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 |
Tricia Dearborn
Arnott's Gingernut Review |
Dear Nicey,
Yes, the Arnott's gingernut is a tough little biscuit. But it is perfect for dunking. I don't know if you've tried it out for yourself yet, but dunking renders the ordinarily rock-hard gingernut crumbly on the outside, and chewy on the inside - delicious! Another advantage is that due to its sturdy construction it readily withstands repeated dunking. Should you (or any readers) have the opportunity to try it, bear in mind that it requires a slightly longer dunk than the average biscuit.
Tricia
Sydney, Australia |
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Fuzzy |
Hi there Nicey and Wifey!
I'm a British ex-pat in Sweden and I was gobsmacked to find out they have no concept of custard over here!
The closest thing they have is "Vaniljsås" which is a creamy vanilla-flavoured sauce served *thin* and *cold*, it's nice but a poor custard substitute!
I've had some Birds powder shipped over here on a few occasions but unfortunately the milk over here is less pasteurised than in the UK - so custard made with the local milk tastes 'funny'.
The only way I got close to making 'real custard' was to boil the milk up, then cool it down quickly (sticking the pan outside in the snow works well for that) and then heat it up again and proceed as normal.
I've actually resorted to making custard with eggs instead - the old-fashioned way - as I couldn't cope without custard!
I've been educating Swedes as to what custard is - they have no notion of 'a trifle' here since they don't have thick custard - it's scary! An entire country going trifle-free!
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Maggie Henke |
Dear Nicey,
There is nothing on earth to compare with Bird's Custard Powder! Home-made apple tart or plum crumble just does not taste the same without it. I have been living in Germany for over 30 years now and every year when I go back to my home town in Hampshire, I stock up on Bird's Custard Powder. There is a similar powder in Germany, made by Dr. Oetker, but it just doesn't taste the same. We love it over bananas, stewed rhubarb, mincemeat tarts and of course, over Christmas pudding. If there's any left over, it gets eaten cold the next day, or heated up in the microwave. My German friend makes her custard using the German powder mixed with half milk and half cream. I tried this with Bird's Custard Powder, but it just didn't seem right somehow. I suppose it's what you get used to over the years. My German children (adults now), won't touch the German stuff, as they have been brought up on Bird's. So keep the flag flying for the original Bird's Custard Powder!!
Yours
Maggie Henke |
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Eric TheMadFrenchman |
Dear Nicey,
As a representant of the French in GB, I would like to add my view on the "proper custard made from powder" Vs "nonsence custard made with eggs and other fresh ingredients".
First of all: " Apparently classically trained French chefs refuse to acknowledge the existence of custard"
Well, I disagree! We have "Creme Anglaise", it is the receipe of the traditional custard (i.e. the noncense one as it appear to be).... For the "Proper Custard", one should look under "Bechamel Sauce" and simply replace the salt and pepper by some vanilla flavouring and sugar.... and here you go, custard as you know it... (using corn flour to have that nice creamy texture). :P
So, here you go, simply a difference in the naming convention for "proper custard". Call that "vanilla flavoured bechamel sauce", and you French Chef will imediately answer "Ah, mais bien sure!" (Ah, of course!) before grabbing his butcher knife and start chassing after you :) (just kidding... I think)
Have a nice day
Eric, "TheMadFrenchman"(tm) |
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Robin Warren
Tunnocks Wafer Review |
Ahh....I have found your website and it's a joy to behold.
Eagerly searching through the comprehensive pages of biscuit scripture herein I find the mighty Tunnocks Wafer; immediately I am forced to wipe away the litttle tear that rolls down my cheek as I recall the day my mother found the Tunnocks wafer wrapper collection my sister and me had accumulated.
Neatly ironed with the heel of my sister's "fancy shoes", each wrapper was carefully prepared for it's further and ongoing pressing between the two leaves of our fold out/extendable coffee table.
Our Mother had no knowledge of the importance of a neatly pressed Tunnocks Wafer wrapper to her offspring and we would watch in horror as she screwed her wrapper into the tightest little ball and throw it in the bin. These were quickly retrieved and secretly restored, the careful unfolding process would sometimes take hours so as not to rip the shiney red and gold paper.
This went on for years, I even remember the day when the Tunnocks peeps could proudly boast 4,000,000 made and sold instead of the meagre 3,500,000 and we were blessed with the Mk2 wrapper and a piece of biscuit history. We had around 100 wrappers when the day came....
Whilst in the company of guests we were all sitting enjoying some tea and biscuits, when due to said guests the need for the table to be extended arose. My sister and myself exchanged nervous glances knowing that years worth of secret careful unfolding,smoothing and pressing, were about to be discovered by our unwitting Mum and her friends.
Mum wasn't aware of the collection and she failed to lift the top of the table with the care required, in one swift action the air was full of Tunnocks wrappers; spinning, floating and dancing. It was like a biscuity crystal maze. My sister and me never collected any more from then on as it wasn't the same.
This is why I love Tunnocks Wafers, the fond memories of how truly bizarre my childhood was bizarre, move over Charlie Brown Me and my Sister have got loads of Golden Tickets!.
I will go in the loft tomorrow as I'm sure they're up there in a pencil case!
Thank you for listening,
Robin Warren (24 3/4) |
Nicey replies: Robin,
You have enriched all our lives with your Tunnock's wrapper memories. |
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