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 |
Jon Dance
Bahlsen Crumblys Review |
Dear Nicey
As a fellow pedant, I have to agree with your learned friend Alan's comments about the misplaced apostrophe. However, it is common practice in French and German, when faced with an "imported" word so to speak, to simply add " 's" to denote plurality. The ubiquitous "ies" plural formation from a singular "y" in English serves only to confuse them with its quintessentially British idiosyncrasy.
Thus are we faced with a dilemma - deny the British population the chance to savour the delights of this biscuit on the grounds of grammatical sloppiness, or accept that pan-European branding sometimes throws up such issues. (We should rejoice in the fat that the chosen name was not akin to Plopp, or Pschitt, which do exist in other countries, but have failed to make their way to these shores other than via marketing presentations on the pitfalls of branding.)
Fortunately for biscuit eaters over here, we have elected to adopt the second of these two above-mentioned options. However, as a gesture of goodwill and commitment, I shall endeavour to get my wife to change her name by deed poll to Mrs. Vera E. Crumbly. I feel that this compromise should provide an equitable solution to both parties.
Yours sincerely
Jon Dance
Marketing Manager, Bahlsen Ltd |
| |
Alan Bromley
Bahlsen Crumblys Review |
Hi Nicey
I am sure the biscuits are worth the praise but I question the name and the misplaced apostrophe.
If it's meant to be plural, then it should be Crumblies or Crumblys because Crumbly's, in its possessive form, needs to have something to possess. Crumbly's Citron, as in the Citron belonging to Crumbly, doesn't make sense. And it can't be a contraction because 'Crumbly is Citron' isn't much better. I would accept Crumbly's if Bahlen can come up with a Mr Crumbly, but I doubt whether they can.
No, it's the Germans and French messing with English. I vote for changing it to Crumblies. Please tell them.
Regards - Alan |
Nicey replies: Thats a bit harsh, I do understand what you are getting at, but I think the 'Y' is quite cheerful and slightly naughty. Anyhow there are much much dodgier names such as Lu 'Hello' biscuits. Perhaps we should make something random like an oven cleaning spray called 'Bonjour tous le monde', and sell it in France to demonstrate the error of their ways. |
| |
Kevan |
HI. Ok, I realise that you do not rate the Nice biscuit very highly ;-) but I love them. Well, actually I absolutely adore the half chocolate coated variety. But, horrors, I have not been able to get any for the last 12 months at least. Nobody seems to sell them anymore. Why? Ordinary Nice biscuits are available but not my very favourite chocolate ones. Worse still there are plenty of the absolutely awful chocolate rich tea variety and chocolate malted milk biscuits about. For heaven's sake they do not need any embellishment like chocolate!!
So, does anybody know of anywhere in Staffordshire - preferable near Cannock/Wolverhampton as I'm disabled and unable to travel very far - who stocks chocolate Nice biscuits? I am getting desperate :-)))
Take care and keep on dunking regardless.
Kevan |
Nicey replies: I'm sure I've seen them very recently, not sure where though.. |
| |
Jeanne Langton |
I have just discovered your site today (having read a back issue of the Daily Mail!) and it is now destined for my favourites!
When I read the article in the Mail, two biscuits came to mind that were firm favourites of our family when I was a child - Royal Scots and Granny's Cookies.
I note on your site that Royal Scots have been discontinued, which I was very sorry to learn. My father, who is French, loved these biscuits. When he came to the UK to live, having married my English mother whilst she was doing a stint as an Au Pair in France, he spoke little English. My maternal grandmother spoke no French and was at pains to find ways of making him welcome. She offered him Royal Scots and he loved them ever afterwards. Each time my grandmother visited, she brought a new stock for him and he guarded them jealously! If only I could find some for him now!
The second biscuit, Granny's Cookies, were my favourites. Dark in colour and very crisp, they were marked with a chequer-board pattern with grooved lines. My sister and I liked to break these into tiny squares, along the lines, before we ate them piece by piece. I seem to remember they had a taste of mixed spice or something similar. Have you ever come across these??
Anyway, enough of my waffle!
Kind regards,
Jeanne Langton
|
Nicey replies: No not heard of Granny's cookies, although I can well imagine the whole little square thing.
That's a lovely story about your Dad and the international language of biscuits. |
| |
Sonia Thuery |
Range: La Mere Poulard (and possibly Mont St Michel)
Origin: France
Name: Galettes Sablees (Bretonnes or from Brittany for non-French speaking people)
OK, I live in UK, 'have been living here for nearly 6 years now. Tried everything, I mean it. However, this biscuit is simply gorgeous (and the only one for me!). My best childhood memories are about dunking this biscuit into a nice bowlfull of Poulain hot chocolate... Sables means that the biscuit is crumbly but not crumbly enough that it crumbles between your fingers!! If then dunked into a nice bowl of hot steaming chocolate, it absorb the drink and the consistency stays until it crumble in your mouth, liberating the chocolate and the fresh taste of butter and biscuit... In my mind, the consistency plays a lot on tastebuds, as being a prelude to taste. I dare you to have a taste! (check your local deli/French supplier for that). However, La Mere Poulard range
doesn't have any additive or colouring or anything...Just fresh ingredients that give an authentic taste. You'll get hooked, I am telling you... (OK, I stop blabbing here, just thought it would be good to give you something to try) |
Nicey replies: Yes I've had those, and they are really quite nice, I think they mentioned Mont St Michel on the top. They weren't as nice as the Galettes Bretonnes I had the other week, at least I don't think they were. Next time I'm in La Belle France I'm going on a big Galettes Bretonnes mission. Hoorah!
Anyhow given the late hour and the setting sun I'm having a large Ricard with lots of ice to celebrate the Frenchness of your communication. Of course I have to be careful given the Wife's dislike of liquorice. |
| |
|
|
|