Help me ID cookies!!!

[wesleysgirl]

There were these cookies my grandmother used to give us when we were kids. Actually, they were more like a UK biscuit, I think. They weren't all that sweet. They were quite thin and came in fairly large slabs, and were sort of like Fig Newtons except that they were thinner and the layers sandwiching the fruit layer was drier and less cakey. The fruit layer was thicker and stickier than Fig Newton's fig filling (but it might have been fig, or maybe date? something brown.) Again, they were not sweet. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

ETA - sheafrotherdon IDed them as "Golden Fruit" cookies, an American version of Garibaldi biscuits.

Comments

[janedavitt.livejournal.com]

I know Fig Newtons well but these don't sound at all familiar; curious myself now!

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

sheafrotherdon ID'ed them as Garibaldi biscuits, also known here in the US as "Golden Fruit" and sadly no longer made. I remember them fondly, though, and I wish I could have some now because I know they'd be lovely with tea (which I didn't like as a child.)

[janedavitt.livejournal.com]

Oh, squashed fly biscuits! I know them :-)

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

Yes! And it's funny because I've always remembered the Golden Fruit cookies and often read about squashed fly biscuits in books but never connected the two!

[spikewriter]

Eccles cakes? That's what it sounds like to me.

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

It turns out that they're Garibaldi biscuits and the wiki entry says they're cousins to Eccles cakes, so basically you're right! Sadly, the ones I was familiar with are no longer made, but at least now I know what they were!

[sheafrotherdon.livejournal.com]

Garibaldis?

[sheafrotherdon.livejournal.com]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garibaldi_biscuit

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

YES!!!! Thank you.

In the United States, the Sunshine Biscuit Company for many years made a popular version of the Garibaldi with raisins which it called "Golden Fruit". Sunshine was bought out by the Keebler Company which briefly expanded the line to include versions filled with other fruits, but ultimately killed the product entirely.

So, sadly, they are long gone, but that's definitely them.

[sheafrotherdon.livejournal.com]

http://www.britishdelights.com/detail.asp?product_id=e184

http://www.britishfoodshop.com/keyword.asp?product=crawfords%20garibaldi&gclid=CPTt9eH4oZICFQIjxwod0AW5Rw

http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=35379&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=731&iSubCat=881&iProductID=35379&searchid=inceptor

:>

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

Wheeee! Thanks, honey. Now that I think of it there's a British imports foods place in a city we go to occasionally -- I'll check next time we're there!

[moonlettuce.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure we still have Garibaldis over here (I never really liked them, so haven't paid attention to whether or not they're still on the shelves). If you have a hankering and I can get them, do you want some sent over?

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

It looks like there are places I can get them here via mail-order at least, now that it's been pointed out that the non-American version still exists. But thank you so much for the offer! You are so sweet. *Kiss*

[moonlettuce.livejournal.com]

Cool :D If you ever do want stuff, though, that's a standing offer :D