I am a fan of tea. This is no secret. I typically have quite the stash of teas for any occasion, and appreciate when people share a few bags or loose ounces of their favorite teas with me. I am a fan of tea sets as well, though I have my favorites. I enjoy tea parties and am always looking for an excuse to host one, Mad Hatter or otherwise.
So, I was pleasantly shocked to discover there was something about the tea culture I was not previously aware of. I am sending a huge thank you to Jenn Aerilyn, also known as Captain Amara Deegan for introducing me to the fine art of Tea Dueling.
I confess to be wholly under the impression that Tea Dueling, or Tiffing, was an invention of the Steampunk societies and fans. I had no idea that this is in fact an event with quite the history.
Steeped (yes, a pun at last!) in history, the sport of Tea Dueling has been in existence since at least 1899 which the official rules are dated. It is a game for both gentlemen and ladies. The official Tea Dueling Societies as well as several Steampunk fan groups participate in these matches. There are regulation biscuits, regulation cup depths, and an entire list of rules to follow. This is some serious business! And it is far more fun than I expected after hearing it was essentially biscuit dunking and sassing your opponent.
There are three ways to lose a tea duel and all three are just a matter of how the biscuit crumbles. A Splash; which is to have your biscuit fall into your tea cup. A Splatter; landing your gooey biscuit on the table, floor, or anywhere other than the cup, unless you Sploge. A Sploge is the most shameful way to lose at a tea duel, and this is to land your mushy biscuit anywhere on your person. A true gentleman/ lady does not soil his/ her own clothing afterall.
Jenn Aerilynn introduced me to this at the November Red Tent night and I was hooked! I also lost in the most shameful way possible, with a sploge on my first go. I would love to see a round or three between Captain Amara Deegan and Captain Blackstrap Gennie, maybe with swords or rum involved.
For more information on Tea Dueling:
To find out more about Jenn (Captain Amara):
And, of course Captain Blackstrap:
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