This is based on a classic American cheese straw recipe, popular at weddings from old New England, the mid Atlantic states all the way to the deep South.( The only difference is that rather than cutting the dough into strips as a straw, the round shape is easier to handle and enjoy):
Tools needed:
a cuisenart or mini prep
a cookie cutter ( I like my Grandmothers round shape cutter, about 1 1/2″ round)

Preheat the oven to 350 F

1/2 pound coarsely grated extra-sharp cheedar ( two cups)
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 stick COLD unsalted butter, cut up into tablespoons or less
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 rounded teaspoon cayenne or more to taste
1 1/2 tabelespoons whole milk

later in the recipe as topping:
1/4 teaspoon lightly ground cumin and a bit more cayenne

Pulse the cheese, flour, butter, salt and cayenne in a food processor until mixture resembles a coarse meal.
Slowly add the milk until a ball forms
Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin to create a thin sheet of dough.
Cut rounds using the cutter and place on cookie sheet ( My cookie sheets are very old, so I like to place tin foil as a cover)
you can prick the rounds with a fork to deflate the cracker, or not to have a fluffier type
depress coarse cumin seeds(slightly crushed with a morter and pestle) into the dough rounds with a very light and airy spinkling of more cayenne

Place in oven with a timer for 8 minutes
turn over with a spatula
place timer for seven to eight minutes more( Watch the whole time)
remove from oven and cool on a raised wire rack

(the dough between the rounds can be gathered into another ball and rolled out for many more cheese crackers)

Voila! cheese crackers so tasty you cannot believe it! Yay!

Very warm regards to you,

Philip

Yummmmmy! Congrats to Linda! Adding a chili type spice to chocolate is actually quite an old custom, from what I understand. I’m thinking of rich, spicy chocolate milk of the Aztec’s here, which might be a Lovely pairing with these brownies!

Love you,
Antonia
XOXOX