Residents at New Copford Place care home ‘take the biscuit’

To mark this year’s National Biscuit Day, the residents and care team at New Copford Place, our Colchester-based residential care home, have been talking about their favourite biscuits and answering the well-known conundrum – is a Jaffa Cake® a biscuit or cake?

“We wanted the residents to have a ‘cracking’ time and celebrate ‘all things biscuit’ this year’s National Biscuit Day,” said Chelsey Leather, the Activity Coordinators at New Copford Place. “The residents love a good cuppa, having a chat with each other and taking part in our regular quizzes and reminiscing sessions, so I put together a fun little ‘spoof’ survey to find out, once and for all, their favourite biscuit, biscuits they loved and enjoyed over the years, and to answer the age-old biscuit mystery of whether or not a Jaffa Cake® is actually a biscuit or a cake.”

According to a recent national poll, the UK’s undisputed favourite biscuit is the well-loved Chocolate Digestive, followed by melt-in-your-mouth Shortbread. Taking third place is the retro Bourbon, the controversial Jaffa Cake® made into fourth spot and the classic Custard Cream came in fifth. “However, the residents had slightly different views,” added Daniel Sabau, the Registered Manager at the care home.

“To get the residents’ top five favourite biscuits, we asked them what their absolute favourite biscuit was to enjoy with a cup of tea. The results were varied, but we managed to get our Gold, Silver and Bronze choices,” continued Daniel.

“Taking the top spot was the much-loved Chocolate Digestive, closely followed by joint runners up, a traditional Custard Cream and an Iced Shortie. Tying for podium three were Rich Tea® and Coconut biscuits.”

Pat Linscott, who made New Copford Place her home in January 2024 has a weakness for Iced Shorties. “I used to enjoy these pretty biscuits when I was young, but I haven’t seen them in the shops for ages,” said Pat. “My parents used to have a biscuit that was like a cracker, and it was a special treat to eat especially when they were topped with jam,” added Amelia ‘Maimie’ Clarkson, who has been a resident at the care home since August 2025.

“When I was growing up, my parents had a lovely biscuit tin, which was decorated with pictures of different biscuits all around the outside edges,” continued Maimie. “I can still picture it, and it was always on the top shelf, so I could never reach it. That didn’t stop me though, I got caught climbing on a chair more than once trying to reach it to sneak a biscuit.”

One question all the residents agreed on was the age-old enigma – is a Jaffa Cake® a biscuit or a cake? “Without a doubt, all the residents unanimously agreed that a Jaffa Cake® is just that, a cake and definitely not a biscuit,” added Daniel. “They are a cake,” said Pat. “They don’t snap or crunch like a biscuit and are not good for dunking.”

On the subject ‘To Dunk, or not To Dunk’, the residents were divided. “I am a ‘Dunker’,” continued Maimie. “I must admit I have two ‘Dunking Rules’. I only dunk and dip for a little while as I don’t like it when biscuits go soggy and I only dunk if nobody is looking. I’ve had hundreds of ‘Dunking Disasters’, but even though they are not in my top three, Ginger Nuts are good ‘Dunkers’, they seem to hold together in the heat of a cuppa.”

“I don’t like dunking at all,” added Pat. “I don’t like it when biscuits get soggy and mushy, it’s just a waste of a good crunchy, snappy biscuit.”

“Finally, we asked the residents what type of biscuit they would be and why,” said Chelsey. “Pat said she’d be a Rich Tea® as it’s a classic and elegant, and a good all-round biscuit; but Maimie said she’d be a Digestive as they are traditional and sweet and everyone loves them.” Maimie added, “If I made my own biscuits, I’d make sure they were nicely finished and not too big so I could easily hide them and sneakily eat them when others weren’t looking.”

“The residents and care team had a ‘cracking’ time taking part in the spoof ‘Biccie’ poll and reminiscing about biscuits. I think we could say that they all had a ‘snappily’ good time,” concluded Chelsey.

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