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MEMORIES:
Dragolith remembers...My favorite will always be the Sour Cream & Onion Chex Mix. For some odd reason that was the only ... More »
Posted on 11/16/08
PHOTOS:
Whether it was brought out for football games, birthdays or holidays, or was a staple snack at home, there is no doubt that Chex Mix found a big fan base, making Chex cereal more popular than ever. The cereal, in its plain form, was originally manufactured by Ralston Purina in the days when the company was more known for people-food than kitty litter. From rice, wheat, or corn flour, each piece of cereal was made in a checkerboard pattern, reflecting the checkerboard logo that the company still uses.
One of the great American food manufacturing traditions is to promote one's product through a series of recipes. Beginning in the 50s and 60s, women's magazines and cookbooks began carrying recipes that included cereal and other products, toasted with butter. As popular as Chex Mix has become, they weren't the first to do it. Kix kicked off the idea with Buttered or Cheese Kix found in the 1950 edition of the Betty Crocker Cookbook. Five years later, the Traditional Chex Brand Party Mix was introduced on boxes of Chex.
The mix is varied, though the original mix included Wheat and Rice Chex, as well as Kix and Cheerios, pretzel sticks, melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt and garlic salt. After combining the ingredients, stirring well, of course, it would be toasted in the over for about an hour, stirring occasionally. The smells that would pour through the house... Oh my!
Through the years, more varieties would emerge, from spicy to cheesy, even sweet varieties! The demand for Chex Mix prompted General Mills to manufacture their own Chex Mix snack line in 1994, after the company had purchased the cereal business from Purina. Though, for most palattes, nothing replaces the fresh toasted flavor of the original.
