Bocaditos

In Germany, flat breads and crackers are not the anemic, empty-calorie snack that they usually are here in the States. There, flat breads are a staple available in the best bakeries and are packed with nutrition and flavor. Typically eaten with soups, salads, cheese, and salami, they add delicious, whole-grain nourishment to simple meals.

Austinite George Eckrich was so taken with European flat breads during his travels there that he made it his mission to bring them to the States. In Germany he met Klaus Karg, an award-winning German baker, and together with fellow German Carsten Kruse, the three bakers founded Doctor Kracker in Dallas. Doctor Kracker's Snacker Krackers and Flatbreads have been showing up here in Austin at grocery stores, specialty shops, and farmers' markets, and the timing is perfect. More than ever before, people are ready for nutritious, whole-grain snacks.

All of Doctor Kracker's flat breads and crackers are made with 100% U.S. Department of Agriculture-certified organic grains, seeds, and dried fruits. The crackers are leavened with good, old-fashioned yeast, not the chemical leavening "conventional" companies use. The yeast unlocks the depth of flavor in the whole grains, and the crackers are then baked in European-style ovens to guarantee an even, crisp, flavorful product.

Eight flavors are available currently (www.drkracker.com): Klassic 3 Seed (made with sunflower, flax, and sesame seeds), Pumpkin Seed Cheese (made with cheddar cheese and pumpkin seeds), Seeded Spelt (Doctor Kracker's favorite), Sunflower Cheese, Muesli (made with organic apples and currants), Graham (made with organic molasses, organic butter, and bran), Seedlander (mildly sweet, with poppy seeds, millet, sesame, and flax), and Veggie Spelt (a special cracker for children, made with flax, quinoa seeds, organic vegetables, butter, and agave syrup).

Available at HEB, Sunset Valley Farmers Market, Central Market, Whole Foods, Grapevine Market, Wheatsville, Farm-to-Market Grocery, and Fresh Plus.

Doctor Kracker Flatbreads and Snacker Crackers