When my mom went on a UK trip recently, the one thing I begged her to bring me back was McVities Digestives. I’m not usually one for packaged cookies, but these break the mold. Because they’re made with wholemeal, the texture is grainy in a thick graham cracker sort of way, and the subtle sweetness (also reminiscent of graham) is accented perfectly by a thin layer of smooth milk chocolate on the bottom—or dark chocolate if you’re so inclined. I swear, I could eat the whole package in a day, but we’ve been rationing them to make them last longer.
I fell in love with this perfect little cookie the first time I went to London, and they’re a must every time I visit. Sure, you can get them at most of the British stores like The Tudor House in Santa Monica, and I’ve even seen them at Lucky Baldwin’s in Pasadena. But, I don’t know, I prefer to pretend that you can’t.
I want them to remain illusive little cookies you have to fly 12 hours to get.
–Valentina
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i love digestives! makes me think i’m eating “medicine”
Yeah, I’ve been eating a lot of “medicine” lately.
I love these biscuits, but you can buy them all over the place. Cost Plus, Gelson’s, Bristol Farms and some other places on the westside.
Yup, you’re right, Bee. That’s what I was saying in the post–I like to pretend they’re hard to find because their such a treat. When I first went to England, about 15 years ago, they were impossible to get here, but now they aren’t. That’s no fun to me. Globalization is a bore.
These are really popular in Japan; I used to eat these a lot while I lived there. I love the graininess of these cookies. Of course, like many things in Japan, they came in bite-sized which were perfect, and in addition to chocolate, came in strawberry-chocolate flavor as well. At first I didn’t even realize these were the same as the ones I ate there since Japanese pronounce “McVities” as “makoo-bitties.”
Yes, the graininess…that’s what it’s all about. I have to get my hands on some “makoo-bitties.” The next time my boss goes to Japan, I’m putting in an order!
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