How many of you remember Cracker Jack as a child? Like most things they aren't what they used to be. They have been around a long time. Frederick William Rueckheim and his brother Louis mass-produced an early version of Cracker Jack and sold it at the first Chicago World's Fair in 1893. At the time, it was a mixture of popcorn, molasses and peanuts and was called "Candied Popcorn and Peanuts". Rueckheim devised a way to keep the popcorn kernels separate in 1896. As each batch was mixed in a cement-mixer-like drum, a small quantity of oil was added — a closely-guarded trade secret. Before this change, the mixture had been difficult to handle as it stuck together in chunks. In 1896, the first lot of Cracker Jack was produced. It was named by an enthusiastic sampler who remarked, "That's crackerjack!" (meaning "of excellent quality"). In 1899, Henry Gottlieb Eckstein developed the "waxed sealed package" for freshness, known then as the "Eckstein Triple Proof Package," a dust, germ and moisture-proof paper package. In 1902, the company was re-organized as Rueckheim Bros. & Eckstein. "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", the song written by lyricist Jack Norworth and set to music by Albert Von Tilzer gave Cracker Jack free publicity when it was released in 1908 with the line "buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack!" Prizes were included in every box of Cracker Jack beginning in 1912. Mascots Sailor Jack and his dog, Bingo, were introduced in 1918 and registered as a trademark in 1919. Sailor Jack was modeled after Robert Rueckheim, grandson of F.W. Rueckheim, the German immigrant who invented the popcorn-peanuts-and-molasses snack, in 1872. Robert died of pneumonia shortly after his image appeared at the age of 8. The sailor boy image acquired such meaning for the founder of Cracker Jack that he had it carved on his tombstone, which can still be seen in St. Henry's Cemetery in Chicago. Sailor Jack's dog Bingo was based on a real-life dog named Russell, a stray dog adopted by Henry Eckstein in 1917 who demanded that the dog be used on the packaging. Russell died of old age in 1930. The Cracker Jack Company was purchased by Borden in 1964 after a bidding war between Borden and Frito-Lay. Borden sold the brand to Frito-Lay in 1997. In 2004, the New York Yankees baseball team replaced Cracker Jack with the milder, sweet butter toffee flavored Crunch 'n Munch at home games. After a public outcry, the club immediately switched back to Cracker Jack. Now for a recipe you can make at home.* Use a heavy foil turkey (disposable) roasting pan for baking.
Ingredients:
3 quarts of popped corn
3 cups of unsalted nuts (red peanuts or your choice)
1 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of DARK Karo (corn syrup)
1/2 cup of butter
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda -plus- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Directions: Combine popcorn and nuts in large foil turkey roasting pan. Place in a 250 degree oven to keep warm. Now prepare glaze by combining sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a large heavy pot. Stir constantly till at a boil over medium heat. Continue to boil 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla then baking soda. Remove roasting pan from oven and drizzle the glaze evenly over the corn mixture. Stir well with a metal spoon to coat evenly. Return to oven, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Cool and break apart. Store tighly covered. Makes about 4 quarts. ~ Chef ~
