Let’s be honest, we’re a biscuit-loving nation: everyone has their favourite, their favourite way to eat it and their favourite drink to drink (or dunk) with it. Each to their own. The Grocer reveals that “one third of Brits scoff four biccies in a sitting, with nearly 20% confessing to scoffing a whole packet from time to time” and “more than a quarter munching on them every day”. Whilst the North East is revealed to be the when it comes to biscuit munching, I learn that dunking is “favoured by over 35 year olds in the North East and Wales” and yet, it’s in London (specifically 55 Charlotte Road), where things get crazy. This blog is dedicated to our gorgeous Jodie, who slyly demolishes a pack of biscuits every day (yes, every day) and still only weighs in at approximately 9,526 packets of chocolate digestives (or about 6 stone by another measure)!
So, as you can imagine, when the news of a biscuit shortage reached GGHQ, we were SHOCKED (not helped by the fact that our biscuit tin was empty on the day!). Production of Ginger Nuts and Bourbons had crumbled following the recent floods and I’m led to believe that it is only now getting back on track. Ironically, the same factory remains too wet to produce Carr’s Water Biscuits, (and lets be honest, no-one likes a soggy biscuit). Our resident chef Maria sprinkled salt on the wound by informing me that there are the same amount of calories in three Rich Teas as in one glazed doughnut … this news was particularly hard to digest(ive)! Ok, I’ll stop now!
So, in these days of teatime accompaniment austerity, I checked out the restaurant industry to see how they might save the day. Fischer’s, of Corbin and King fame, clearly appreciate the humble biscuit, with a whole section on their menu dedicated to ‘Konditorei (yeah, I had to google it too) and biscuits’.
There’s the unexpected: the savoury over sweet trend. Thanks to Bitten & Written I spied a savoury jammy dodger on the menu at The Woodford. It’s filled with tomato. Not jam, tomato.
Blurring the lines between food and art is Sogoal Zolghadri, ‘a watercolourist of both paper and pastry.’ I give you: the avocado on toast biscuit, with a crunchy side of streaky rashers?
As biscuits are not exclusive to us humans, my research informs me that the Outsider Tart makes homemade dog biscuits in their ‘barkery’ for ‘pampered pooches’ (as only an establishment in Chiswick could!).
And finally, in sharp contrast to this savoury biscuit trend I give you a Blondie, topped with crushed Custard Creams (A bit OTT? I had to share).
So, has this changed your opinion of the humble biscuit? Is it time to up the petit four game? Should we follow suit and give the biscuit its own place on a menu, or even its own menu?
Drop me a note: lucy@gorgeousgroup.com if there’s some we should try?
Cover image credit: Kipper Williams, in The Guardian
