Barley-Shiitake Mushroom Soup

"Barley flour gives these crackers lightness, and the oats provide a sweet, nutty flavor. For those cracker-lovers who are allergic to wheat, oats and barley are a blessing. Try these crackers with a glass of cold, freshly squeezed orange juice for a quick and nutritious breakfast. 350~F. 15 to 20 minutes Preheat the oven to 350~F.

Grind the oats in a blender or food processor to a fairly fine consistency (about 25 pulses with the food processor). In a large bowl or in the food processor, mix the oats with the flour, salt, and baking soda. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

In a small bowl, dissolve the honey in the warm water and slowly blend this sweetened water into the flour mixture until the dough will hold together in a cohesive ball.

Divide the dough into 2 equal portions for rolling. On a floured surface or pastry cloth, roll thin, 1/8 inch. Cut out 2-inch crackers with a cookie cutter, juice can, or knife and arrange on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.

With the tines of a fork, prick each cracker 2 or 3 times. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn the crackers over and bake another 5 to 10 minutes, or until very lightly browned. The flavor of these crackers is best if they are not allowed to become more than pale brown.

Cool the crackers on a rack. Yield: 60-70.