The turkey or ham might be the star of your holiday meal, but the supporting cast is just as important.
If you’re having people over for the holidays, you’ll want something for them to nosh on until the big meal is served. The buttered saltines from Piedmont Driving Club should be on your menu.
According to then-executive chef Jay Yarbrough, the famous buttered crackers were created by sous chef Roderick Moon at the Capital City Club in 1972.
“He was reported to be out of oyster crackers to serve with the soup at lunch one day and tossed some saltine crackers with butter so he could have something to put on the table. The members loved them and they have been served there ever since,” Yarbrough told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Word spread and the buttered cracker migrated to the Piedmont Driving Club shortly thereafter.”
Be sure to use Nabisco saltines, the restaurant advised, as other brands don’t stay as crisp.
Piedmont Driving Club’s Buttered Saltines
- ½ pound unsalted butter
- 48 square Nabisco saltine crackers
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Have a rimmed baking sheet ready
In a small saucepan, make clarified butter. Melt butter and skim off white foam. Boil butter and keep skimming until the butter is clear and golden. This should yield three-fourths of a cup of clarified butter.
In a large bowl, combine crackers with clarified butter. Toss gently to coat crackers. Transfer crackers to prepared baking sheet, laying crackers flat and side by side. Bake 3 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
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