“What hundred-year-old food are you making for the Super Bowl party?”
My jaw dropped. . . umm. . . Do the words “Super Bowl” and “hundred-year-old foods” even belong in the same sentence?
But, being one who is always ready for a new challenge (and who is thrilled when friends actually ask for hundred-year-old foods), the search was on. I began scanning old cookbooks looking for the perfect Super Bowl recipe.
And, I think that I’ve succeeded. I found an easy-to-make, awesome hundred-year-old recipe for Cheese Straws. The Cheese Straws will be perfect for nibbling while dissecting the Super Bowls ads and plays with family and friends.
Here’s the original recipe:
And, here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:
Cheese Straws
1/4 cup butter softened
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup flour
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Put the butter, cheese, egg, baking powder, cayenne pepper, and salt in a mixing bowl, then beat to combine. Add the flour and stir until thoroughly mixed.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick and 5 inches wide. Cut the dough into strips that are approximately 1/3 inch wide. Put the strips on a lightly greased baking sheet, and place in the oven. Bake for approximately 9-11 minutes or until the strips are lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool slightly, then remove from the baking sheet with a spatula and place on a cooling rack to complete cooling.
A Hundred Years Ago 
I made a similar recipe for Christmas Day appetizers, but formed the dough into balls and flattened with a fork. The recipe I used also called for crushed corn flakes and used sharp cheddar cheese. They were very good, so I’m sure these will be perfect Super Bowl snacks (highly addictive, too). How interesting that we still like the same foods a hundred years later!
This recipe seemed surprisingly modern to me. I’m always surprised how some old foods seem very similar to more modern ones–whereas others seem very different.
I’m going to make the cheese crackers again and tweek them a little. You’ve inspired me to try again!
I think you scored a touchdown with this recipe 🙂
🙂 Thank you! I think I did.
Lol. Good one.
You made me laugh with “Do the words “Super Bowl” and “hundred-year-old foods” even belong in the same sentence?” I think you did find the perfect recipe! Game on!
It’s nice to hear that you liked that line. I pulled this post together at the very last minute. I originally planned on posting a different recipe this week-end, and then decided this morning to go with the Super Bowl theme.
Great idea to do that Sheryl!
I’m going to try this…. served with pizza sauce ..yum. Great find,Sheryl!
mmm. . . They would be delicious with pizza sauce. I might cut them just a bit wider if I planned to dip them in pizza sauce.
Good advice, thanks!
Great post, so easy! Thanks.
It’s nice to hear that you enjoyed this post. They were easy to make.
These looks great! What a great title!
Why am I not surprised that you liked the cookbook title? 🙂
Excellent! The premise of your blog intrigues me! Elizabeth from The Comfortable Coop sent me over to say hi. And I’m very glad she did!
Welcome! I have a lot of fun doing this blog, and it’s wonderful to hear that others enjoy it.
Thanks, Sheryl. I’m sure you’ll never run outta material! We do, so keep on writing!
Yum those look so good sweetie! Hugz Lisa and Bear
They’re yummy and a perfect snack food.
How fun! I love that someone asked for a hundred year old recipe!
So do I! My friends and family are used to me serving hundred-year-old recipes – but I thought it was awesome that they asked for one. 🙂
These look addictive. I make something similar (with the addition of rosemary), and it’s nice to see that such recipes were around back then. Great tasty find. 🙂
mmm. . . rosemary would be a nice addition to this recipe.
A little of it adds so much. You can check my blog for the recipe. 🙂
The Cheddar Rosemary Fingers look wonderful. It’s interesting how similar the Cheese Straws and the Cheddar fingers look. In addition to the rosemary, the main differences between your basic recipe and this one is that this one calls for an egg and baking powder–and yours doesn’t. Yet they both look like they puffed up a bit.
Note to other readers – Here’s the link to Ronit’s post: https://ronitpenso.wordpress.com/?s=rosemary+cheddar
Thank you Sheryl, for checking my recipe and for linking it here.
I omitted the egg and baking powder, as I wanted crispier texture. However, such recipes are quite “stretchable” and with using good cheese, the results are always good. 🙂
I’ve always wanted to make cheese straws. This recipe looks very simple and I think I have all the ingredients on hand so I’ll give it a try! ~Elle
I think that you’ll like this recipe. When I decided to make this recipe, I worried that it might be difficult to transfer the narrow strips of dough from the work surface where I cut them to the baking sheet. But I didn’t have any problems. As I cut each strip, I used my knife as a spatula to lift one end, and lifted the other end with my hand. It stayed together really well.
Good tip!
This looks very good. Oddly, I was thinking about making something like this, so thank you! I wasn’t quite sure how to go about it. Enjoy the game!
I was pleasantly surprised how easy this recipe was to make.
I will see if the girls want to make it with me. It could be fun.
Looks like the perfect snack for the Super Bowl.
It was. 🙂
Now or 100 years ago, this recipe works for me.
I tend to think of classic recipes as something other than snack foods–but even within the snack food category, some recipes are classics. 🙂
Thanks for sharing! This will make a wonderful party food — or just for a fun family gathering.
It’s nice to hear that you enjoyed this post. Cheese straws are a perfect finger food to nibble on when mingling with friends and family.
I’ll have to pick up some baking powder, but I’ll be eating these later today and thinking of you, thanks!!
You’re welcome! How did they turn out? Old recipes are so sketchy, and I always really appreciate hearing about others experiences. And, other readers always find it really helpful to read comments by people (in addition to me) who actually tried one of these recipes.
I think my cheese might have been a bit too oily, other than that – I think I gained a pound or two during the Superbowl!
Oh dear – it’s too bad that they didn’t turn out quite right. But thanks for the info. Maybe they could be made with just a bit less butter. The Super Bowl is definitely a time for eating!
I did just that! Maybe they weren’t perfect, but they were tasty!
You really met that challenge! These sound addictive!
Thank you! They were delightful.
Wow, looks simple enough to make and delicious!
Yes, it really was an easy-to-make recipe. I like how old recipes often have only a few ingredients.
These look wonderful — and so much better to make them than buy them Somehow, I never thought about the fact that I could make them. I’ll not be doing it today, but the recipe’s been saved.
Recently I think that I’ve been on a roll making foods that we never think of making from scratch – marshmallows last week and cheese straws this week. 🙂
Those do look like the perfect Super Bowl food! I had no idea cheese straws were common 100 years ago!
I want to think that Cheese Strawas were a regional Southern food back then. The cookbook that I got them out of was a compilation of Kentucky recipes.
That’s definitely a touch down, Sheryl! Surprisingly modern and seem to be quite easy to make. We love anything and everything made with cheese so this is going into my recipe drawer 🙂
Thank you! I’m glad you liked this post. 🙂
Taste good??
Yes, they were rich and crispy with almost a cracker-like texture and a light cheese flavor.
What a strange first name for the original recipe’s author – Henry😉… I don’t think our grandchildren would believe that many women once went by their husbands full name with a Mrs tagged on the front!
This probably dates me, by I can remember being taught the “rules” in English classes for whether a woman’s name or Mrs. followed by her husband’s name should be used when writing a letter.
These look great; something I’ll keep handy. 🙂 I made my traditional pepperoni bread for super bowl and that is much more work.
mmm. . . pepperoni bread sounds yummy.
It’s fabulous. 😁
Cheese straws are irresistible…I especially like the ones with a little cayenne.
The are a perfect snack food.
Sounds like you scored a hit. Dipping in pizza sauce sounds like a good idea, too. I’ll bet your friends enjoyed the cheese straws!
They are vanished very quickly. I probably should have made more than what I did.
Who would have thought there would be a 100 year old recipe for Cheese Straws!?
Like you, I was surprised when I found this recipe.
This looks an easy recipe and sounds so delicious!!
It’s a nice, simple recipe for a tasty snack food.
Wow! What a good recipe and so simple. I would love to make these.
I think that you’d enjoy them.
Lovely recipe Sheryl. Would love to try it soon 🙂
It’s a very nice recipe that makes a tasty snack food.