Dunk

Dunk, Dunks, or Dunking may refer to:

People named

Dunk

Dunks

Henry Dunks, (1882– 1955), Australian politician

In other uses

See also

Dunking (biscuit)

To dunk or to dip a biscuit (or cookie) or some other food means to submerge it into a beverage, especially tea, coffee, or milk. Dunking releases more flavour from confections by dissolving the sugars, while also softening their texture. Dunking can be used to melt chocolate on biscuits to create a richer flavour.

Dunking is a popular way of enjoying biscuits in many countries. A popular form of dunking in Australia is the "Tim Tam Slam", also known as 'tea sucking'. The physics of dunking is driven by the porosity of the biscuit and the surface tension of the beverage. A biscuit is porous and, when dunked, capillary action draws the liquid into the interstices between the crumbs.

Dunking is first reported with ancient Romans softening their hard unleavened wafers (in Latin "bis coctum": twice baked) in wine. Modern day dunking has its roots in naval history when, in the 16th century, biscuits known as "hard tack" were on board Royal Navy ships, which were so hard that the British sailors would dunk them in beer in order to soften them up. The most popular biscuit to dunk in tea in the United Kingdom is McVitie's chocolate digestive. In the US, Oreos are frequently dunked in milk, while the Dunkin' Donuts franchise is named for the practice of dunking doughnuts into coffee. In South Africa and in India, rusks are a popular food for dunking in both tea and coffee. In the Netherlands, stroopwaffels are commonly dunked in tea or coffee, often after having been set on above the hot drink for a few minutes to melt the caramel inside.

Dunk (elephant)

Dunk (c. 1861 – March 30, 1917), a tuskless, male Asian Elephant possibly from Ceylon, was the first elephant to reside at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. He was given to the National Zoo on April 30, 1891 by James E. Cooper, owner and manager of the Adam Forepaugh Circus.

When Dunk first arrived at the National Zoo, he had no shelter and was tied to a tree with his companion Gold Dust to prevent him from wandering. Once a day, both elephants were walked to Rock Creek to swim. A temporary structure, known as the Octagonal House, was eventually built for the elephants. Construction on a permanent, brick elephant house, designed by Hornblower & Marshall, began in September 1902 and was completed in January 1903.

Dunk was ill throughout the winter of 1917. On March 30, 1917, after Dunk broke his shoulder in a fall, keeper William Blackburne euthanized him by shooting.

Despite a famous ill-temper, Dunk was popular with the children of Washington, D.C. To commemorate his memory, they raised money for a plaque, which remains in the elephant house at the National Zoo today.