The Fortnum's Dunkipedia Hong Kong

And where better to start than with the all-important question: just why do we dunk biscuits?

Well, dunking your biscuit into a cup of tea enhances both the flavour and texture. Expert dunkers describe this experience as comforting, even relaxing. The benefits and dunking time will vary from biscuit to biscuit. Some are natural dunkers, while others are better off not being dunked at all.

For naturally crunchy, hard biscuits, such as our Piccadilly Stem Ginger, dunking these into a cup of tea helps soften the biscuit whilst releasing the ginger flavours more smoothly. By contrast, with a more buttery biscuit, like our Traditional Shortbread Rounds, the act of dunking gently melts the highly absorbent shortbread, creating a luxurious, creamy texture: a literal ‘melt in your mouth’ moment.

Dunking does of course come with a level of jeopardy. You don’t want to leave your biscuit in the tea too long, or the tea might take full ownership of it.

Which brings us to the purpose of our Dunkipedia: to provide you with exactly the right time you need to submerge each of the biscuits listed, and a little advice about the perfect tea in which to dunk it.

But first, a little origin story... 

 

The History of Dunking

Dunking has its origins in 16th century English naval history, when crews were supplied with 'hard tack' biscuits that were designed to last long voyages -- but which were impossible to eat without soaking in water, soup or any liquid available.

But it wasn't until the 19th century and the emergence of afternoon tea in mid Victorian Britain that biscuits began to be regarded as appropriate for dunking in tea. The fact that Queen Victoria herself was reportedly a fan of dunking certainly helped the practice to grow.

There was a little established history on dunking’s side too, in the form of the traditional gentlemen’s club habit of dipping biscuits in wine, and Madeira cake in Madeira.

In the centuries since, dunking has faced no little unwarranted snobbery, but it has never made much of a dent in dunking’s popularity. Why? Because something so delicious and enjoyable transcends fads and trends. Now, onto the serious business...

 

Time to Dunk

Fortnum & Mason 的呈獻「茶餅搭配：百科指南」

 

茗茶和餅乾是不少現代人心目中的完美組合，而早於三個世紀前，Fortnum’s便已發現兩者一拍即合的魅力，發掘岀各式各樣的茗茶和餅乾配搭，呈獻別緻昇華的下午茶享受。糅合品牌逾百年對品茗和烘培的熱誠，Fortnum’s特意準備了以下的「茶餅搭配：百科指南」，確保大家在以餅乾佐茶時，每一口都帶來美味絕倫的體驗。

為何要在享用將餅乾將其浸泡於茶中？

 

餅乾經過茶的浸泡後，味道和口感均會得以昇華。更有以餅佐茶的愛好者形容這是一個讓人放鬆和感到療癒的享受。浸泡於茶的時間和味道的改變因不同餅乾而異。有些餅乾適合以茶浸泡後品嘗，有些則更適合直接享用。

以結實脆口的餅乾為例，如Fortnum’s的.Piccadilly Stem Ginger餅乾，將其浸泡在茶中能夠軟化餅乾，更會釋放薑餅中迷人的味道與香氣。相反地，將牛油餅乾浸於茶中，如Fortnum’s的Traditional Shortbread Rounds餅乾，熱茶會滲入並融化餅乾中的牛油，形成更濃郁豐厚且順滑的口感，帶來入口即融的奢華享受。

以茶浸餅的學問絕不隨便，例如於茶裏浸泡過久的餅乾將會失去風味，醇茶更會喧賓奪主，無法現呈原本應有的美味。

因此，Fortnum’s特意推岀「茶餅搭配：百科指南」，為大家分享一系列Fortnum’s餅乾的最佳茶配和最佳浸泡時間，以及以茶浸餅時需知的小貼士。

首先，為你送上一段關於以茶浸泡餅乾的起源小故事…

 

以茶浸泡餅乾的起源

這個習慣的起源可追溯至16世紀的英國航海時代，當時船員會獲分發壓縮餅乾。因為保質期的需求，這些作為漫長航海之旅主要糧食的壓縮餅乾，需經過水、湯或其他飲品浸泡後才可食用。

直至19世紀，英國進入維多利亞時代的中段，下午茶成為文化風尚，人們亦開始將餅乾浸泡在茶後享用。同時，維多利亞女皇亦是浸泡餅乾的愛好者，大眾紛紛仿傚，令這種食法更受追捧和熱愛。

另一則浸泡餅乾的歷史趣聞與傳統紳士酒吧有關。當時，一眾紳士會將餅乾浸泡於美酒之中，或將Madeira蛋糕泡在Madeira酒內，歡度時光。

雖然於這幾個世紀間，浸泡餅乾這個行為曾受過一些無端的批評，但為何其熱度至今絲毫不減？因為這個美味而療癒的享受早已成為一種習慣，是一個能跨越時代變遷、歷久不衰的飲食文化。

現在就由Fortnum’s的「茶餅搭配：百科指南」帶你展開以茶浸泡餅乾的別緻體驗。

 

茶點時間的完美配搭