Nigel Slater's Great British Biscuit rightly lamented the passing of Abbey Crunch, but failed to address the big question ... whatever happened to Barmouth biscuits? I loved them - golden, thin and crunchy, like a langue de chat, only round, and I haven't seen one for years. Come to that, whatever happened to those posh Jacob's chocolate marshmallows with the blob of jam? And he never mentioned the pink and white coconut mallows that were best deconstructed by starting in one corner and peeling off the gooey topping with your teeth.
But as for Nigel, who looks badly in need of a haircut, a shave and a good wash ... he's looking as seedy as a stale Nice biscuit that's been down the back of the sofa and picked up a coating of fluff. Yeeuggh, I couldn't fancy one of his custard creams.
My mum had a policy of buying biscuits we didn't like - Nice and rich tea - because they lasted longer, Sue. And broken biscuits by the lb. If you were really unlucky, it was broken rich tea!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you about Nigel - looks in need of a good wash which is quite off putting in a cookery presenter. I don't remember Barmouth biscuits.
ReplyDeleteEx-RAF flyboy says you have him drooling mentioning all those biscuits!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check out those Barmouth's biscuits (and of course the ONLY British shoppe has just closed down!)
Happy Holidays,
If you find them, Noelle, send them over here ... they were discontinued years ago. Abbey Crunch, as I remember them, were infinitely superior to a Hob-Nob - but they've gone, too. I don't know what we export these days. Nigel featured Oreos, but I don't think they're greatly loved over here.
ReplyDeleteOh Mary, he wouldn't let go until we found them and here is the closest thing:
ReplyDeletehttp://perrigauxkitchen.blogspot.com/2012/10/langue-du-chat-biscuits.html
Of course now I must go to the kitchen...No problem though as we are having arctic weather here and any excuse to put the oven on is fine with me!
Oh and we don't do Oreos! Yuk!
ReplyDeleteLangues de chat are definitely the nearest, Noelle - they have the same darker brown edges. Good luck if you're making your own, though it will be hard to make as thin as the bought ones.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree, Oreos, yuck! Whoever invented black biscuits!
Do you remember Lincoln biscuits? Round with raised dots on them... Cow biscuits still my favourite. Never heard of Barmouths. And yes. Nige is looking particularly bad at the mo. I think it's his teeth which really make me grimace. Do you think he uses toothpaste...? Ax
ReplyDeleteLincoln biscuits used to feature in my mum's boring broken biscuit selection, Magicbean. You'd think Nigel would have a boyfriend who could drop him a hint!
ReplyDeleteMy mother had a Nursery School and Nice and Rich Tea biscuits were served at milk and biscuits time. We never raided that biscuit tin. Bourbons were only good for scraping the butter cream layer out of the middle with your bottom teeth. Nigel's hair flopping in his eyes is really annoying me.
ReplyDeleteBarmouth biscuits have never been beaten - they were soooooo delicious and if you dunked them the glazed top would go all gooey and bendy. Nothing comes close to a Barmouth. Lincolns were o.k. Cow biscuits delicious, Rich Tea only bearable when sandwiched together with butter and taken to school in a paper bag for a snack - used to squeeze them together and watch the butter worms shoot out!! We were so easily entertained back in the 50's!
ReplyDeleteYour description of Nigel is quite funny! Imagine that hair dropping in the food prep - what a nasty bit that would be to get in a mouthful of his otherwise yummy food. I do love his food writing.
ReplyDeleteI am still on the search for Barmouth biscuits, delectable little crunchy rounds and a memory from childhood. Here's a recipe I found but haven't tried yet.
ReplyDeleteYou forgot the link, Karen - but do let me know how it turns out, and if they're as good as you remember. I wonder why they were discontinued?
ReplyDelete