which biscuit is best

[evilbeanfiend]

so what is your favourite biscuit. to skirt around the whole 'is it a biscuit or not issue' we will use http://www.nicecupofteaandasitdown.com/ definition i.e. they come in packs, they have two sides, they can be dunked in tea (or 'slammed' for certain biscuits from the colonies)

mine is the fox's classic

i was just going to suggest that we need a food forum and wham, there it is!

[Angelene]

Ahhh, the very second I saw the title I knew exactly what I was going to say. Great minds.

Review.

[Hammer]

I am fond of Garibaldi biscuits. But I've rarely met a biscuit I didn't like. Thickly coated in chocolate is not to my taste.

[Prole]

I enjoy caramel digestives.

They accompany a cup of tea nicely.

[evilbeanfiend]

oddly enough CaraInFlames fox's classic seems to be different to what i meant. http://www.nicecupofteaandasitdown.com/ ... 3?item=130

[Angelene]

oddly enough CaraInFlames fox's classic seems to be different to what i meant. http://www.nicecupofteaandasitdown.com/ ... 3?item=130

Ahhh, I was wondering if you maybe meant those...but figured that mine was the biscuitier of the two so I thought I was erring on the side of reasonability. Mine are nicer, too.

[PatrickRsGhost]

You might want to change the title, or specify in the first message when you say "biscuit" you mean the British version, not the American version. What you call "biscuits" there, we call "cookies" here.

American "Biscuit" (with a piece of fried chicken, making it a "chicken biscuit", often acquired for breakfast):



As far as in the British sense, I've never tried any of the British brands or flavors. Here in the States we have hundreds of various flavors and brands. I tend to lean towards the Nabisco (originally called National Biscuit Company) brand, which makes Oreos and Chips-Ahoy, among other flavors or names. I prefer homemade chocolate chip, though, or else brownie cookies from the Ingles Bakery. They take brownie batter, add chocolate chips, bake in cookie form, and sprinkle confectioner's (powdered) sugar on top. Much win. Spread some Nutella on top, and you have brownie-Nutella orgasm.

[tiny]

'Cakes' oat cookies by Koelln. They taste even better than 'Hobbits' made by Brandt. Though the latter ones definitely have the cooler name.

[Cassi]

I think I have to go for just McVitie's milk chocolate digestives, though I prefer dunking them in hot chocolate. I may have dragged two of my friends down to the shop with me this morning when it was still really quite cold out to buy some, because I decided I needed them to make the hot chocolate I wanted to make complete...

[Nath]

McVitie's digestives are good; they have the optimal coffee absorption quotient. Chocolate is fine, but I prefer them plain. I grew up largely on biscuits made by an Indian company called 'Britannia'. However, I can no longer vouch for their quality, since I haven't tried them in about ten years.

[Hammer]

There is a man in England who sends me biscuits I can't get in the US to ensure my cooperation in various matters. As he puts it "I know. I know. No biscuits, no parlay."

I am making him a list based on this thread. * drool *

[lesliesage]

I think I have to go for just McVitie's milk chocolate digestives

Me too. Totally.

There is a man in England who sends me biscuits I can't get in the US to ensure my cooperation in various matters.

I don't think my sister-in-law would have let me in the house if I hadn't brought ten packs of McVitie's when I visited the US.

[evilbeanfiend]

You might want to change the title, or specify in the first message when you say "biscuit" you mean the British version, not the American version. What you call "biscuits" there, we call "cookies" here.

its slightly more complicated then that, we have biscuits and cookies. cookies are usually soft, biscuits are usually hard.

[lesliesage]

its slightly more complicated then that, we have biscuits and cookies. cookies are usually soft, biscuits are usually hard.

I heard once that a cookie gets harder when it gets stale and a biscuit gets softer when it gets stale. Same idea, but without the subjectivity of hard and soft. Rather, for H=hardness, you're certain of a positive or negative dH/dt.

[Cassi]

I thought that was for the difference between biscuits and cake? I seem to remember something about it on QI once...

[Prole]

I thought that was for the difference between biscuits and cake? I seem to remember something about it on QI once...

The QI discussion was on jaffa cakes.

In england cakes get taxed less than biscuits, hence the jaffa cake company wanted their teatime snacks to be seen by the government as cakes.

The ruling went that since the jaffa's were soft, they were cakes.

\end{uselesstrivia}

[Cassi]

Oh yea, and they baked like a really big jaffa cake to prove it...I remember now.

[ishikiri]

In England a biscuit is something that is at least twice baked. this used to be done so they would keep for a long time. Biscuits of ships used to be baked at least four times to ensure that they didn't go off for months.

[Bakemaster]

In england cakes get taxed less than biscuits

Say what? You people and your weird taxes!

[ishikiri]

In england cakes get taxed less than biscuits

Say what? You people and your weird taxes!

quiet you! with you easily calcuable VAT!



calcuable << This might actually be a word.

editted for typo

[Hammer]

In england cakes get taxed less than biscuits

Say what? You people and your weird taxes!

quiet you! with you easily calcuable VAT!

Ask Bakemaster why this country considers the tomato a vegetable, before you let him get away with that crap. Hint: It's tax-related.

[ishikiri]

Bakemaster why does your country consider a tomato a vegetable?

[The Sleeping Tyrant]

So, is this thread for cookies as well as biscuits, since there is apparently a difference?

If so, my absolute favourite cookies EVER are Dad's Oatmeal Cookies. Great taste and just the right amount of crunch make for the best oatmeal cookie in existence.

In terms of biscuits, I don't think I've ever had anything that would be called a biscuit then. This definitely needs to be remedied.

[cheesegrits]

In England a biscuit is something that is at least twice baked. this used to be done so they would keep for a long time. Biscuits of ships used to be baked at least four times to ensure that they didn't go off for months.

As a Brit, I hate to point this out, but biscuit is actually a French thing. Bis (twice), cuit (baked). But who cares, we won Agincourt. To the victor goes the spoils, and all that.

To answer the main question ... Chocolate Hobnobs. I have a standing rule ... any of my pals from England are welcome to come and stay when they visit the US, but they MUST bring:

Chocolate Hobnobs.
Jaffa Cakes.
A pound or two of decent Lincolnshire sausages.
A four pack of Theakstons or Ruddles.
Cadbury's Flakes (preferably by the gross).
This weeks issue of Private Eye.

I once had someone bring cod and chips (in curry sauce) when I was meeting them off the plane at JFK, but the results were ... unsatisfactory.

-- hugh

[ishikiri]

I do love hobnobs. Although people laugh at me when I eat one whole; Its the only way to avoid crumbs!

[cheesegrits]

I do love hobnobs. Although people laugh at me when I eat one whole; Its the only way to avoid crumbs!

Absolutely!

Unfortunately I can no longer afford to be so profligate with them. They are such a rare treat, I have to make each one last as long as possible.

I used to be a chocolate Digestive fool, but Hobnobs arrived and edged them out because of the Dunking Issue. Digestives are just slightly too wide for the average coffee cup, and also require too much finesse when you are busy coding and can't spare the brain cells. Hobnobs are just one swift dunk, no counting to two and a half monkeys (or mississippis). You have to be slightly careful, otherwise its teaspoon time, but a steady hand can usually transfer to mouth before the collapse occurs.

-- hugh

[Kizyr]

Easy answer: All Abouts (Girl Scout Cookies):
http://buygirlscoutcookies.com/cookie_varieties.html

Thin mints are my favorite Girl Scout cookie, but All Abouts go the best with tea. KF

[schrodingersduck]

Chocolate Fingers are absolutely wonderful, but if you don't mind the non-dunkability, you can't beat Jammie Dodgers; I keep a packet of them in my desk drawer at all times!

[cheesegrits]

Chocolate Fingers are absolutely wonderful, but if you don't mind the non-dunkability, you can't beat Jammie Dodgers; I keep a packet of them in my desk drawer at all times!

Whats the problem with Jammie Dodger dunking? It's been a while, but I don't remember them being particularly troublesome. Slight sludge factor, but as I recall the jam typically holds things together long enough to affect the transfer from cup to face.

I'll have to do some experiments with the local US equivalent.

-- hugh

[Bakemaster]

Bakemaster why does your country consider a tomato a vegetable?

The answer is that it considers a tomato both a fruit and a vegetable depending on whether you're using the culinary or the botanical definition of fruits and vegetables. Wikipedia says the tomato is both the state fruit and the state vegetable of Arkansas. Of course, Arkansas is the state with the motto, "Hey, At Least We're Not Mississippi."

[pollywog]

As a Brit, I hate to point this out, but biscuit is actually a French thing. Bis (twice), cuit (baked). But who cares, we won Agincourt. To the victor goes the spoils, and all that.

And you beat them in World War 2.

In Mew Zealand, I would use biscuit and cookie to mean the same thing, the standard defintion from the biscuit site above.

My favourite is the Tim-Tam, a chocolate coated thing that can be used as a straw. Bite off two opposite corners, dip it in milk, and suck. Then eat it. Delish.

[schrodingersduck]

Chocolate Fingers are absolutely wonderful, but if you don't mind the non-dunkability, you can't beat Jammie Dodgers; I keep a packet of them in my desk drawer at all times!

Whats the problem with Jammie Dodger dunking? It's been a while, but I don't remember them being particularly troublesome. Slight sludge factor, but as I recall the jam typically holds things together long enough to affect the transfer from cup to face.

I'll have to do some experiments with the local US equivalent.

-- hugh

Tea and jam taste kind of strange together, plus Jammie Dodgers are made of a very soft, crumbly biscuit, so they tend to fall apart in a sludgy mess on your lap rather than staying hard from cup to mouth (double entendre not intended)

[evilbeanfiend]

So, is this thread for cookies as well as biscuits, since there is apparently a difference?

if it can be dunked in tea then yes it counts (see first post for full definition)

oh and tim tams are a very close second for me, they are definitely superior to the penguin imho even though penguins came first and are slightly larger. i'm not 100% convinced by the tim tam slam though

[joeframbach]

My favourite is the Tim-Tam.

Why hasn't this been mentioned earlier? I read through the thread looking for a Tim-Tam mention, and I didn't see one until disappointingly late in the thread.

They are incredible.

[pollywog]

My favourite is the Tim-Tam.

Why hasn't this been mentioned earlier? I read through the thread looking for a Tim-Tam mention, and I didn't see one until disappointingly late in the thread.

They are incredible.

See, now I'm want some. This requires a 1.5 hour walk, barefoot over gravel, in the hot sun, and $4 to buy a packet. And it's still worth it.

[Belial]

I suggest buying shoes.

Anyway, the answer is "buttermilk". Because a properly made buttermilk biscuit is too strong to be confined in a single country's definition of "biscuit". It will escape the american definition and smash all the english versions, too.

[pollywog]

I suggest buying shoes.

I spent all my money on Tim-Tams.

[cheesegrits]

Chocolate Fingers are absolutely wonderful, but if you don't mind the non-dunkability, you can't beat Jammie Dodgers; I keep a packet of them in my desk drawer at all times!

Whats the problem with Jammie Dodger dunking? It's been a while, but I don't remember them being particularly troublesome. Slight sludge factor, but as I recall the jam typically holds things together long enough to affect the transfer from cup to face.

I'll have to do some experiments with the local US equivalent.

-- hugh

Tea and jam taste kind of strange together, plus Jammie Dodgers are made of a very soft, crumbly biscuit, so they tend to fall apart in a sludgy mess on your lap rather than staying hard from cup to mouth (double entendre not intended)

And none taken. Fnar fnar!

I managed to find some actual Jammie Dodgers at my local Indian food store (also the only place in town I can get actual PG Tips, although I'm not sure about these new topologically impossible pyramid shaped bags - how can a pyramid only have two sides??).

Anyway. It's all in the wrist action. A quick but firm dunk of the complete Dodger (no double dunking for those bad boys), twist wrist upwards on exit and raise smoothly to face level, then move mouth to Dodger and engulf as it reaches apogee. But remember - He Who Hesitates Is Lost.

I seem to recall the same principle applied to Custard Creams, although it's been 16 years since I had the pleasure. Hmmmm ... Custard Creams ... (Homer style drooling) ...

-- hugh

[joeframbach]

I suggest buying shoes.

I spent all my money on Tim-Tams.

And it was money well-spent.