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 |
Minty
Mint Viscount Review |
A recent transatlantic flight curiously re-acquainted me without warning with the wonder of the viscount.
Travelling with British Airways on a 747-400 jumbo jet, I was on my way to JFK from Heathrow. Trapped like the chocolate centre of a bourbon I had no choice but to resort to watching the in-flight entertainment, as an aside they actually served a single finger of time-out with the main meal, very nice, a good balance of wafer and chocolate but too small portion size wise obviously, I digress, I selected the Catherine Tate show, one clip was of a rather foul mouthed old gran who thought it a f***ing liberty that a mouse help itself to her mint viscounts...I have to agree, but it re-awakened my yearning for the minty goodness.
In my youth, I could easily have eaten an entire gaggle of viscounts, especially the mint ones, the orange ones, I don't know, they were a bit too fake orangey, a bit like an orange club. Mint was always the best. It seemed that when you had got to your 5th or 6th mint viscount you entered into the viscount zone where you could drift away on an overdose of mint and chocolate, I can still recall the biscuity base interacting with the creamyness.
Keep up the good work, your book looks interesting I think I may buy it actually.
Minty |
Nicey replies: Orange Viscounts are thought to be missing in action in their proper full size versions, but I think you can get tubs of mini ones which seems awkward and fiddly, mint or orange.
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Ruth Steel
Japanese McVities Digestives Review |
Dear Nicey,
I have been a fan of your website for several years, ever since I discovered it while searching for information on Fruit Shortcakes online. (My family lived on the island of Antigua when I was young, and Fruit Shortcakes and Hobnobs were our favorite biscuits.) Currently I'm living in the Caribbean again, in Dominica, and am enjoying renewing my acquaintance with these old favorites. I've also enjoyed checking out some new friends, mainly ones I've seen discussed on the site.
I do find it necessary, though, to object to some of your comments on your Japanese Digestive review. I believe a little more precision in defining the term evolution would be in order. Clearly there is a difference between biscuits and living organisms (unless, of course, the biscuits have been hiding out in a distant corner for too long). And certainly, some non-living types of evolution are factually documented. As a fan of biscuits, I welcome the idea of biscuit evolution and as a student of languages, I am fascinated by linguistic evolution. However, biological evolution is in a different category completely. As a Bible-believing Christian, I (and thousands of others) cannot accept the theory of evolution. I recognize, of course, that there is no scientific data recorded for any of the theories for the origin of life, ( i.e., no scientists were there to observe it happening) but I choose to put my trust in the only eyewitness account given--in God's Word. Regarding your Grand Canyon comment, I assume you're referring to the Flood theory of its formation? I'd be curious to know how many people espouse that belief as you stated it in your review. I do believe that there is much evidence for a worldwide flood, evidence that cannot be easily explained in any other way.
I realize that this is not a very biscuit-related e-mail, but I did think it was important to give at least a brief defense for the other viewpoint. And of course, if you'd like to discuss these ideas further, I'd be glad to e-mail again.
Thanks for your attention, and please do keep up the good work of sharing the latest biscuit info.
Sincerely,
Ruth Steel |
Nicey replies: Having studied evolution as part of my Biology degree, I'm prone to bandy around such terms. The evidence for the rate at which organisms deferentiate and give rise to new species is that it accelerates when the environment offers new opportunities or ecological niches. For instance to use the best known example the volcanic islands of the Galapagos provided new virgin land as they were thrown up over the millennia from the sea bed. Pioneering colonising species quickly diversified and adpated to the new environments opportunities and therefore new and unique species of birds, insects, plants and animals that differed to those on the main land of South America. Biologists call this an evolutionary bottleneck, where a few individuals give rise to a new population. It was this process I was eluding to for those Japanese biscuits. Evolution requires variation, opportunity and selection pressure. I think all those factors are present hence my comments. I hope that explains what I had in mind.
I'd prefer not to discuss, defend or attack anything that clearly comes down to personal faith for fairly much the same reasons we don't discuss peoples preferences for brands of tea. So let's leave it there please. |
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Mrs Licorice T |
Hi Nicey & Wifey
I thought you might like to see my Yorkshireman, tea-drinking husband on holiday in Cyprus! He even found some nice biccies, made in Nicosia, called Digestives, but they were almost an exact replacement for Royal Scots which went out of production as you know. When we go back again this year he's thinking of getting a case sent over to England! Tea and biccies whilst lazing in the pool - what more could you want?
Mrs Licorice T
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Tasty taste
Malted Milk Review |
Hi Nicey,
Malted Milk at Sainsbury's :(
I have noticed an inferior version of the Malted Milk biscuit which has infiltrated the Sainsbury's own brand packets! The new style (2churns/cow) is now thinner and badly shaped with all the corners worn off. Words are barely legible. It doesn't look right and it doesn't feel right. The previous style (Big cow/small cow) was almost 50% thicker, straight sides and better formed. We don't like this, Sainsbury's, so get the old shape back ASAP you silly moos!
Cheers,
Tasty Taste.
Old
New
Thickness comparison
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Nicey replies: Yes Sainsbury's have dropped the ball on this one. That's a ropey old Malted Milk, with tripod the cow and its missing bobbles. This is a dark day indeed as Sainbury's have always led the in field Malted Milks. Perhaps this is a precondition to do with their imminent take over, perhaps they ordered the biscuit buyer to sabotage their much admired Malted Milks.
I sense dark forces are at work or maybe I've been playing too much Lego Star Wars with the YMOS. |
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John E Noir |
Dear NIcey/Wifey/YMOS
As a resident of Tadcaster, a small town with 3 Breweries ( 2 varieties of Smith’s – Samuel and John’s) and a Coors brewery (that used to be Bass) I know all about the various niffs that drift round our town depending on who is brewing what, but generally I find the smell of brewing beer quite pleasant I even enjoy sampling rather vast quantities when the sun is over the yardarm, or the teapot is cold!
But as Tadcaster is about 8 miles south of York I can throw some light on the various debates about what happens there.
Two great chocolate producers there are Rowntrees home of the ubiquitous Kit Kat mentioned elsewhere in your excellent website. And Terry’s home of the Chocolate Orange when driving through the right parts of York you could always tell the two different chocolates apart. Alas Terry’s is no more so the hint of Orange choc drifting over the racecourse has now gone but the Kit Kat and Mint Aero provide a welcome bouquet to the nose in the north of the city.
The burnt cake smell described by Ally Beal is not something that emanates from the Jorvik Viking centre but is almost certainly the by product of the old sugar beet factory. I would actually describe it as more like the smell of the inside of Maltesers but maybe I led a peculiar childhood where Maltesers had to be licked clean of chocolate before crunching the middles!
I say Old because as of 13th Feb this year the last ever load of sugar beet was delivered so only Kit Kat remains to assault the nasal passages of York residents! |
Nicey replies: Right that's the smell of Bury St Edmonds too. It has a vast sugar beet plant, next to the A14. I think Google earth should have all this stuff in so you would know what places smell like. I'm mildly certain I spent a night in Tadcaster about 20 years ago sleeping on somebody's floor, it was certainly a place just south York and with lots of breweries.
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