Brownie Basics
You know those shops that are kind of like little grocery stores, but more of a hipster version? Maybe this is just a London thing? Anyway, this is one of them, and this is one of their brownies.
Brownie Backstory
You might have come across the quaint notion that London is not a city, but is instead a series of villages stitched together. I guess there’s something to this in the historical sense – London’s expansion has mostly been the incorporation of pre-existing smaller settlements close to it. On the other hand, as a description of modern London it doesn’t really hold up. Yes, different areas of London have quite different feels, because it’s a big city and this is what big cities are like.
The only part of London where I’ve ever seen any real truth in the old adage is Blackheath – and that’s because Blackheath really does feel like a village, that happens to be in London. It’s a really nice place to visit, and where I live now is a pretty good distance for visiting Blackheath: close enough that it’s eminently walkable, far enough that it feels like a decent walk when you go. Blackheath is also full of nice coffee shops, restaurants, pubs, etc – many of which I can’t take full advantage of right now, of course. But The Blackheath Pantry is still open, serving coffee and cakes as well as a bunch of ‘grocery store’ type things. It’s a fitting sort of grocery store for the sort of village that Blackheath is.
There were a couple of brownies available, the distinction being (when I asked) that some were vegan and some were not. This is one of the ones that was not!
Brownie Points
Taste
Really good. Rich and chocolatey, the sort that makes your mouth water in between each bite. 9/10
Texture
Also great! As well as getting the brownie base pretty much perfect, the addition of chocolate chips into it is something I’m always a big fan of. A relatively thick brownie crust adds a bit of crunch to a bite, that isn’t unpleasant. 9/10
Presentation
I do quite like how it looks, especially those hints of white chocolate chips (always a photogenic plus), it’s nicely cut and all that – I think I’ll give it a 4/5
Value
I think this is where it falls down. This brownie is very tasty, but has definitely gone for quality over quantity: it’s really only a few bites-worth, and still cost £2. That’s a bit pricey for a very small snack. I don’t feel cheated by the price, but would have to give it a relatively low value score: 4/10
Fudge Factor
The Blackheath Pantry, if you look at its website, clearly isn’t specialising in brownies, or cakes, or coffee, or any of the things you can grab for a quick takeaway. Nonetheless, this is a tasty (if expensive) bite of brownie, their coffee is also pretty good, and the staff have always been really friendly when I’ve gone in. The place deserves some fudge, is what I’m saying. 3/5
Final Score: 29
Should I Buy And Eat This Brownie?
In general, you won’t regret eating this brownie – it’s delicious. I think I would leave it up to you to decide if a small amount of deliciousness is worth your two British pounds. Personally… I’m sure I’ll be tempted by another one before too long.
Closing Thoughts
The government’s ‘route out of lockdown’ has given me a very unfortunate sense of hope. I guess we’ll just have to wait to see in what ways reality shatters that.
BROWNIE POINTS 