Gourmet Food : Ouma Condensed Milk Rusks

Rating: - VERY TASTY!
As I am currently reading the wonderful series by Alexander McCall Smith ("The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series, which is set in Botswana), and its delightful heroine, Mma Precious Ramotswe, along with her assistant and various friends, is often found to drink a cup of red bush tea (Rooibos), along with an Ouma Rusk, I ordered the rusks not having the slightest idea of what they would be like, but rather out of curiosity.

To my delight, they are very, very good. They are not hard, but solid, and can be eaten just as they are or, as seems to be the custom in the books, dipped briefly in coffee or tea. It seems the dipping does enhance the flavor a smidge. I chose the condensed milk flavor because I thought this might be a favorite of Mma Ramotswe.

One reviewer of another flavor of Ouma Rusk noted that the shipping charges are excessive. Indeed they are -- $3.00 more than the entire cost of the product. Still, it is the least expensive way to obtain the rusks unless one orders directly from the South African Food Shop, but since they have a $20.00 minimum per order, if you don't order other products, it's not the best way to go.

I'm going to make Ouma Rusks a permanent item on my grocery list. They're wonderful dipped in Rooibos Tea, by the way. They seem to go together.