Thursday, March 8, 2012

Nice Cup of Tea and A Sit Down


After last weeks tweeting about my distant genetic connection to Mentz bakers of Adelaide, I'm back thinking about  biscuits again. Which brought to mind a couple of things.

A few years ago whilst in the UK I flicked through a lovely little book about having a cup of tea and a biscuit. I bought it as a gift for a friend but later kicked myself that I did not get a copy for moi. Upon trying to purchase a copy here, no luck was had and I forgot about it.   So after tweeting last week of biscuits, I thought I'd tray again, jumped on the net and hey presto, 5 days later I have a copy from an Oxfam Shop in Surrey.

Authors Nicey and Wifey have put together a light hearted but comprehensive opus on all manner of crispy baked goods to munch, dunk, nibble and even slam with a cup of tea.

Yep, that's right - slam. Although very English in manner and with a number of intriguing biscuits I've not heard of,  the Tim Tam and Tim Tam Slam do both crack(er) mention.  Respect. 


 However, I think I need to add an extra note to  their description of the slam.  This pastime is not only indulged in by kids as is implied.  It goes well beyond children with milk and nice ladies like me and Natalie Imbruglia and Graham Norton (see footage left) with cups of tea.

Everyone knows that you can slam your favourite liqueur thourgh a Tim Tam and consequently its not only the under 10's who  continue to make a mess of the table and themselves in so doing... I think I'd better stop there before getting onto the xrated slam (cough).






So have a read. It's great.  Just discovered Nicey and Wifey  have a website too.  And its given me a few biscuits to try whilst in the UK later in the year. Particularly a Penguin Vs Tim Tam taster session although I acknowledge that Nicey says they're just different and cannot be compared.  If you like a cuppa and a bikkie then this one is for you.

The other thing my biscuit reflections have brought me back to is the fate of the Golliwog. No, not the doll or the icon. The Arnotts Golliwog biscuit. They're delicious. A plan chocolate flavoured baked biscuit (like a teddy bear in matte finish, and texture, but its choccy flavoured and in the shape of a golliwog). They were discontinued in Victoria decades ago and have faded from memory. 

However, in NSW they are still in production, available in any shop, supermarket, convenience store, under the re-branded name of "Scallywags".  I hunt out a pack most times I'm in Sydney. 

Why were they discontinued in Vic? Perhaps too un-PC, perhaps sales were not high enough to justify the brand change. Not sure.  

As with a Teddy Bear biscuit, the vital question however, is do you bite off the head first or feet? I confess I dunk and decapitate with a hot cup of leaf tea.

I think I'll put the kettle on whilst you watch Natalie Imbruglia and Graham Norton having a slam.











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