Sunday, April 6, 2014

What do you say? Dunking

My previous post on peanut butter brought out some surprising reactions from you, the fellow readers.  It wasn't so much about the peanut butter, but the somewhat ordinary (well, to me, at least) mention that I dunk buttered toast in hot sweet tea that elicited some very interesting and varied responses.  And that got me thinking.  I am very curious fella after all.  What seems normal to me is quite bizarre to someone else.  So now I want to hear from you, fellow readers, what do you say about dunking?

I would like to know if you've ever dunked or not, and I am curious if you've seen it, and is it considered normal where you are?

For instance, I grew up out west on small farm in a remote rural area on the Pacific.  Dunking buttered bread (toast, buns, rolls, biscuits, crackers, etc.) is the norm.  When I lived on the East Coast and the South, I kept on dunking stuff, including croissants and donuts (hey, it's called Dunkin Donuts for a very good reason!) into my sweet hot beverages, such as sweet hot tea, hot chocolate, and coffee with lots of cream and sugar.  I now live in the southern coast of Texas and still continue my dunking ways.  Not once have I encountered anyone who raised an eyebrow at my dunking.  In fact, it's a pretty common habit in all the places I've lived in.  Or maybe I didn't notice the abhorred look on other people's faces because I was lost and immersed in the sweet, delicious goodness of buttered toast dunked in sweet hot tea.  Then again, I've seen people do what I do and dunking seems rather common.

I suppose I'm a serial dunker, as I dunk cookies in milk and sweet hot beverages, too.  But I also like to dunk bread (and buns and rolls and biscuits) into soups.  Heck, I like to take sweet cornbread and dip it in my chili, too!  I'm also the kind of person who enjoys dipping his slice of pizza into the garlic butter sauce if no one else wants that delicious sauce.

Now what about you?  Do you consider dunking buttered bread (toast, buns, etc) normal?  And is it normal where you grew up or live in now?  What else do you dunk that you consider normal in your part of the world?  I would love to know and compare and contrast the interesting and fascinating differences and similarities between people and cultures!

Bonus challenge:  If you find yourself with a piece of buttered toast, I dare you to give it a quick dunking in some hot chocolate or sweet hot tea and see what it tastes like.  Let us know if you like it or not!

19 comments:

  1. Not a dunker myself, mostly because I don't like soggy bread, cookies, cake, etc. Not a matter of normal/abnormal. Simply sogginess.

    As best as I can recall, no one in my immediate family or my relatives (Southeast Texas) were dunkers either.

    That said, I'm OK with others dunking.

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  2. I dunk... BUT NOT BREAD!!!!
    The thing is that I can't abide sugar in my tea... hence why buttered bread really wouldn't go... but I will dunk sweet things in tea... biscuits, chocolate, maybe you, Mr Swings...
    I am a proper dunker.
    Sx

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  3. ...have to tick box...
    Forgot to dunk it...
    Sx

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  4. LX, Funny you should mention the sogginess, as I kind of like that mixture of textures of the soft, wet dunked toast and its crunchy undunked border. Those different textures and tastes melding and mixing is what I luv!

    It's kind of why I luv eating Pie a la Mode, esp. when it's cold, sweet vanilla ice cream melting over warm, delicious apple pie/peach cobbler with the crunchy crust!

    Ha! Ha! I luv the topical pic! Of course, I'd much rather dunk a cookie in milk than a big old rhino!

    Scarlet, I admire your creativity in dunking chocolates in tea. Any chocolate candy that comes into my possession is certain to be dunked right into my mouth to be devoured completely! Unless I'm trying to eat healthy, in which case, the tiny chocolate candy pieces replace the sugar/honey in my plain oatmeal.

    I don't know how you do it, drink tea without sugar. I'm definitely the builder's tea type!

    And if you do manage to find a tea cup large enough to dunk me in, please ensure the tea is sweet and just hot enough at a comfortable hot tub temperature, about 100 degrees Fahrenheit or about 38 degrees Celsius. I may bring buttered toast to dunk and eat as I soak in the sweet hot tea goodness.

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  5. MJ, I would definitely get thrown out of that place; but not because of dunking; rather, I wouldn't be able to keep from cracking jokes about the Royal family.

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  6. It's okay, Mr Swings... they aren't that precious about the Royal family in Brighton. Brighton is like London by the sea... very cosmopolitan. Bristol is also very liberal and free thinking. Totnes in Devon is a 'wannabe' cosmopolitan town. But three very interesting British towns to visit.
    Sx

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  7. Scarlet, Thanks for the heads up on three very fascinating cities I would love to visit if I ever make it to the UK. I shall be sure to dunk my way across these towns as I sample the local life.

    I've heard of Brighton and Bristol (famous for festivals and industry and history), but Totnes is new to me. So after a little research, I am particularly intrigued by this place where legends say the Trojans landed and the Pendragons began to retake their kingdom, and most impressive of all, the twin/sister city to Narnia!

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  8. They have some funny ideas in Totnes...
    Sx

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  9. Scarlet, I luv a place full of locals with a sense of humor!

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  10. I'm not really a dunker as, like LX, I can't abide sogginess. However, I will dunk a gingernut biscuit in coffee, but only momentarily, as they soak up a good quantity of coffee and yet remain reasonably crunchy.
    Dunking bread in soup is a must, though!

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  11. IDV, I luv dunking bread in soup! And I admit that I enjoy the mixture of the soggy dunked buttered toast with its crunchy edges soaked in a sweet hot tea with a hint of melted butter! Such a melding of flavors and textures!

    I love ginger snaps! If I ever come across some gingernut biscuits, I shall proceed to dunk them in coffee (with lots of sugar and cream) and consume it immediately!

    *Adds ginger snaps to shopping list

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  12. My favorite is graham crackers in coffee, sugar. Ok, and toast and French bread, Ok, any type of bread, especially when it's hot and buttery...*sigh* now I'm hungry. xoxoxox

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  13. Savannah, Hi! Sorry for the late reply. But I'm totally with you on dunking any bread when it's all hot and buttery! That's when bread is at its most delicious!

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  14. Damn! Are you back for Mr Devine's tin foil hat competition? I have no chance now.
    Sx

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  15. Scarlet, What a fortunate coincidence that I come back to find IDV having the tin foil hat competition once more!

    I'm sure you'll do great! I'm tempted to participate. Soon as I find time off from the World Cup games, I'll start thinking of ideas!

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  16. Tho World Cup is going on forever... you won't have time for making hats.... and then there's Wimbledon.... and then they'll be that other huge sporting event that can't be missed..
    Sx

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  17. Scarlet, True...the World Cup seems to go on forever, but they've all ready started eliminating countries today, and there are those times between the various matches that I may use to come up with a tinfoil hat idea.

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