 It became popular throughout Europe, particularly in Spain where, following the Civil War, the biscuit became a symbol of the country's economic recovery after bakeries produced mass quantities to consume a surplus of wheat.Many consider that the plain flavour of Maries makes them, like rich tea biscuits, particularly suitable for dunking in tea.Other popular methods of consuming the biscuit include using two to make a sandwich with butter and marmite or condensed milk spread in between; covering it with golden syrup; or crumbling it up in custard and jelly (gelatin dessert).