Watching the first episode of BBC's Broadchurch, it was a bit of let-down to see the citizens of this English seaside town living just like Americans: driving around in the same cars, using the same kitchen appliances, and carrying the same smartphones. Only the characters’ accents, and the dramatic (and perilous) cliffside beaches give the setting away. That and the sight of two detectives walking along the boardwalk eating soft-serve vanilla cones with chocolate bars sticking out of them like swizzle sticks. Their conversation ends when one tosses his in the rubbish bin and stomps away, shouting, “Thanks for the 99.”
A “99” is a vanilla ice-cream cone that’s adorned with a special, shorter version of the Cadbury Flake bar, and can also refer to that special Flake bar itself. There’s something a little goofy about sticking a candy bar into a cone instead of sprinkling its crumbs (or flakes) on top, or blending it all together. But the 99 can be executed in some stylish variations, like setting the chocolate at a rakish angle, or tucking it straight up-and-down just below the ice cream’s top swirl. It’s a charming eccentricity.
