We generally use Scotch Fingers for novices as they are quite a sturdy Scottish biscuit, more suitable for early rounds, and use the less reliable French biscuits for eliminations, where more skill is required. Naturally Brown Biscuits are not to be used, while noble, far too firm, and a ginger nut could sit in the tea till it cools before becoming bendy.
Problems arise when a biscuit does not break. The tension becomes tedious. This has happened at 2 of our duels in the last year. Drastic measures had to be taken at both; Biscuits re-dunked, and dunked for longer counts. Tiien-mistress blowing on the biscuits, or in the ear of some duellists who take her fancy, Switching to Nice earlier does work, but can not remove the initial anticlimax when, if you will excuse the expression, the cookie doesn’t crumble.
We have narrowed the possible causes down to three suspects. Biscuit quality, Altitude, and Hard water.
Top: Tiffin Misstress "Assists" the bending of the Biscuit
All Scotsmen are not created equal. Some of the venues who ask us to host a duel, in an effort to save money for a better quality milk or more prizes, shop around for no- name biscuits.
By Prof. M.Swift. Tiffin Master General of the Australian Tea Duelling Association.
Photos by ChewieVision C/- The Nerdy heard.
Opposite: Lady Eliza explains the Rules of Tea Duelling in Newtown.