Biscuits...Over the Years...

No child’s life is normal without biscuits… As a family we were also brought up on these ‘essential’ bribes, treats, fill-ins and ‘snacks-when- nothing- else- is –available’.

The earliest of these baked goodies I remember are what we used to called Brittannia biscuit. These were small discs, the size of current one rupee coins, half a centimeter thick and tasting of honey. As kids we used to be ecstatic when we were given handfuls of these as treat. There was only one competitor for this: What we called the Beans Biscuits… probably they are the vanilla drop biscuits. They were kidney shaped, flat, golden yellow, with a glaze and a combined flavour of egg and vanilla.
I associate these with the happiness of my childhood days….for these would be allotted in decent numbers unlike the other big biscuits which would be limited to one or two. I came across the ‘beans biscuits’ on the shelf containing Filipino food articles in Carrefour and couldn’t resist picking up a pack or two, knowing full well that I am being reckless.

Cream biscuits and wafers used to be rare treats. I remember how once someone ( I think it was Dad’s maternal uncle who was in Hyderabad) sent a tin of Mangharams assorted biscuits. A tin (rectangular tall tin) of biscuits used to mean unlimited supply of goodies…But, though everyone enjoyed it, I never developed a taste for Mangharam’s biscuits… Whenever or wherever I ate one, I used to get the feeling that they were stale… We used to be enchanted by wafers though… I used to wonder how the manufacturers managed to make something so tasty, crisp, and flaky… It is still a mystery to me… Maybe I should Google out an answer for this.

Then came the Brittannia Arrowroot biscuits. For ages, we used to by this… it also used to be administered with glasses of Horlicks when one is down with fever… Did it have therapeutic values? God knows…I just know that it made being feverish worthwhile… The Brittannia Marie followed, though in those days due to lack of competition it used to be called just Marie Biscuit… in fact, I used to think that Marie was the name of the company that made it!

The True and Nice biscuits tried to make a difference to our preferences without much success. In fact, the Glucose biscuits were more welcome than Nice or True. And Parle G had become synonymous with picnics and snack boxes.

Even in those days there used to be rare treat in the form of Monaco Biscuits. May be they were more expensive compared to the others or they were not easily available in the shops… The idea of a salty biscuit was very strange to me and for ages I didn’t cotton to the idea that biscuits could be savoury as well. Later on I went on to championing the cause of 50-50, Krackjack and Monaco…

After marriage I was in Iraq for a few years. There I fell for a chocolate coated biscuit. I have forgotten the brand name but I used to enjoy these and must have consumed dozens of boxes of these dark beauties! Then I got a special introduction to another exotic biscuit experience. Biscuits baked in the famous Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad. A relative introduced me to them…and took me to the bakery in Hyderabad. There was such a crowd there and I stood mesmerized by the smell of freshly baked biscuits being sold out in boxes as soon as they arrive hot from the oven. That is something I’ll never forget in my life. I have eaten those only twice in my life, but can still recall that aroma and that taste…
After coming to the UAE, we have had a wider experience of eating international brands…Though we went through the ‘Danish Cookies’ experience for a while initially, we have settled down to Mc Vitie’s Hob-Nobs and Digestives, Oreos and for kids Chip- Ahoys and Chocobix …though our liaison with Marie biscuits continue. Since we get all the Indian brands we also go for the Good Days, 50-50s and Monacos. I relish the Pop Pan savoury biscuits… My dad loves to snack on them too.

Today, the Indian market is flooded with varieties of biscuits. We have funny things like Complan, Boost and Horlicks biscuits…wonder if there are brands called Ovaltine, Viva and Maltova , Bournvita ? Companies like ITC have made an impact with their Sunfeast biscuits… Sunfeast, as a brand, will give the old timers like Brittannia and Parle a run for their money. They taste good and have a wider variety. The market is flooded now- a- days with international brands as well… The other day, my sister said that her 6 year old son has now developed a taste for a foreign brand which costs a whopping Rs.165 for a pack of ten… Now he demands that and she wonders how long she can afford to pander to his taste! Well, tastes do differ…my husband likes the golden ones…though I have absolutely no interest in them. Give me a fibrous digestive or an occasional black Oreo and I am happy.

Whether you dip it in your tea and bite it before it limply falls into your cuppa or you rip off the packet and settle before the Idiot Box, or you absently pop them into your mouth as you are curled up with your favourite book, biscuits are an essential part of our lives…

HI,
ur post is pretty descriptive..I can smell all the stuff u mentioned..hope I do not put on weight reading

Dear arch174,
That is my area of expertise...Gaining weight just by reading food blogs... ...

hi twinsmom,

I love biscuits and cookies. I am always having it with my tea in the evenings.
I hope I don't eat too many today.

Hi Madhu,
Enjoy your passion...while you can! That's my motto! Thank you...

Biscut vasani varudhu enakku. I smacking my tongue and picturising freshly baked biscuts. So yummy!!!!!!!!!!Good post, Infact all your posts are very good to read.

Dear Janani,
Thank you... I can see that a taste and love for biscuits binds all of us! small wonders!

Dear Twinsmom,

I think Britannia was a good brand all through. Their Marie stood stately above the Maries of Nutrine or True. I liked the candies of Nutrine, but never their biscuits. Nice and Good Day from Britannia are tasty. Mc Vities Digestive is a favorite too.

The biscuits that came fresh from the bakeries were a treat. All through Karnataka one comes across small bakeries that are generally referred to as Iyengar Bakery. These bakeries produce some marvellous biscuits, breads and cakes. Their butter biscuits would melt in the mouth.

The sight, smells and sounds of Karachi Bakery is a delight in itself.

hi nivedi,

Aaah! another fan of Karachi bakery! So you recall that heavenly aroma? Great isn't it? And yes... Brittannia Marie is Brittannia Marie... Nothing can beat its taste!

Karachi bakery...................brings back the memories of dad bringing home boxes of baked stuff. Their curry puffs, petit fours are to die for.

Was wondering if they were still in business and am pleasantly surprised to know that they are doing very well indeed...Welcome to Karachi Bakery

thats a very nice write up twinsmom