Friday, 23 November 2007

The Graham Cracker Challenge

A while ago I was reading the lovely Thimbleanna's blog where she shared a delicious looking recipe that included Graham Crackers. Intrigued I asked her what they were but we couldn't think of a UK comparable biscuit. So Anna decided we would need to do some research to improve International Biscuit Relations for the sake of bloggers everywhere!

Last week she told me she had sent the parcel (after nearly collapsing from shock at the postal charges!) so I was very excited when when I got back this morning to find a Parcel force note through the door telling me to go to the Post Office.

One HUGE box later!

And look what's inside!
All the ingredients to make "S'mores" - I've never tried these, they sound fab and the recipe is on the back of the Cracker box.

I love the concept of Jet-Puffed marshmallows!

Purely in the interests of research I have tried a bit of everything!

Just testing them, honestly!

I haven't worked out what the Graham Crackers are like yet - need to try more obviously - but in taste they are like a sweeter Rich Tea biscuit but the texture is much more crumbly. I'll have to ask LSH what he thinks later - he is more of a biscuit connoisseur than me!
Anna also included some fabulous stickers (I can see the children trying to pinch some of these!)
I really love the quilt ones!

And even more exciting than all the sticky and edible things look what was in the bottom of the box!
A Squished Bunny!

I let him out of his quarantine casing but he didn't look very happy


So I went and found him a carrot

But I rather think he wants a s'more instead! Or at least some of the ingredients seeing as he has been sharing a box with them for the last week!

Better try out that recipe soon hadn't I?

Thank you so much for all these wonderful goodies Anna, I am so grateful and will plan a secret return parcel of some typically British treats soon!

Back to news of Jenny. Well after waiting in all day yesterday for her to be returned I finally gave in and rang the shop only to find they had no intention of bringing her to me at all, a misunderstanding they said. Hmmmmm.

I asked if they had solved the problem and they said it was the foot control (ignoring the fact that she runs on her own when the foot control is disconnected.) So I went back through to pick her up this morning. I asked about the "running by itself" business and was told "well it didn't do it." (Yes it does!) "not here it didn't" Double HMMMMMMMMMMMM.

I have since spoken to Janome about my problem and they have said it is entirely in the hands of the retailer. Not their problem basically. Treble HMMMMMMMMMMMM!

To improve my mood I went back to Ring a Rosie and bought some more wool! This time I had kidnapped Patti and made her come with me. We had a good time choosing yummy yarn and even managed to get some christmas shopping done for the little people.

This is my wool for trying to crochet.
(The end one is brown not black)

And these buttons are to go on a boring black cardigan (maybe - or they may just be to look at!)

And look! A fingerless mitt! So I have one warm hand and 10 very cold fingers!



17 comments:

~Molly~ said...

Ooooh, you will love the graham crackers! They are great with peanut butter on them, or crushed up with butter and a bit of brown sugar to use as a crust for a refridgerated pie(not one you bake in other words-though most people do brown the crust for 10 minutes or so before filling). Jet Puffed? So-so. Not a big marshmallow fan here but my kids are!

I love that crochet yarn you've got there, beautiful color combination! Can't wait to see what it becomes.

Molly

Patti said...

What a completely and utterly fantastic parcel to come back to. Thanks for the great morning. Impressed with myself that I came with you on the spur of the moment. I am not an impetuous person. I have to plan things in triplicate before I do anything (hmm maybe that's why I'm a project manager, I get to live my life as a gantt chart). Then again the choice was housework vs wool. Not a hard one. So many thanks - I had a great time.

Patti said...

Forgot to say. At the risk of offending all Americans, especially during this Thanksgiving week. STAY AWAY FROM THE HERSHEY'S. Ugg. That is not chocolate, dunno what it is, but it's not chocolate. May not even be edible. Stick to a yummy bar of galaxy.

(Sorry all Nieces and Nephews of Uncle Sam, but it's not nice).

Anonymous said...

That was quick knitting!
I think the after sales service from the sewing machine shop is pretty poor. It's not as if the machine is years old and running on her own could be dangerous if your finger is nearby and not expecting it!

The Crafts House said...

soooo jealous,we lived in the states for a while and my children would love to find graham crackers..theres loads of yummy recipes using them..I used to think digestives were similar but there not!enjoy your s,mores, you just need a camp fire or bbq to set the scene.

Mrs Moog said...

Sooooo much goodness in this one Mrs Locket!!
Lovely treats from Anna. Hope the smores work out - keep me posted!
Lovely yarn colours. The crochet should be no problem with that little lot ;)
Show off! You got a whole handwarmer done already! Is Jenny already enticing you away from the knitting or are you going to manage the pair? (Says she with numerous halves of things on the needles/hooks!!)
Hope you have a lovely stitching,knitting and hooking weekend.
love Mrs Moogsmum xxx

Monkee Maker said...

Don't you just hate it when people don't believe you?? Our IT department is just like that!

Gorgeous goodies, and good job on the mitt!!

Anonymous said...

Graham Crackers' equivalent here have always been digestives especially for making cheesecake bases.

I quite agree with Patti on the Hershey bars but seeing as I have family in the States I have to be careful who I say it to.

If you are turning your hand to arm warmers, it would be a good christmas present for your niece - she keeps trying them on in the local garden centre where I got that nice chicken bag!! for Mum. If you can do one in stripes and not in pink it would go down a treat.

Hope that helps with an idea for her.

Ally

trash said...

Lucy, loving the idea of s'mores - hating the idea of my email being bounced from your reply. Basically says don't hurry, post-christmas is more than fine.

Knot Garden said...

Great parcel of goodies, and you chose some lovely yarn colours. You're lucky to live within reach of a good wool shop - I have to get most of mine online, and it's not the same as seeing the colours in person. The mitt turned out great as well!

Lissa Jane said...

Lucy
you have the SAME BLOODY JANOME as me and my friends (friend is the one whose sews by itself too), mine is just bullumic, as it eats and spits fabric out after an interval, I think this model is CURSED!
what a bloody ripper of a parcel, I dont know the Graham Cracker either, a cracker to me is something you put savoury on, like a water cracker, or a SAO (dunno if you have SAO's but they are dead boring 'til you put stuffs on them).. I love the brand of marshmallows, 'get puffed'.. I'll have to remember that at work when I want to use a profanity at a builder or three.. I dont think I have tried anything that was in that parcel... but then again, when you come from the land of the 'tim tam' life sure is good (biscuit wise)

I am ROFLMAO @ you going to the darkside..... you know wool stashes grow just as fast as fabric ones dont you?



Lissa

Thimbleanna said...

Lucy you are SO funny! Would you look at all the stickers on that box? I only saw one on it! Thanks for giving the bunny a carrot -- I'm sure she was VERY hungry LOL. Patti and Ally are very correct about the Hershey's bars. If you want to eat a good chocolate bar straight, there are lots better choices. But, for smores, that will be heaped with marshmallow and graham crackers, they're the traditional candy bar -- and we're all about tradition here! Oh, and having your little sweeties experience a S'More! I certainly hope you can get your machine straightened out -- but in the meantime, your knitting looks wonderful! XOXO!

Leanne said...

Aren't you lucky what a great parcel - love the bunny - glad to see Jenny is back - my rule is never buy anything these days that you expect to last longer than 5 minute because it just doesn't happen. The fingerless glove is looking good I get the hole now(?last comment) I have never quite understood fingerless gloves.

est said...

wow~!!!! you are such a fast knitter lucy!!! lol :)

Dannielle said...

Even better are the graham crackers that have a light coating of cinnamon-sugar on one side. Though they're not appropriate for smores.

So they don't have graham crackers where you are? But...but...what do you use for a crust on cheesecake? Here it's almost always a graham cracker crust.

dottycookie said...

Smores? Oh, dear, you are in trouble. Think wagon wheels, though about a zillion times better ...

Kate North said...

It's not quite the same thing, but we make a quick s'more in the summer when barbecueing by using toasted marshmallows sandwiched between chocolate digestives. And a graham cracker crust - you can use digestive biscuits, no problem.