On Fri, 26 Jul 2013 23:44:24 -0400, "Jean B." > wrote:

>K wrote:
>> In article >,
>> "Jean B." > wrote:
>>
>>> I sometimes run across recipe that call for common crackers and
>>> have had NO idea how large they were, which made it hard to
>>> estimate that quantity of crumbs needed. I am flipping through a
>>> book and just came across this, written by Ralph E. Flanders, the
>>> then-Senator from Vermont: "The cracker called for in this recipe
>>> is the old-fashioned 'common cracker' which in the old days filled
>>> the cracker barrel at the country store. It goes under various
>>> aliases such as St. Johnsbury cracker, Keene cracker, Montpelier
>>> cracker, Hanover cracker, etc. It is the grandfather of the
>>> regular oyster cracker, being however about three inches in diameter."
>>>
>>> Source: The All American Cook Book: Favorite Recipes of Famous
>>> Persons. Sponsored by American Legion Auxiliary Schuetz-Hermann
>>> Unit 283, Lebanon, Illinois. Marceline, Missouri: Walsworth
>>> Bros., 1954. Page 46.
>>
>> Also found this at-
>> http://www.food.com/recipe/common-crackers-273527
>>
>> Looks a little less complex
>>
>> Ingredients:
>>
>> Yields: 24 crackers
>>
>> 4 cups all-purpose flour
>> 2 tablespoons sugar
>> 1 teaspoon salt
>> 1/4 cup butter
>> 1 cup plus milk
>> plus extra milk, to brush on crackers
>> Directions:
>>
>> 1
>> Sift together flour, salt and sugar.
>>
>> 2
>> Cut in butter until mixture has the consistency of corm meal.
>>
>> 3
>> Stir in enough milk to make a stiff dough.
>>
>> 4
>> Roll to 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured board.
>>
>> 5
>> Cut into 3-4 inch rounds.
>>
>> 6
>> Prick surface with a fork.
>>
>> 7
>> Brush surface with milk.
>>
>> 8
>> Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake in a 425°F oven for 15 to 18
>> minutes or until light golden brown.
>>
>> 9
>> Store in an airtight container.
>>
>> 10
>> Split crackers and serve with chowder
>
>I am betting the common crackers of yore were pretty plain. I was
>mainly interested in their size, because one comes across very old
>recipes that call for a certain number of common crackers. That
>is pretty meaningless now. And that type of phenomenon is one
>reason why I try to document some things on this group. It is now
>very hard to come by, virtually lost.

Well, based on the above recipe, they were 1/4 inch thick and 3/4 inch
in diameter prior to cooking and contained about 2 tbsp of flour each.