I’m an Australian and I wouldn’t like to think about how many of the biscuits I’ve eaten since they first became popular around 40 years ago.

We had been to an indoor swimming pool for sport. Climbing on the bus back to school after hanging out in the sauna for the last 15 minutes, my legs felt leaden. In 1989 a pretty Year 10 girl said she had eaten a whole pack of these new chocolate biscuits on her own. She was a dainty extra-small size and I wouldn’t have thought she had it in her. My second thought was that no biscuit could be that good.

I was wrong about Tim Tams.

No Aussie morning tea is complete without a pack; and a slam is even better. The best slam is with a hot chocolate in your hand and a heap of friends around telling jokes and making the loudest sucking sounds. Whoever has their biscuit fall apart into their cup first is the biggest loser.

When both my children went through University, they asked all the international students what the best thing about Australia was. The students from diverse countries all over the world invariably answered Tim Tams.

They are a seriously good biscuit.

Oh Olivia, I do hope you see a possum in NZ. I’ve had them as residents of my back yard for over 22 years. I feed them bananas, not Tim Tams, and I love their furry little butts to bits. Here’s a pic. It looks like this one, who we call Mumma Poss, is smiling as she chows down on her banana.

Loved your story Olivia, and happy belated Australia Day.