March 30, 2012

"Royal Lunch" Milk Crackers


My Portuguese grandfather was a farmer. Not on a grand scale. He grew sweet corn on some land across the street from their house that he sold from a roadside stand. He was a big man... tall, about 6-2 and he wore bib overalls when he worked. He had a big walrus mustache that would tickle our cheeks when he kissed us.

When he wasn't out working or selling corn, he'd sit in a straight chair in the kitchen, in front of a window that looked out onto the street. He'd sit there quietly watching the traffic go by, slowly twiddling his thumbs. 

If we came into the kitchen, he'd say "What do you want?" "Do you want a cookie?" And then, motioning to where the cookies were kept, he'd say "Go get a cookie."
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I remember him eating Nabisco Royal Lunch Milk Crackers. My grandmother would put some in a bowl, pour milk onto them, and my grandfather would eat them with a spoon, wiping the milk from his big mustache with his handkerchief.
Today, in memory of the man I called Voo-Voo, I made some milk crackers.
I think he would have liked them.


"Royal Lunch" Milk Crackers - PRINT RECIPE
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 egg



Preheat oven to 400F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment and set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Using a pastry cutter, or your fingers, work butter in until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add cream and egg, then mix to form a dough. Knead 25-30 times. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll dough out to 1/8-inch thick. Cut dough using a 3" round cookie cutter and place on prepared cookie sheet. Price each dough round with a fork. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

38 comments:

  1. Karen, I don't remember these crackers, but what a lovely story of remembrance of a man who influenced you greatly.

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  2. They sound good but I've never heard of them and don't really know what they are so I will Google. I love the pic of the photos spread out on the table and wish I could see them better. Voo voo looks pretty handsome and I wish he were there with you to enjoy them! He would be proud for sure! Nice sweet post, Karen!

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  3. That is so sweet! I love old memories/stories.

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  4. The Royal Lunch box looks vagely familier, I'm not sure why-Maybe my grandparents kept them too.
    I love this post Karen, and the pictures. It reminded me how my father used to break up bread into a bowl or even a glass and pour milk into it. This was one of his favorite bedtime snacks.

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  5. Aww what a sweet tribute! THese crackers sound like the perfect snack!

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  6. I don't think I've heard of these cookies. What a nice story to honor your grandfather.

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  7. I so enjoyed reading your memories Karen. I don't remember seeing these Royal cookies but your sound really tasty.
    Rita

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  8. What a nice tribute to "Voo-voo". I'm quite positive he would have loved them, especially if they were homemade by you.

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  9. I had these at my grandmother's house and at home. I remember bringing them with me as a snack to my first babysitting job when I was in 8th grade. It was just across the street for a few hours each afternoon after school. I didn't realize it was as recent as 2009 that they stopped making them.

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  10. What a sweet memory to share! I'd never heard of milk crackers before, they look like a flatter version of a biscuit. Sounds good to me!

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  11. I love it when people share memories of their families and food. The two are so closely linked. I've not heard of milk crackers, they look almost like biscuits, and very tasty! Great recipe!

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  12. Beautiful post,Karen!!!The crackers look delicious!

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  13. I have never heard of milk crackers. Are they sweet?

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  14. These do look good! It's so fun the memories we have of things. I always remember having rusks at my Grandma's. That was a special treat for me. With a piece of cheese on top. :)

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  15. Ah, what a beautiful memory, Karen. I cherish the memories of my grandparents. It's so nice that you can make something you know he would like. I hope you and your family have a very Happy Easter weekend.

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  16. I enjoyed this story of your grandfather. It reminded me of my father-in-law and my husband. They used to put vanilla wafers in a glass and cover it with milk, and eat with a spoon.

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  17. I'm REALLY looking forward to trying this recipe. My father is an 81 year old Portuguese man from New Bedford Mass,who misses his Royal Milk Lunch Crackers. He's told me stories for years about eating them just the same way that your Voo Voo did, in a bowl of milk with a spoon.

    I found Heritage Farms Lunch Milk Crackers at famousfoods.com. His eyes lit up when he saw them. He got out a bowl, crunched up some crackers and poured his milk. He was happy but said that it wasn't quite like Royal Lunch. Now I'm looking forward to trying your recipe.
    Thank you also for sharing your wonderful memory.

    ~ Debbie
    San Jose, Ca

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  18. I so loved Royal Lunch Milk Crackers all mushed up in my tea, had to eat them with a spoon! I've looked for them for years and have no idea why they discontinued making them. I can't wait to try your recipe. I have tried Maria Crackers that I get at Job Lot, they are pretty close.
    Your story was great! Thanks for sharing.

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  19. Dear Karen,
    I can not believe that I have stumble on your story. I too had a Voo Voo who taught my Dad how to eat Royal Lunch Milk crackers and milk. like all great traditions they past down generations and it became a favorate breakfast of mine and my brothers'. On a cold New England morning before school my brother and I along with our Dad would sit at the kitchen table breaking up our crackers into our bowls but we poured warm cocoa over ours. I feel fortunate to have been able to past the tradition to my son. What was Nabisco thinking when they discontiuned these crackers didn't they know the long standing tradition they were destroying?
    Anyway I am very excited to try your recipe. Thanks for the story.
    Laurie

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  20. My family makes "Lithuanian Filling" with Milk Lunch crackers and we were heartbroken when they
    stopped making them. The Heritage Farms crackers are a close substitute but not exactly the same. I will
    try your recipe. I can't wait to see if they can be used to make the filling. Thank you for the recipe and for sharing your wonderful story.

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  21. I do remember these crackers. They make the best turkey dressing/stuffing. I've used these to make our stuffing every year since I married my husband thirty four years ago. I was heart broken when I found that Nabisco had discontinued them. I did find a different brand and used them but even they have been discontinued now. I'm going to try these today.

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  22. MY GRANDMOTHER USED THEM IN HER STUFFING..IT WAS THE BEST..AND THEY WERE GOOD FOR TEETHING BISQUITS...THEY HAD A VERY LIGHT SWEET TASTE. THIS RECIPE HAS NO SUGAR .. SO IM NOT SURE AT ALL IF IT WILL TASTE THE SAME.I LOVED THEM WHEN I WAS LITTLE

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  23. I was heartbroken when Nabisco stopped making these crackers since they were a part of my childhood. Not only that, but, as an ingredient in my meatloaf recipe, I gained fame as the Queen of the Meatloaf. Now I can reclaim my title, thanks to you and your recipe!!!!

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  24. Karen,
    Did your Portuguese Grandmother ever make something like a fried dough that she rolled out very thin and fried till brown and crisp, then sprinkled with cinnimon and sugar? I have been looking for the recipe, I am having trouble because the recipes that I have found use yeast and I do not remember her adding yeast. She would make boxes and boxes of these addicting crunchy sweet strips of fried dough every Christmas.
    Thanks for reading, Merry Christmas!

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  25. Anon: Yes, filhos or malasadas, which I think are the same thing, but called different names in different parts of the Azores. I've been looking for recipes and will experiment with a few, one using yeast and one not using yeast. Stay tuned... I'll post soon!

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  26. Thank you, I did find this website, looks close to what I remember,

    http://easy.betterrecipes.com/portuguese-fried-dough-farturas.html

    Let me know what you think.....
    Sorry I forgot to sign my last post,
    Happy New Year,
    Laurie

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  27. WOW! Was searching for any recipe that resembled the old Royal Lunch milk crackers that I grew up with! So glad to find this. My Portuguese grandmother would serve us cocoa with the crackers. We would crumble up the crackers and drop them into our cocoa. They were delicious! I used to love them for breakfast. I remember her calling them "soupa's". She spoke occasional Portuguese so I don't know if that was a Portuguese word or not. I actually saved one of the last (empty) boxes of the Royal Lunch milk crackers as a momento when I heard they had stopped manufacturing them. I do miss them! I had no idea other Portuguese families shared in this culinary tradition. My grandparents lived in Provincetown, MA, a small New England town once heavily populated with Portuguese people. So glad to see others have fond memories of Royal Lunch milk crackers. Am looking forward to trying the recipe. Thank you for sharing with us!

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  28. my lithuanian grandparents used royal lunch milk crackers for the best stuffing in the world! i've been on a quest to find a decent replacement, heritage farms was not even close (not the slightest bit sweet). nice story:)

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  29. Ohhh I grew up with these! My great Aunt always had then and had ate them with her coffee. Mmmm... The memories!

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  30. Best comfort food in the world! My grandmother was Lithuanian and it was her milkcraker stuffing that was the best (my mom still makes It) but when I was upset or sad, gram would crumble milkcrakers in hot sweetened tea...now that, brings me back to the "good ole days"!

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  31. Best comfort food in the world! My grandmother was Lithuanian and it was her milkcraker stuffing that was the best (my mom still makes It) but when I was upset or sad, gram would crumble milkcrakers in hot sweetened tea...now that, brings me back to the "good ole days"!

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  32. Oh my! I was in the market yesterday looking for Royal Milk Lunch crackers, they were a staple in my house when i was growing up and my mother loved them. I did not know they were discontinued. Nice story about your grandfather, I find these kind of memeries comforting. I grew up and still live in Rhode Island, my paternal great-grandparents were from Portugal. Small world. I am going to try this recipe and bake these for my mother. My four year old Great-Niece loves to bake with me and she is going to be with me tomorrow. She is such a sweetheart, she will be thrilled to make something for her Great-Grandmother.

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  33. my mom use to make a wonderful cracker pudding with these!!!

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  34. I loved Royal Lunch! I thank you for sharing your memories and for the recipe! I do not cook, but I think I will give this a go!

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  35. So miss Royal Lunch Milk Crackers....Grew up eating them almost everyday before school with milk with a bit of coffee mixed in. Thank you for the recipe, going to try it soon. Wish Nabisco would bring them back. Saving the picture of the box.

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  36. Wow. I love this story and I loved those crackers. We are African-American---of Caribbean background---and my great aunt always had these for us. Milk crackers and a glass of ginger ale. What memories. What love. Thank you for the story and recipe.

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  37. I called my Portuguese grandfather Voo-Voo and he was a farmer as well!!!!!!! I so miss the Nabisco Royal Lunch Milk crackers. I'm going to try your recipe!!

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  38. I remember these crackers. Our family has a tradition of making oyster stuffing at Thanksgiving. Royal lunch crackers was a key ingredient. Doesn't taste the same without these crackers! They were special and hold so many memories!

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