Your Views

Keep your e-mails pouring in, it's good to know that there are lots of you out there with views and opinions.

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Your e-Mails

James McVities Milk Chocolate Digestive Review	Dear Nicey, Having just read your book, I was concerned that you had kept well clear of the 'which way up' issue concerning the chocolate digestive (and other such biscuits). Having just discovered your website for the first time, I am relieved to learn that there has been some debate on the matter. I have two points to raise on the matter: Why should the top of an ordinary digestive become the bottom when there is a chocolate coating? In my opinion the delay factor of the chocolate reaching your tongue is greatly reduced if they are eaten chocolate side down, and the chocolatey taste sensation prolonged. The business of grip and grasp of said biscuit is merely a diversion: what is important is the eating/tasting experience. To conclude, isn't it about time that the NCOTAASD website took the lead cleared the matter up once and for all? After all, you are the undisputed authority on such matters? The solution is simple: an online trial and survey. Readers should be asked to try eating a chocolate digestive one way up, and then the other; then complete an online form where they might indicate the way up that they have traditionally eaten their chocolate digestive, and their preferred way up based on the trial. If it were agreed that the experience is even better chocolate side down, then you could be responsible for changing biscuit-eating discipline for ever - and perhaps even name the process? It has also occurred to me that there are other edibles out there suffering similar confusion, e.g. how many of us automatically open a packet of crisps so the writing on the bag is the right way up when you are eating them? Do we actually read all the small print on the bag? So why do be bother always opening it at the 'top?' Indeed, when we eat crisps communally at a pub, the packet usually sits flat on a table, and if being able to read the packet were really an issue, in such situations it should be opened at the 'bottom.' My final plea: tasting notes for good everyday teabags (we can tackle Earl Grey etc. at a later date). Buying teabags these days seems to be like tip-toeing through a mine-field. There was a time when Sainsbury's Red Label was the answer - sadly those days are long since gone. Yorkshire teabags are not as good as they used to be, even though Taylors claim that they do not change, and even blend according to which region of the UK they are destined for. I wonder if any readers have discovered Punjana teabags which are blended in Belfast? I am happy to assist with these tasting notes. Yours, James
	Nicey replies: Hello James, When we polled people as to the right way up for chocolate biscuits we had 582 votes, 86.08% thought choc side up 8.25% were with you and 5.67% seemed to think it didn't matter. Perhaps a few of the 86% can be convinced to try them 'inverted', but we did have reports of some people trying that last time we talked about it. They said it felt disturbing. As for tea, I notice that like ourselves you live in Cambridge and so maybe you might want to consider some form of water filtration for our grim old tap water before you start worrying what is or isn't happening to teabags. It might buy you a big margin of tea improvement, our kettle thread had lots of messages from people saying it had really worked for them.
Luke Walker McVities Milk Chocolate Digestive Review	Dear Mr Nicey, We have just made a very interesting (Friday afternoon) discovery in the office. It is physically impossible to eat a chocolate digestive biscuit upside down. (i.e.. the biscuit with the chocolate coated side facing floorwards) Try it. It messes with your head. The brain/tongue immediately posts a message that the biscuit should be returned to it's correct orientation immediately, the texture of the chocolate on the lower teeth is most disturbing. I am interested in obtaining a grant to investigate this anomaly further, any idea which establishments might be interested in assisting me? I reckon I need around £500K to start with, just to cover my basic expenses etc, mainly tea and biscuits. Cheers Luke
	Nicey replies: I would say you have a strong case there for funding. Of course the nightmare scenario is that some unfriendly foreign power realises that they could build a weapon of terror hat would bring Britain to its knees based on upside down biscuits, a bit like those WWII exploding Tinned Plums a few weeks back.
Caroline McCarthy McVities Milk Chocolate Digestive Review	Nicey, I am disturbed at the lack of representation for the plain chocolate digestive in your biscuit of the week archive - it is the unsung hero of McVities stables! Whilst its sweeter cousin milk chocolcate digestives seem to gain recognition as a supreme resident of people's hearts and minds, old plain chocolate digestive is, I propose, superior in that the mere hint of a bitter taste from the chocolate compliments the digestive base superbly, giving one a scintillating experience with one's cup of tea and a sit down. I would also recommend putting them in the fridge before eating them - that's what we do at work and we have FANTASTIC cups of tea and sit downs. Thanking you for your attention, I must be off to the fridge for my fix... Caroline McCarthy
Ramon Baker McVities Milk Chocolate Digestive Review	Hi I got into this debate with my work colleagues and am a staunch supporter of the "chocolate-up" method. When I decided to find out whether there is in fact a right or wrong way, I was shocked to find that you had advised that McVities say that the biscuit's upness is immutable and therefore the "chocolate-up" way is technically upside-down. If that is the case, why do they package them with the chocolate side up in their standing chocolate hobnob packs? Also, if you take a pack of normal chocolate digestives, stand them up so that the end you are told to open is at the top and open that end, the chocolate is always at the top. Is there any way that you can ask them why they package them upside down if this is technically wrong? thanks Ramon
	Nicey replies: Yes I think this has all been pointed out to them. None the less the common sense - staring you in the face answer apparently isn't the right one. Its just one of those charming little quirks in the biscuit universe.
Chris Rayment McVities Milk Chocolate Digestive Review	Dear Nicey and co, The amazing response to this poll is clear evidence (if evidence were needed) that the Great British biscuit eating public has a mind of its own – what do we care that McVities say the chocolate is on the bottom of the biscuit, in our hearts and minds, we know they are wrong. I mean, just saying something is a particular thing does not make it so, if that were the case, I would be 5’8”, when in fact the tale of the tape reveals that I am actually a smidge under 5’3”! I don’t know about anyone else, but it feels quite British and a little subversive to disagree with major public companies in this manner – the public has spoken – the chocolate is on the top! Chris Rayment
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