Archers thread #169: Denise rocks the boat in more than one way! Will Chris find a message in a cider bottle? Discuss The Archers here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed, and of course we are always delighted to welcome back former or occasional listeners/posters. We don't all agree on all points, although we do mostly try to be civil about it. Most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you'd have liked to have Harrison's behbe, or other unusual views.

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For newer listeners, lurkers or those who just have no idea what we're talking about, @DadDadDad has created this useful thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3557323-For-Archers-fans-a-guide-to-acronyms-on-the-long-running-discussion-threads-and-any-other-meta-thread-questions-you-may-have - BOOP point for him! (See thread for explanation.)

Thanks to @LikeTalkingToLassie and @BrightYellowDaffodil for title inspiration. Is this the end for Denise and John? It does seem odd to introduce John now if he's going to disappear. He has a lovely voice.

Over to you!

The image of John oiling his saddle is one I need wiping from my mind.

The digestive recipe was ruined when they made it more 'healthy' by cutting the fat in it, or something.

Digestives make very good sand if you were to make a bucket shaped birthday cake for example

Certainly very evocative

They used to be made with lard. I used to know someone who was a lifelong vegetarian and plain digestives were the only biscuits his strict parents allowed. Then he discovered he'd been eating lard all his life. I imagine they are made with vegetable fat now.

Call me super intuitive, but I’m sensing a certain skill here that goes well beyond slapping a bit of cheese on a digestive.

If only Denise had fashioned one of those for John before nipping out of the shop, it might have alleviated his disappointment. Some of that fruit cider may have also helped, if only they hadn’t sold out.

Where has John been hiding all these years?

Alistair was very thoughtful after Paul’s description of his parents’ perfect marriage. It would be interesting if his first words on meeting Denise again were “we can’t go on like this. You belong with John”.

Nairns cheese oatcakes are blissful with a layer of butter.

Another vote for the Hovis biscuits. With butter and Lancashire cheese. And a few grapes on the side. Mmmm

Jacob’s Hovis digestives for me with cheese (or without), fancy they are slightly less sweet, slimmer and less crumbly than McVities (and that cute loaf shape). Oatcakes good too but fancy Sainsbury’s own slightly nicer than Nairns.

Oh I bloody LOVE those Hovis digestives, they’re are amazing with cheese. I also rate the Waitrose Duchy oatcakes (perfect with a blue cheese).

If we’re talking savoury biscuits, I’m very partial to those Carr’s cheese melts.

I quite forgot! Thank you to @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g for the new thread.

I like the Carr's Water Biscuits. IMO they're the perfect biscuit for cheese, anything else adds too much flavour. I want a strong cheese and very little discernible taste from the biscuit, it's mainly there for texture.

If it's for a snack at home rather than a cheese board, I would also have a plain Crackerbread. Definitely nothing with cheese or rosemary or pepper on it already. Those things are fine just buttered, but not with cheese.

Noo!

There is no abomination like a water biscuit. Last time I unfortunately found some in a biscuits-for-cheese box I had to give them to the chickens.

Digestives are good for a cheesecake base, though gingernuts are better if the flavour complements the rest of it.

Carr's water biscuits can be good, but a bit shattery.

I agree with this, but I think, having realised thst, she also had to do it then before she chickened out. I think also, if John had said something like, "I hadn't realised you felt this strongly - how would you feel about couples counselling?" she might have agreed to that, rather than getting pissed off again about him not talking about things. As with many break-ups, one side (Denise) has been getting increasingly pissed off and thinking ait for weeks/months, while the other (John) has been chugging along thinking things aren't that bad/all marriages go through ups and downs/it's bound to be less exciting at this time of life - and not thinking, actually, I really need to do something here. And so to thst side, it comes as a big shock, when, if they stepped back and looked at the clues over time, it might be less so.

Water biscuits are heaven. I haven't been able to eat them since finding out about the wheat allergy, but have made a version of them with spelt flour.

I think digestive biscuits were made to aid the digestion hence the name so they were thought of as healthy. I remember one of the elderly sisters in A Room With A View munching on one when they were in Italy.Love that film and the music and Simon Callow as Mr Bede.

Given a choice between a water biscuit (even without butter or cheese) and a chocolate biscuit, I'd choose the water biscuit every time.

No. Not weird. Not weird at all.

I do hope Alastair has examined his conscience and dumps Denise.

<opens Ocado order>
<adds selection of biscuits for cheese, including water biscuits>
<happily contemplates which cheese to have with them>

Afternoon all. Not long back from another stage of the Capital Ring walk. There are beavers in Ealing! We didn't see any, but did see one of their dams. This has made my year. I'd like Kirsty to introduce beavers to the Am as part of the re-wilding project.

You can’t beat a proper baguette with cheese though

Although with cheese as said, I love Hovis digestives and like oatcakes, my personal go to cupboard staple was always Carrs Water biscuits as they are so nice and plain, crispy and thin, especially good with more flavoursome cheeses.

I also love the plain really thin crispiness of homemade Melba toast.

Love butter but could not fancy it with cheese on biscuits at all.

Have to admit to having v.thinly smeared jam on water biscuits (no cheese) when cupboard bare and desperate for a snack, but too bone idle to go to shops.

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g Amazed at beavers in Ealing

Thank you for the new thread!

I am very partial to Bath Oliver's with cheese.

Ignore the intrusive apostrophe. I hate it when the spellchecker thinks it knows better than I do. I should take the time to check myself.

I like Cornish wafers.