For a century, Britons have been eating chocolate digestives the wrong way, according to Anthony Coulson, general manager of the McVitie's factory in Stockport, Greater Manchester. He insists the chocolate side should face down, not up, to maximise flavour.
“One of the very first things I learned when I got to join McVitie's was chocolate side down to eat the digestive,” Coulson told the BBC. He explained that placing the chocolate on the tongue first allows it to melt immediately, delivering a quicker taste sensation. “It starts to melt, starts to get the flavour and away you go. It makes sense, right?”
This year marks the centenary of the chocolate digestive, first produced by McVitie's in 1925. The plain digestive had been around since 1892, originally conceived by two Scottish doctors who believed the sodium bicarbonate ingredient would aid digestion. Chocolate digestives now regularly top Britain's favourite biscuit lists, followed by shortbread, chocolate fingers, jaffa cakes and chocolate hobnobs.
McVitie's is launching one of its biggest marketing campaigns to celebrate the centenary, including a pop-up store in Piccadilly Circus, London, from 2-5 May. Despite his expert advice, Coulson admitted he still sometimes eats the biscuit chocolate side up. “I still do if I'm totally honest,” he confessed.
