Galletas María, the most traditional biscuits of Spain

These biscuits are really popular in Spain not only among children, but also among adults. For that reason, ‘la galleta María’ is one of the most popular breakfasts and snacks, not forgetting the loan of bread with chocolate, which is also one of the favourites and most traditional.

After the Civil War, the biscuit became a symbol of economic recovery as bakeries produced them massively, due to a surplus in wheat harvests that made them cheaper. Not surprisingly, it became popular as a humble and familiar biscuit.

María biscuit survives all generations, even if it is sometimes considered boring, this biscuit has hardly changed in its more than 100 years of history. But, how about the origin of its name? The origins of Maria biscuits go back to the end of the 19th century in London. James Peek and George Hender Frean, expert bakers, owned the famous Peek, Frean & Co. They were looking to innovate, so these confectioners wanted to create a different biscuit to serve it with tea.

Peek, Frean & Co.

Peek, Frean & Co. | Shutterstock

The noble origin of the biscuits

The perfect event was a Royal wedding: the Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh (fourth son of Albert of Saxony and Queen Victoria) and María Alexandrovna. This wedding took place in January 1874 at the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. It was a social event that marked the beginning of the new year. Thus, the confectioners Peek and Frean decided to honour the arrival of Maria Alexandrovna of Russia to the British Royal Family. So how? By creating the Marie biscuit. However, they could not imagine the successful of this confectionery creation. It became the most popular in Britain, and then, all around the world.

In Spain there is a fake legend which tells that in 1920 the confectioner Eugenio Fontaneda named them after his granddaughter. However, the fact is that the famous María biscuit became very popular in Spain thanks to the Artiach and Fontaneda brands. They were in competition to discover who could sell the most of this product.


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