Sometimes in life, it’s the simplest things that give us the most pleasure. Things that, no matter what else might be going on in your life, never fail to provide a pure sensory delight that always satisfies. Dunking biscuits in tea is one of those pleasures.

This arcane art has been practiced for generations, handed down from enthusiast to expectant enthusiast for as long as these two noble comestibles have shared the same saucer. How the practice began is a secret long ago lost to the murky mists of time, but we all owe a silent and appreciative nod of thanks to the inspired alchemist who first dared to plunge his biscuit into a freshly-poured brew and reap the bountiful flavour benefits that resulted.

From Rich Teas to Bourbons, Digestives to Ginger Nuts, there is virtually no biscuit which cannot be improved by a judicious and carefully-calculated dunking.

And herein lies another attraction of this endlessly fascinating pastime: the element of danger, the fine, almost imperceptible line that every dunker walks between triumph and tragedy, delectation or defeat – get it just right and your biscuit is transformed into a flavoursome treat for the tongue; get it wrong and you’re left with a distasteful, unappetising sludge at the bottom of your teacup.

For the art of dunking biscuits in tea takes but a moment to learn, but a lifetime to master. What seems like a simple process reveals itself on further examination to be filled with subtle nuances. The seasoned dunker will take into account not just the type of biscuit being used, but also the temperature of the tea, the ambient temperature of the room, and even the brand of tea itself.

Some canny practitioners even go so far as to refrigerate their biscuits beforehand for maximum dunking time – many purists, however, feel that such tampering is a form of cheating, akin to soaking one’s chestnut in vinegar to harden it before a game of conkers.

In short, the art of dunking biscuits in tea has far more to it than first meets the eye. In the hands of an expert, biscuit-dunking can transform an already tasty treat into a true taste sensation, while a less experienced dunker can easily turn two separate delicacies into a single ruinous mess in one fell swoop.

While perhaps not for the faint-hearted, dunking biscuits in tea holds extraordinary rewards for those willing to put in the time and effort to perfect this sadly under-appreciated skill.

Posted on Tuesday, January 4th, 2011.