Celebrating National Biscuit Day 2022

Unless you've been living underground, you'll be aware that a hugely important and patriotic event to honour one of the finest, most respected and internationally beloved British institutions ever is taking place in just a few days' time.

We're talking, of course, about National Biscuit Day.

That's right, May 29th is National Biscuit Day. A time to reflect. To bow down in awe at the altar of these delectable delights. To buy - or bake - as many guilt-free biscuits as you like.

We're also aware that another important occasion is taking place over the next week or so, as Her Majesty the Queen celebrates 70 years on the throne with the Platinum Jubilee. In honour of both events, and because we know that she definitely has a sweet-tooth, we've taken it upon ourselves to rank what we imagine would be the Queen's favourite biscuits to enjoy with a coffee.

The best biscuits to have with a coffee (if you're the Queen)

5. Custard Creams

Due to the importance of upholding her image, there are certain things the Queen can't be seen to enjoy and, due to the mess it would make if she spilled it, one of those things is custard.

Patient, reliable, uplifting and good for any occasion, Custard Creams and Her Majesty have a lot in common. We're convinced she'd find room for them on her biscuit menu more often than not.

4. Chocolate Hobnobs

One of the UK's most popular biscuits, Hobnobs are knobbly, dense and oaty, which means they're an excellent choice for people who like to dunk their biscuits in their coffee. What could be better? Covering them in chocolate, of course!

Yes, while classic Hobnobs may be a little unrefined for the Queen's royal palate, Chocolate Hobnobs are a whole different story. It's easy to imagine Her Majesty settling down to enjoy a hot brew accompanied by a whole plate of them and savouring every indulgent bite in preparation for a busy evening entertaining foreign dignitaries.

3. Jaffa Cakes

Their spongy consistency may make them impossible to repeatedly dunk into a hot drink, but the orange to chocolate to biscuit/cake ratio is absolutely perfect and the chocolate is exactly dark enough to bring out the best in a top quality cup of coffee. After a long morning spent waving at strangers, a light but filling Jaffa Cake is the perfect snack to assuage Her Majesty's hunger without spoiling her lunch.

And yes, we know they're not technically biscuits and blah blah blah. The fact is they're the best of both worlds: cake-like but biscuit-shaped. On this occasion, we're claiming them for Queen, country and Team Biscuit.

2. Chocolate Fingers

As a notorious chocoholic, eating Chocolate Fingers is probably always high on Queen Elizabeth II's 'to-do' list.

Their beauty is how easy they are to eat, both literally and figuratively - they're small enough that HRH could eat several in one sitting without feeling overfull and so moreish that even if she was full, she'd probably still find room for a few more. The fact that they're sleek and easy to munch on the go means they'd also be the perfect treat for Her Majesty to pop in her handbag so she has a quick snack available at all times.

1. Milk Chocolate Digestives

Over the years, HRH has become extremely adept at hiding her boredom. A parade here, a speech there, it's all in a day's work for Her Majesty, which is why you never see her yawning or losing her concentration while on official business. Behind closed doors, however, it's impossible to imagine her standing for a boring biscuit with her afternoon coffee.

Enter the Milk Chocolate Digestive.

Where plain Digestives are boring, Milk Chocolate Digestives are fit for a fit Queen. Are they tasty? Chocolatey? Dunkable? Moreish? Light but filling? Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes.

Quite simply, Milk Chocolate Digestives are the royal standard of biscuits and, as such, you can guarantee they're never out of stock in the royal biscuit jar.

Why not enjoy a Cafe2U coffee this National Biscuit Day?

If, like the Queen, you'll be eating a biscuit or two this Sunday, we have the coffee to pair them with. Find your nearest Cafe2U van here and let us deliver it direct to your door, then let us know if you agree or disagree with our royal biscuit selections - or have any other suggestions - on our social media channels.

How To Get Ready For The Jubilee Celebration

In February this year, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee in recognition of the unprecedented 70 years (and counting!) she has spent as head of state of the UK, the Realms and the Commonwealth.

To commemorate this momentous occasion, celebrations have been taking place throughout the year, culminating in a four day bank holiday weekend from Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th June.

Plenty of events and activities have already been organised across the UK but there's no reason you shouldn't gather your friends, family and neighbours together for a jubilee celebration of your own. Whether you're planning on throwing a garden or a street party, here are our top tips for ensuring your celebration is a right royal success.

Organising a Jubilee street party

As with any event, a fair amount of planning is required to ensure everything goes smoothly but the good news is that special dispensation has been granted, allowing anyone interested in hosting a street party to do so at any time over the bank holiday weekend, so no risk assessment will be required and you won't need a licence for consumption of alcohol, food or to play music.

That being said, you should still contact your local council at least six weeks in advance to find out if you need to complete an application form before the big day and to let them know if you want to put any temporary road closures in place. If you're planning on selling alcohol, you'll also need to check if you need a Temporary Events Notice - a short-term permission for licensable activities covering events of 500 people or fewer.

What to serve

The easiest way to ensure there's plenty of food to go round - and stop you having to spend all day in the kitchen - is to ask your guests to bring a dish. 

The most popular items for street parties consist of traditional finger foods like sausage rolls, cucumber sandwiches and egg and cress rolls but let's face it, if it's tasty, somebody will eat it, so really anything goes.

If you're planning something more formal, potato salads, giant pork pies and classic Victoria sponges are the way to go. However, if you are thinking of going more formal, you'll need to provide seating and tables, or ask your guests to bring their own.

When it comes to drinks, nothing says 'summertime celebration' like a jug of Pimms, packed full of fruit and fresh mint leaves. This recipe from BBC Good Food is a great place to start.

Wine and champagne are also fool-proof options, while soft drinks should be provided for non-drinkers and anyone under 18. And with the UK's famously unpredictable weather, you'll definitely want to have a range of hot drinks ready to serve.

Decorations

Nothing gets people in the mood for a party like colourful decorations and accessories, so get creative by hanging bunting between trees and around tables, and attaching red, white and blue bows, balloons and ribbons to chairs. Union Jack flags are essential too!

You can also bring tables to life by decorating them with vases, jars or milk bottles filled with flowers picked from your and your guests' gardens.

It's also important to get the party started by having a sound system ready to play music; if possible, set up a TV so your guests can watch the other celebrations taking place around the world too.

Organising a Jubilee garden party

Also known as 'the easier option', the requirements for organising a garden party are exactly the same as for a street party but on a smaller scale and without the need to run anything past the council first!

How Cafe2U can help

Whether you're hosting a Jubilee street party for dozens of people or a small garden party for your nearest and dearest, why not book one of our mobile cafés to come and handle the coffee-making duties for you?
Our baristas are trained to provide excellent customer service and to deliver the finest quality coffees. You can find your nearest Cafe2U van here.