Your ViewsKeep your e-mails pouring in, it's good to know that there are lots of you out there with views and opinions. To help you work out what is what, are now little icons to help you see biscuit related themes. And now you can see at a glance which are the most contested subjects via this graph (requires Flash 6.0 plugin). Please keep your mails coming in to nicey@nicecupofteaandasitdown.com | If you like, you can use this search thingy to find stuff that matches with any of the icons you pick, or use the fantastic free text search, Yay! | Your e-Mails |
Victoria Williams |
Hi Nicey,
Just have to lend my support to Nicola's point here. I can't say I've grown up with cream teas (though never say no if I get the chance to indulge) but in my limited experience, and preference, it's got to be cream first!
Surely this is just practical as well as more aesthetically pleasing? Think about it, jam, while fresh, can be pretty slick stuff. If you try to spread something rougher over it (i.e. clotted cream, surely the stiffest off all creams?), the whole topping ends up sliding all over the place. This is bad news, as evidenced by the mixed up pale pink creamy jammy goo (and worst of all with scone crumbs worked into it) that one could so eaily end up with in this kind of practice. However, treating the cream as one would butter on the scone and then dressing it up with runny jam ensures that all three compents retain their individual contiguity until they are devoured. Mixing is then allowed.
Ta. |
Nicey replies: I understand what you are getting perfectly only the cream we had in Cornwall was quite runny and the jam quite stiff. Perhaps rather than hard and fast rules this is really a case by case judgment. Why can't one simply apply jam to one half and cream to the other in which ever orientation pleases you, no confusing mechanical issues. |
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Carrie Thomas |
Dear Nicey
poverty of purse and paucity of choice led me to take on a health threatening job in the mid-80s. I commuted from Camberwell to a factory in Hanger Lane to clock on at 7.30am and clean the insides of the site's vending machines. The growths, the fungi, the smells were more than repellent; they fixed themselves in my clothes and hair. For a four week period, no matter how I washed and perfumed myself, I smelt of the sloppy distress created by the wettened-dried out contents of powdered soups, teas, coffees and hot chocolates. It was an entrance into the underbelly of the universe for which I was not fully prepared and will never forget. Much money must pass my palm or heinous thirst overwhelm me before I sup from such an automatic vendor again. |
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Nicola |
Dear Nicey,
I am a regular reader but first time contributor to yours, the best website in the world.
On seeing your picture of a "typical" cream tea I felt the need to comment on the disastrous placement of clotted cream.
Originally from Devon (and therefore highly qualified on the subject of cream teas) I was always taught that the cream goes on first, then a small blob of strawberry jam is place atop (certain heathens may use raspberry jam but the least said about those people the better!). You're picture clearly puts jam first, then cream! Quelle horreur!
Despite this comment I am pleased that your horizons have broadened during your trip.
Keep up the difficult work! |
Nicey replies: My Auntie Edna who has local knowledge of the issue did warn me that I might be inciting unrest. However, yours is the first mail I've had advocating cream first so it would appear you're in the minority. If you are right then my reply should really lead to widespread unrest. |
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Maggie Schofield
McVities Milk Chocolate Digestive Review |
Dear Nicey
Regarding the debate on 'to top or not to top' the digestive biscuit: In my family we were firm believers in the addition of toppings, which could be anything from sweet to savoury, or indeed a combination of both e.g. cheese and jam. The most bizarre reversal of this trend that I ever heard is the use of the biscuit itself as a topping. I must say that I have never tried this myself but present it for the delectation of your readers. A former colleague of mine regularly used to top cheese on toast with a chocolate digestive biscuit and to grill lightly to enable the chocolate to melt into the cheese. This person would also, and for no apparent reason, regularly imitate the call of the female ring-tailed lemur. ??? |
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Anna Halford
Griffins Sultana Pasties Review |
I was hoping that, given your knowledge of all things biscuit-like, you would be able to assist in tracking down a confection from my mother's New Zealand youth. She claims they were called something like 'Chocolate Raisin Pasties' and comprised a sort of pastry case filled with raisins, and the whole covered in chocolate. Apparently they were small and dunk-able, as she remembers her father indulging in this habit. Any ideas?
jamtart |
Nicey replies: Sultana pasties, follow the link to our review. |
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