Biscuit Town

My quest today was to find a suitable gift to take to Japan to say thank to a colleague for the help he has given us in arranging our meetings next week.

My guide books tell me that gift-giving is a serious business in Japan. I had thought of trying to get some watercolour prints of the town or something similar. When I got into town, the shop I'd thought of was undergoing huge refurbishment and had about five run-of-the mill prints available today. My next port of call was the shop in the museum at the Town Hall - would you believe that it was closed too for a week? The lady at the Town Hall was so helpful and ended up letting me wander round the closed-up shop. I nearly bought some old photographic prints of the town but there wasn't a suitable pair (some sepia, some black and white).

I decided on a replica Huntley & Palmer's biscuit tin and filled it with a Reading tea towel, H&P biscuits, some exclusive British cheese biscuits, posh chocolate and clotted cream fudge. I then got it gift wrapped and it is now ready for packing. Hope it will be OK.

Reading was known as Biscuit town due to the large Huntley and Palmer factory. Most of the site was demolished many years ago but one of the buildings was converted to flats and retains the old sign. I cycled past it on my way back home along the canal side.

Reading Museum has a big section on the history of the factory.