MaryLou Whitney Cheese Wafers are the creation of Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, the gracious woman who was the queen of social life in Saratoga Springs until her passing in 2019 at the age of 93. This recipe was found in a celebrity cookbook by a reader of Steve Barnes’ Tablehopping column. It is presented, as Rod Serling said on the Twilight Zone, for your consideration. We think it is a bit flour-y and could use an egg for binding, a bit of salt and Tabasco, a little longer in the oven at a lower temperature, and maybe a spritz of chopped chives. But the recipe does showcase the potato chip, which of course was invented in Saratoga, and that’s the most important thing. Makes about 20 wafers.
Ingredients:
1 c very sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 stick barely melted butter
1 c all-purpose flour
1 c potato chips (a generic brand, not Saratoga Chips), crushed
MaryLou Whitney Cheese Wafers
Method: combine grated cheese and butter; add flour, then fold in crushed potato chips and mix thoroughly. Shape into 1 inch balls then space them out on an ungreased half-sheet pan. Using a fork, press each wafer flat. Bake in 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. “Delicious when served hot with soup, or hot or cold as hors d’oeuvres.”
