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 |
Gareth Evans |
Having chanced upon these biscuits over a drink at work - we had some heated discussion about the pronunciation, and the derivation, of the name.
We noted that you have this listed as an FAQ on the website - but that the answer is somewhat unsatisfactory.
With this in mind, we set about some research in a desperate attempt to avoid our afternoon's work based activities. The results were surprising.
A quick straw poll revealed that the general public opted for the nice pronunciation (as opposed to the 'neice' pronunciation - as in the city in France).
Further investigation involved contacting Fox's biscuits, and Sainsbury's customer service…please see attached e-mail.
As it turns out - they should be called 'neice' (as in the place in France) - but no-one really knows why they were named after the town. Is there any chance that you could shed further light - as our search for an answer has now been ongoing for about a week - and we feel it is becoming detrimental to our work!!
Kind regards.
Gareth
Thank you for your e-mail.
Nice biscuits have been a family favourite since 1922. Named after the city in the south of France, Nice biscuits were considered to be a sophisticated treat to have with morning or afternoon tea, pronounced as in the city.
I hope this is helpful
Kind regards,
Denise Dunn
Sainsbury's Customer Services
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Dear Sir,
Thank you for your enquiry. Our Nice biscuits are pronounced 'Nice' as in France. The only suggestions that I have had are that someone decided on the name after a holiday in the South of France. However, we cannot be sure that this is the case.
YOURS SINCERELY
JILL LISTER (MS)
CONSUMER CARE ADMINISTRATOR
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Nicey replies: Right first things first you need to settle down a bit. Nice biscuits can most likely be attributed to Huntley and Palmers back in their heyday between the wars. Back then they made about 400 different sorts of biscuits so its hardly surprising some of the names are a bit random. Perhaps the desiccated coconut was seen as evocative of the palm trees of the Côte d'Azur. Due to the fact that nobody in France has ever heard of them then I think its perfectly fine to pronounce them as 'Nice' as in Ice, I enjoy the irony.
Much of the reasoning behind biscuit naming is unknown, lost to the mists of time, so don't loose too much sleep over it. |
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David Barrett
 Asda Fruit Shrewsbury with Lemon Drizzle Review |
Dear Nicey and the Wife,
You may be interested to know that the Fruit Shrewsbury - indeed, the whole Bronte biscuits range - is the "biscuit of choice" in the Houses of Parliament. All the catering outlets in the Palace of Westminster and Portcullis House offer Bronte twin-packs of the Shrewsbury, Viennese Fingers, Golden Crunch, Shortcake and Chocolate Chip. Until fairly recently I believe they were the only brand of biscuit sold on the premises, although some interlopers have recently been noted.
David Barrett |
Nicey replies: We are indeed interested to know that. Actually last time I came past Parliament on the tube, I had a large case of Anzac biscuits on my shoulder which confused the Labour member for Norwich North who was in the same carriage as me, not least because he vaguely remembered teaching me genetics at University. |
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Sue Bamford |
The cleaners have stolen our kettle!
It was one of those cordless types that sits on a base, and strangley the base is still here but the actual heating up jug bit went walkies overnight. It wasn't actually a very good kettle, but we now have to beg the cafe downstairs for hot water...
My tin of Heinz Cream of Chicken soup going missing was a big enough disaster but this is just cataclysmic. And as our budget is so tight at the moment that we can't even order stationery, who knows when we'll get another one. I may be reduced to boiling water in the microwave after the cafe shuts in the evening.
Oh the shame....
sue
Sue Bamford |
Nicey replies: Sue, that's all getting bit out of hand. I'm afraid you may have to undertake some form of covert surveillance operation, and if needs be prepare yourself for combat maneuvers.
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Racheal Oliveck
 Asda Fruit Shrewsbury with Lemon Drizzle Review |
Dear Nicey,
To go back to an earlier topic of conversation, I too am a fan of the fruit Shrewsbury, which I enjoy in the Morley College refectory before my philosophy evening class. They are also available in Benjy's (the sandwich shop), although of course only in packets of two rather than in proper packets. Fortnum and Mason is a good place to try and I'm pretty sure they have them, though I haven't tried them. Can we instigate some sort of campaign?
With kind regards, and keep up the biscuit work
Rachael |
Nicey replies: Actually I saw some in a Farm shop at the weekend. Its a bit of a cottage industry biscuit for some reason.
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Lisa Hardi |
Dear Nicey and Wifey
I just had to send in a picture of our lovely new kettle which, as well as boiling water jolly fast and filtering it for us, also has a super blue light which illuminates the water inside and some quite spiffy little red lights around the base. These little red lights flash when the "keep warm" feature is used - something we never do as it would be fatal to a nice cup of tea! However, we are particularly fond of the lights as they make a dark dull morning just that little bit brighter.
Hurrah!
Lisa, Robin and Holly the cat.
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