Humble Origins
No one can directly say when the cheese straw was invented, but it is widely credited as a southern invention.
According to cookbooks and food historians, variations of a cheesy type puff bread strips have been around since the early 1800’s.
What we would call a cheese straw today is a little different from the cheese strips of yore, but the recipe has retained many qualities of its predecessor, ad has remained largely unchanged for over 100 years.
Around 1865 the start of the cheese straw craze began with a magazine called “Godey’s”. They published 3 recipe variations for a cheese straw. By the turn of the century, many cookie and cracker manufacturers were producing and selling cheese straws or wafers .
But you know those old grannies…never buy boxed when a perfectly good oven will go to waste!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 pound (about 2 cups) grated sharp cheddar cheese (the yellow kind)
- 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
- SIFT TOGETHER: Flour, Cayenne and Salt. Set aside.
- WITH A MIXER Cream the softened butter for 1 minute. Add cheese. Mix until blended.
- GRADUALLY ADD the flour mixture, beating on low speed scraping bowl often.
- BEAT on low speed for additional 3-4 minutes. Mixture will be very creamy.
- COOKIE PRESS or PASTRY BAG the mixture and make 3 inch long straws on an ungreased baking sheet
- BAKE in a 350 degree preheated oven . 10-15 minutes until lightly browned.
- REMOVE FROM PAN and cool on racks.
BON APETIT!!
