Digestives

Living in a country where you were not born and brought up often presents challenges in the area of food.  At home I'm asked if I eat sushi. In Japan I'm asked if I eat natto. Those kinds of things one could anticipate.

Living where I do, I have come into contact with lots of people from the UK or former Commonwealth countries as well as Europe, N. America as well as Asia.  When you socialize you learn quite a bit about foods from where your companions grew up.  Actually I had come across Digestive Biscuits when I lived in Pennsylvania and met twins from Scotland - another long story - who I believe introduced them to me.

Digestives are made with whole wheat flour, butter, sugar/honey, oats and milk, leavened with baking powder. At least that is what this recipe called for.  These are square, usually Digestives are round.  They usually have holes poked in them.

Why would I attempt to make them myself?  Part of the reason is the difficulty I have finding them in the stores here.  There is a Japanese branch of the British Company, McVittes which makes Digestives, but for me it's rather like Hershey's having the contract to make Cadbury's in America. I could go on, but won't.

So, I looked on the Internet and found a couple recipes, one of which I tried today. When they were baking the aroma reminded me of the unleavened bread we used to make for communion. 

They aren't as crisp as commercial ones, which seems strange.  What if I replaced some of the butter with olive oil - you food chemists out there, would that make them crisper?  I want to reduce the sugar too, and add just a little salt for flavor.

They might not be authentic Digestives, but they will certainly keep me from missing Digestive Biscuits while they last.

I've actually put most of them in a tin and frozen them because tomorrow I'm off to Karuizawa for 6 whole days for my summer holidays. (See how the British influence creeps in?)  While I'm there I will try to get some photos of some things I haven't seen before, and will blog on my return.  I'm not taking my decrepit computer with me this time.