Just one day from now, I will be boarding a flight that will take me to the other side of the world. My husband and I have long been anticipating our three-week trek through Australia and New Zealand, and the time is now upon us. We are so excited to be taking this trip, but have also been dealing with the usual stresses of life that seem to especially compile when trying to tie off various loose ends before heading out on such a long venture. For me, like many others, there is one thing that can help those stresses momentarily melt away, and that is a nice little dose of delicious chocolate, especially when it’s a cheers to the first destination we will be visiting on our trip.
I want to share with you the glories of the Australian food tradition called a Tim Tam Slam. A kindred spirit that also has a love of travel and trying out diverse foods was the first angel to introduce me to this decadent ritual. So let me start out by answering the question of what exactly is a Tim Tam?
A Tim Tam is a delightful, chocolate-covered crunchy cookie, with a chocolate cream center (this is the cue for all chocolate-lovers to start drooling). I recently just discovered a variety with a caramel center as well that I am very much so looking forward to trying.
The Tim Tam on its own is pretty great, but the enjoyment of this is elevated to an entirely new level after following a couple simple steps.
Step 1
Start by taking one cookie out of the package.
Step 2
Once you have your Tim Tam in hand, take a really miniscule bite off one corner of the Tim Tam. Now go to the opposite diagonal of where you took your first bite, and take another tiny bite off that corner. Doing this step properly is essential to the overall success/mess level that ultimately occurs in the final “slamming” step of your Tim Tam Slam.
Step 3
Pinch the cookie between your fingers and put your mouth over the bitten off corner that faces toward you. Now lower the other bitten off corner toward a hot beverage of your choosing (my preference is Earl Grey tea, but coffee is another excellent choice). Once the corner is dunked into the hot beverage, start working to suck the liquid through the cookie from the opposite end, as if it were a straw. This will only take a few seconds.
Step 4
The instant you feel an ounce of that liquid hit your tongue, your moment of glory has arrived. This is when you now slam the entire cookie (yes, the whole thing) into your mouth and sit back in sweet victory as you let the delicious, now-transformed cookie melt away on your tongue, as your worries melt away with it.
Disclaimer: Don’t hold onto that treat for too long before slamming, otherwise you’ll end up with a goopy mess.
This is definitely an amazing indulgence that you shouldn’t miss out on. If you now have a hankering to try out a Tim Tam Slam for yourself, the good news is that you don’t have to go all the way to Australia to do so. The Arnott’s brand of Tim Tams that I use are easily found at your local Cost Plus World Market. Let me know how it goes for you! I am also always on the look-out for more fascinating cultural food traditions to try out, so what are some of your favorites? Tell me about them in the comments section below.
If you can't travel all over the world, another way to experience different cuisines is by checking out The Chopping Block's hands-on cooking classes. You can experience authentic sushi in Sushi Workshop, enjoy small plates Spain-style in Tapas Party and taste the explosive flavors of Korea in A Touch of Seoul. Travel the world right in our kitchens!
