Tea Duelling makes its American debut!

[Wilhelmina Frame]

The American Tea Duelling Society presented the first ever sanctioned Tea Duelling competition last weekend at Anachro*con in Atlanta, GA.

Timetinker and Lady Elsie officiated as special guests.

Please join our page on Facebook to check out videos and photos and to keep abreast of upcoming tournaments.

If you wish to host a sanctioned competition, get in touch so we can coordinate and get your results on our roster.

www.facebook.com/americanteaduelling

Happy Duelling!

[santiagodunbar]

I am unfamiliar with the concept of 'tea duelling'. What does it entail?

[Neibelungen]

Paper Cups...  how very  uncouth !!!

[Mercury Wells]

I am unfamiliar with the concept of 'tea duelling'. What does it entail?

This might help Tea dueling.

~~~~~~~~

Neibelungen, now now give them a chance. We have them to get to actually know how to enjoy a really nice decent cup of tea, then teach them how to make a really nice cup of tea (without going into the history of the East India Company). Then we can move onto the niceties of having a proper tea service.  

[Wilhelmina Frame]

Paper Cups...  how very  uncouth !!!

Agreed but sometimes one must soldier on under adverse conditions!

[greensteam]

There was tea duelling at the Victoriana weekend at the Kelvingrove (Glasgow) this weekend but unfortunately I had other committments and missed it entirely.

[Cubinoid]

I am delighted that tea duelling has made it to foreign shores. Let's not be too harsh with them, friends, we need to gently encourage, uplift and offer support, not poke criticism at their cups-made-of-paper and other local habits and customs.

For our American friends who are unfamiliar with the concept of tea duelling, may I offer a video that was taken at The First Surrey Steampunk Convivial (http://www.harpsfest.com). I hope it is of use.

Please note the matching Staffordshire ceramic ware, helpfully labelled, "Tea".

http://www.youtube.com/embed/EbbYRjesSjw

...and an online copy of the ruleset is here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/43798156/tea-duelling.html

Or, a printable pdf may be found here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/43798156/Tea Duelling copy.pdf

Plus of course, the Award for Robust Nom certificate...

[santiagodunbar]

It seems somewhat interesting. Just to make sure I get it right: each participant soaks a biscuit in tea for the same amount of time, and they try to eat it after the other based on what they perceive would be the best time to scarf it down without the buscuit falling apart before it gets into their mouth?

[Evelyn Adler]

It seems somewhat interesting. Just to make sure I get it right: each participant soaks a biscuit in tea for the same amount of time, and they try to eat it after the other based on what they perceive would be the best time to scarf it down without the buscuit falling apart before it gets into their mouth?

That is the very abbreviated version, but yes. 
Good fun!

[Mr Peter Harrow, Esq]

It has serious hand/eye coordination requirements, as well as a severe psychological component.
Several unsuccessful competitors have retired with post traumatic stress disorder (and scalded chins)

[santiagodunbar]

It has serious hand/eye coordination requirements, as well as a severe psychological component.
Several unsuccessful competitors have retired with post traumatic stress disorder (and scalded chins)

Haha! I hope those people who have retired will return to the sport after some therapy.

[Mr Peter Harrow, Esq]

It has serious hand/eye coordination requirements, as well as a severe psychological component.
Several unsuccessful competitors have retired with post traumatic stress disorder (and scalded chins)

Haha! I hope those people who have retired will return to the sport after some therapy.

Unfortunately most therapists never get past the bit of offering the prospective patient a nice cup of tea and a biscuit to break the ice, only for the patient to jump on the chair and scream "the biscuits, the biscuits are out to get me!!!!"

[Captain Quinlin Hopkins]

An excellent addition to any gathering involving steampunks.  Quite interesting. Will have to read up on the rules and such a short time to practice.  I would imagine the biscuit recipe could pplay a vital factor. 

[Capt. Dirigible]

An excellent addition to any gathering involving steampunks.  Quite interesting. Will have to read up on the rules and such a short time to practice.  I would imagine the biscuit recipe could pplay a vital factor. 

I believe there is a certain brand of biscuit that is normally used..not as limp as, say, a Rich Tea..but not as sturdy as, say, a Ginger Nut. Obviously both participants have to use the same type of biccy for fairness. Using a cream filled sandwich type biscuit I believe may be against the rules.

[Dr Fidelius]

Don't know where we could find such biscuits on these savage shores, guv'nor. Could we use cookies instead?

[Capt. Dirigible]

Don't know where we could find such biscuits on these savage shores, guv'nor. Could we use cookies instead?

American style 'cookies' in my experience are:

1.Too big to dunk in a normal cup

and

2. Quite soft and moist to start with.

[greensteam]

Don't know where we could find such biscuits on these savage shores, guv'nor. Could we use cookies instead?

How about ordering some delightful traditional and very British Digestives from http://www.ebay.com/itm/McVities-Digestive-Biscuits-400g-3-Pack-Fresh-Stock-Free-n-Fast-Shipping-/220925828042?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3370349bca

Admittedly a quite ridiculous price but perhaps there are other specialist suppliers in the continental USA?

[TimeTinker]

A number of US steampunks are currently researching into which biscuits are suitable for tea duelling.  Expect guidance from the Honourable Association of Tea Duellists presently. (Do your own research in the meantime too...)

[von Corax]

Don't know where we could find such biscuits on these savage shores, guv'nor. Could we use cookies instead?

How about ordering some delightful traditional and very British Digestives from http://www.ebay.com/itm/McVities-Digestive-Biscuits-400g-3-Pack-Fresh-Stock-Free-n-Fast-Shipping-/220925828042?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3370349bca

Admittedly a quite ridiculous price but perhaps there are other specialist suppliers in the continental USA?

I think I've seen McVities Digestives in Loblaw's, if you're near the border.

[Cubinoid]

An excellent addition to any gathering involving steampunks.  Quite interesting. Will have to read up on the rules and such a short time to practice.  I would imagine the biscuit recipe could pplay a vital factor. 

I believe there is a certain brand of biscuit that is normally used..not as limp as, say, a Rich Tea..but not as sturdy as, say, a Ginger Nut. Obviously both participants have to use the same type of biccy for fairness. Using a cream filled sandwich type biscuit I believe may be against the rules.

After extensive research (involving Facebook), the Malted Milk biscuit appears to be favoured by many for duelling with.
It is sturdy enough to provide exactly the right amount of dramatic tension. First produced by Elkes Biscuits of Uttoxeter, in Staffordshire in 1924, they are the biscuit of choice to match up to, in my humble opinion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malted_milk_(biscuit)

[Jeremiah Pauers]

One of the local Publixes has a decent selection of fare from across the pond.  Seems like the perfect place to start conducting research for the best locally available biscuits as I introduce this to my friends.

[GabrielCrimson]

Don't know where we could find such biscuits on these savage shores, guv'nor. Could we use cookies instead?

How about ordering some delightful traditional and very British Digestives from http://www.ebay.com/itm/McVities-Digestive-Biscuits-400g-3-Pack-Fresh-Stock-Free-n-Fast-Shipping-/220925828042?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3370349bca

Admittedly a quite ridiculous price but perhaps there are other specialist suppliers in the continental USA?

I think I've seen McVities Digestives in Loblaw's, if you're near the border.

surely rich tea is the biscuit of choice 

[Dr Fidelius]

One of the local Publixes has a decent selection of fare from across the pond.  Seems like the perfect place to start conducting research for the best locally available biscuits as I introduce this to my friends.

I snicker like the twelve-year-old I am inside whenever I see a can of Spotted Dick at ShopRite.

[TimeTinker]

surely rich tea is the biscuit of choice  

Unfortunately rich tea biscuits do not perform appropriately under competitive conditions.

Article 3.1 of the Honourable Association of Tea Duellists is quite specific about which biscuits can be used and that locally sourced alternatives may be utilised in the absence of the correct fare.:

Article 3.1 The Tiffin Master shall supply the bisquits. Ordinarily these are "Malted Milk" otherwise known as "Cows". With agreement of all parties these may be substituted for "Nice" bisquits, known as "Nickies". Unfortunately those honourable snacks, biscuits brown and biscuits fruit are forbidden for use in Tea Duelling under Queen's regulations. In the most dire of supply emergencies when honour must be satisfied then Digestive Wheatmeals or "Rusgetifs" may be substituted but the size of Kegs may need to be adjusted accordingly. All other varieties of bisquits are known as "fancies" and are prohibited under the Hague Convention other than those approved by the Atlanta Convention of 1902 which allows for locally sourced alternatives under the Transatlantic Rule.

 

I am sure the Council of Tiffin Masters of the Honourable Association would like to validate alternative biscuits if they can be submitted for approval.

The rules may be downloaded as a pdf from the Honourable Association's website:
http://teaduel.yolasite.com/the-rules.php

[greensteam]

I wonder if there are any vintage sealed  tins of lifeboat biscuits anywhere still. I remember these from my time at sea in th 1970s, when we cadets were allowed to eat supposedly out of date tins of these dog-biscuit-like things. They were replaced in the late 70s with something resembling soft sweet chipboard.

Very thick and hard on the teeth, but biscuits like the old lifeboat biscuits would be perfect for Tea-Duelling marathons - an endurance test requiring incredibly strong nerves since the duellists are in competition for the longest dunk resulting in one's biscuit remaining intact.