Tim Tams

A favorite of Australians, these tasty chocolate biscuits (cookies) have fast become one of my favorites as well! Gretel had kindly left me a package on my bedside table as a welcome gift when I arrived last Tuesday, and I hate to admit it, but they are already gone.

My Lonely Planet guidebook has this to say about Tim Tams, "...best consumed as a shooter, where the two diagonally opposite corners of the rectangular biscuit are nibbled off, and a hot drink is fast sucked through the fast-melting biscuit like a straw - ugly but good."

Apparently, once the cookie is saturated, you quickly SLAM it into your mouth before it falls apart. This treat/procedure is known by several names: Tim Tam Slam, Tim Tam Bomb, Tim Tam Suck, Exploding Tim Tam.

I've been wondering by whom and when this little ritual was started - I can't help but think it must have been a child who loved playing with his or her food. How it caught on with adults, however, I don't know. But I love the idea! I haven't tried it yet, but am looking forward to participating in this little bit of Australian food culture!