h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Anyone from outside the UK may be unfamiliar with Ferero Rocher chocolates, and thier unforgettable advertising. Those who do not dwell on these hallowed shores may not recall the Ambassador's exquisite taste or shudder when hearing the immortal words 'Monseiur, with these Ferero Rocher you are spoiling us!'.

Indeed, this advertising, bloody awful though it was, earned itself a an unlikely place in Britain's hearts (sod the England-Scotland-Wales divide for a bit, EVERYONE in the UK who owns a TV knows about this). It was set to become one of Britain's lesser known traditions, because anything worth whinging about eventually becomes tradition in the UK.

But recently, Ferero Rocher has got it's advertising act together with a half decent TV ad. Of course, they will still hold a fraction of thier former ridicule because of thier past exploits in TV advertising (because anything worth whinging about isn't quickly forgotten by the British either) but still, in a way, I'll miss the cheesy butler getting the nod from the Reed Richards-lookalike Ambassador and mincing around as butlers do through the rich and powerful with a collection of confection that costs the best part of three quid. I'll always remember it fondly.

And the chocolates themselves? Quite nice actually. Very moreish.

Ferero Rocher chocolates have become something of a Christmas tradition in Canada. Anyone who feels insecure about being sufficiently festive, which is nearly everyone, rushes out and buys some on Christmas Eve. They are sold in clear plastic pyramids. One should never pick up a Ferero Rocher pyramid by the clear plastic top, or, as happened to me, the entire chocolate content detaches itself with near explosive force and the delicious little spheres are sent bouncing all over the place (In my case it was the parking lot). The foil wrappers, in which each little ball is encased, cheat you of the opportunity of simply saying 'Bugger' and walking away.

JTG

I've seen the pyramid thingies, but not often. We usually them in straight plastic boxes, which always make useful keeping-things-in boxes once you've massacred the chocolates. In fact, that may be another reason why they're so big over here. You're right though, everybody has these things at christmas.

Boo

The pyramid packaging definitely makes the chocolates look more special. Just before Christmas, some of my friends wanted to thank my housemates for letting us hold a really large (over 70 people) loud cocktail party in our house. A pyramid-shaped box of Ferrero Roche chocolates was deemed a suitable recompense.

The over-packaging is to distract you from the impression that the chockies themselves look like something made by a dung beetle. When you think about it, it does seem a strange thing that we are so easily convinced by a clever box that a really rather unspectacular product is a special treat. After all, if the little balls were sold in a bag, we could probably eat them every day... but would we? Would they beat a Mars bar, if they weren't dolled up and presented as something better?

I agree that ferero rocher, when you think about it, are frighteningly reminiscent of ten-year-old scotch eggs, but I still think they beat Mars in the sweet munchie item stakes. There are times when a Mars is just the ticket though.

"At work, rest, and play... Mars Bar helps make your day"

... As they used to tell us long, long ago in the olden days.

JTG

Yeah, our cheesy slogan was pretty much the same, but we've got man-eating sofas selling them now. That's the late 20th for you.

I don't know... I worry about being old when the children who have been raised on man-eating sofas and the like are running things. We're likely to find ourselves fighting in an arena for our pension cheques.

JTG

Not only do FR look awful they taste like dung. I tried one for the first time this xmas and nearly gagged. Can anyone actually *like* them?

Chris

Yep... But not half as much as a host of other things, including sushi, pork scratchings, anchovy pizza.

JTG

...or evens the Devils own veg Celery, even typing the name makes me gag.

Chris

I'm with you there. Celery is one of the most rancid of the earth's offerings... well, at least amongst the stuff people say you're supposed to eat, anyway.

If you eat celery raw, I agree with you. I always get the long strips of stuff stuck in my teeth. Whereas if you cook it in a spicy stew, celery takes on all the flavours around it - delcious.

Yeah. My girlfriend is very fond of celery soup.

Celery is perfect for holding peanut butter or cream cheese.

The trouble with the pyramid packaging is that, while it looked cool, it was only the 'outer pyramid' that had any chocs in it - the middle was a cheating plastic support!

My favourite Ferrero Rocher ad memory is bombing around the Netherlands between speeches in a clapped out old car with a young politician each from Flanders, Catalonia and the Netherlands. And teaching them *all* to say, "Oh, ambassador, you are spoiling us" in identical dreadful French accents >(: ))

Love and liberty

Alex

Enough with the celery, lets get back to the choc! What is this obsession with celery anyway? EVeryone knows chocolate is infinately more yummy and interesting

*passes around some *

'Nonnie

*sulk*

I can't eat the blasted things - I'm allergic to nuts. Try, if you can, to imagine a childhood bereft of the delights of Marathons, Walnut Whips and Peanut Brittle. I'm so deprived!