what else have you been hiding?

I've been a fan of Australia for as long as I can remember...


...even when all I knew about the place was that the people had the most awesome accents.

Now I find that, until recently, they've been keeping some delightful cookies all to themselves. How many other fabulous things do they have over there to which I've been completely oblivious?

I received an offer to sample and review Pepperidge Farm Tim Tams. After a bit of research, I found that they've only been available to Americans for a short time. People, we were missing out--they are delicious!

The batch I got was Chocolate Creme--chocolate on top of chocolate on top of chocolate (two layers of chocolate malted biscuit, separated by a light chocolate cream filling, and coated in a thin layer of textured chocolate, to be more specific), and it's good chocolate to boot. Creamy, rich, melt-in-your-mouth (and on your fingers) good.

Other variations include Chewy Caramel, Mocha, Double Coat, Chili Chocolate, Classic Dark Chocolate, Black Forest Fantasy, Creamy Truffle Temptation, and even Chocolate Orange. The only types currently available in the US are Chocolate Creme and Chewy Caramel, and apparently that's only for a limited time (through March 2009). I'd like to see Tim Tams become a permanent addition to the cookie shelf, and in all varieties.

After my Tim Tams were long gone, I came across the practice of the Tim Tam Slam. It sounds like a tasty experience, and it's more than enough motivation for me to purchase a sleeve or thirteen for myself...before they're taken from us.

And hey, even though I totally didn't plan this ahead of time--happy Australia Day!!