest contribution to cookie culture with the masterpiece known as chocolate chip, but we also invented the peanut butter cookie and, perhaps surprisingly, the fortune cookie. From plates left out for Santa to the Keebler elves and beyond, join us for a sweet hour as we get out our rolling pins for the history of cookies.

ON THE WEB:
Sylvester Graham and the Graham Cracker
He wanted Americans to eat fruits and vegetables; stop wearing corsets; sleep on hard beds, take cold baths daily, and weekly warm baths; and above all eat bread made with only whole grain, unrefined wheat flour.
(URL: www.foodreference.com/html/wsylvestergraham.html)
History of Vegetarianism
Sylvester Graham (1795-1851), Inventor of graham flour and the graham cracker.
(URL: www.ivu.org/history/usa19/graham.html)
Sylvester Graham
Sylvester Graham, best known today for his invention of Graham crackers, was from a line of clergymen-physicians and was born in West Suffield in 1794, the 17th child of the 72-year old Reverend John Graham, Jr. Graham decided to prepare for the ministry also, and studied languages at Amherst College briefly in 1823.
(URL: www.suffield-library.org/localhistory/graham.htm)
Biography of Sylvester Graham
Sylvester Graham was born on July 5, 1794, in West Suffield, Conn. His father, a 72-year-old clergyman, died 2 years later. Graham was raised by relatives who gave little attention to his development, and he worked at scattered tasks until he was 19 years old..
(URL: www.bookrags.com/biography/sylvester-graham/)
Honey Graham
Many bakers tried to market the crackers, but it wasn't until 1898 that the National Biscuit Company (now Nabisco) made any real inroads into the market with their Nabisco Graham Crackers product. Nabisco achieved even greater success with their Honey Maid line, introduced in 1925, which boosted the original graham flavor through the addition of honey.
(URL: www.nabiscoworld.com/honeymaid/)
International Vegetarian Union
History of Vegetarianism, USA: 19th Century, Sylvester Graham.Sylvester Graham was an American Presbyterian minister (ordained in 1826) who preached on temperance and stressed whole-wheat flour and vegetarian diets.
(URL: www.ivu.org/history/usa19/graham.html)

DID YOU KNOW?:

• While Graham is best known as the father of Graham crackers, today's rendition of the cracker on supermarket shelves is often made with refined flour. For a true Graham cracker, the best source is one's local health food store.