US Scientist Outrages The British With Advice About Tea, American Embassy Stirs The Pot Even More
You know, after that very video where Tennessee Titans QB Will Lewis not only puts mayo in his cup of coffee, but then drinks it with visible pleasure, I thought it would be difficult to surprise me with anything. As it turns out, reality always throws new ideas at us – each one crazier than the last. Even if the source of the idea is a respected college professor.
A few days ago, Michelle Francl published a book called Steeped: The Chemistry of Tea, which examines in detail the methods of preparing the world’s most popular beverage from the point of view of a chemist. And one thesis from this book literally infuriated the Brits, who considered this almost a desecration of their national drink.
More info: X
This American chemistry professor recently published a book dedicated to tea-brewing through the eyes of a chemist
Image credits: Anna Stampfli (not the actual photo)
Let’s immediately put aside any doubts about the competence of the author – professor Michelle Francl is an honored and outstanding American scientist, and once was one of the 1000 most cited chemists around the world. Professor Frankl has been teaching chemistry at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania since 1986, and was awarded the American Chemical Society’s Philadelphia Section Award in 2019.
Image credits: Lorena Martínez (not the actual photo)
In this book, the author gives several wholesome pieces of advice for an ideal tea cup – but also urges us to add a pinch of salt in there
In her book, the author studied not only the chemical processes that occur when dried tea leaves come into contact with hot water, but also combed through many historical recipes for tea-brewing, in search of a kind of Holy Grail of all tea-lovers, the ideal cup of tea.
In particular, among the tips that Professor Francl gives are to use large tea bags so that the leaf fragments can move after being immersed in water, to pre-heat the cup before pouring the tea, and to use short, stout mugs (according to the author, they have less surface area, thus keep your tea hotter).
Moreover, the researcher even specifically addressed the British regarding the question of what to add first – tea or milk (Professor Francl claims that milk should be poured into tea to reduce the probability of its curdling). It would seem that you couldn’t ask for more! But British tea drinkers on X were outraged by the idea of adding a pinch of salt to their tea cups!
“Add a pinch of salt,” the author of the book wrote. “The sodium ion in salt blocks the chemical mechanism that makes tea taste bitter, especially when it has been stewed.” Period. The juggernaut of British national outrage over the desecration of their sanctuary on X was inexorably set in motion…
Image credits: USAinUK
People in the United Kingdom on X were literally outraged by such a ‘disgrace’ towards their national drink
Firstly, the residents of Albion, hurt in the best of feelings, demand that the Americans stop advising them how to properly brew their own national drink. Secondly, British tea-lovers consider adding salt to tea almost a form of perversion. Thirdly… probably two points will be enough.
Image credits: Calum Lewis (not the actual photo)
The U.S. embassy in London also joined the thread with a beautifully brewed cup of trolling
It even got to the point that the official X account of the U.S. Embassy in the United Kingdom entered the thread. The letter, the text of which was posted by the embassy’s SMM guys, contains an admission that adding salt to tea has never been (and never will be) American official policy, and that this is only the private opinion of one U.S. citizen. And the letter also states that “the U.S. Embassy will continue to make tea in the proper way – by microwaving it.” Oh, it would be better if they didn’t write this at all…
It seems that relations between the countries after this were literally on the verge of breaking. “America… You are Dangerously Close to Declaring War with us Brits!” one of the Britons wrote on X. “Also – We do appreciate you NOT using salt in your drink that you Hliariously call ‘Tea’. Proper Tea, (and we should know) is made with Boiled water from a Kettle. NOT F* ****G MICROWAVED.”
Well, great trolling from the embassy, probably referring us to this viral TikTok video. And the thread itself turned out to be funny, playing on the eternal contradictions between the Americans and the Brits. On the other hand, if we ignore British national pride, then many Asian peoples (where tea, in fact, takes its historical roots) have indeed been adding salt to tea for many centuries.
Image credits: cottonbro studio (not the actual photo)
Meanwhile, many nations in Asia actually have been adding salt to tea literally for centuries
For example, in Tibet, from time immemorial, a pinch of salt has been added to tea – precisely for the same purpose that Professor Francl writes about. And, for example, in Mongolia, there is the so-called ‘Suutei tsai’ – a traditional drink that is prepared on the basis of green tea and milk, with the addition of fat, salt, flour and rice. A description of this drink can be found in the chronicle of Guillaume de Rubrouck, a Flemish monk who visited the Mongol Empire in the mid-13th century.
Be that as it may, if I never dare to drink coffee with mayo, then a cup of tea with a pinch of salt… who knows? Probably, after this post is published, I’ll go and try to brew a drink like this, and then I’ll definitely share my impressions. In the meantime, you can also express your tastes and your point of view on this ‘dispute’ in the comments below.
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All I can say is "try it first, then comment". I put a small pinch in any coffee, makes it just that much better. A tiny bit of salt does wonders for many thing you wouldn't otherwise consider... like on ice cream.
I did.. I don't remember who the literal hell it was who told me this. I'll regret it the rest of my life. It was not even a pinch but less. One cup of wonderful tea had to be thrown out. Disgraceful. That is all i can say. Americans should drink simply coke.
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Salt counters bitterness, so this isn't an inane suggestion. I'm a coffee drinker, but coffee in restaurants is always cheap coffee and, therefore, rather bitter. A pinch of salt counters it in a way that no amount of sugar could do. On the rare occasions I drink tea, it's either Twinings Earl Grey (the only Earl Grey sold in the US with the proper amount of bergamot) or Chinese black tea. No sugar and no milk in either one. (If I am making tea, I'm boiling water in my kettle and making a full teapot. Also, it's hard to find loose tea anywhere here except a specialty shop. In the supermarket, it's all teabags.)
You, like the erstwhile professor, are completely missing the point. Most Brits like proper strong tea, such that teabags sourced elsewhere would need to be two per cup, and the bitterness is a key part of that, hence the need for milk and sugar. How other people may choose to drink it is completely and absolutely irrelevant.
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I'm German mentally eating popcorn and watching this unfold
*bats a piece of popcorn under the sofa*
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personally, i only like indian chai cuz its a lot more flavorful and has more spices
I have a thought: how about we let people enjoy their food and drinks however it tastes best to them and stop being judgmental about it since it has no effect whatsoever on anyone else's life.
If people stopped being judgmental about other peoples' choices, then we wouldn't have an internet.
Load More Replies...
I can't stand tea, it's just bitter beige water to me, therefore I'm willing to try add a pinch of salt because, honestly, it just can't taste any worse than it already does! A tiny bit of salt works perfectly well with caramel, chocolate and coffee so why not with tea
You got it all wrong. You are supposed to salt your coffee. Also add cheese to it. If you go north in Sweden, try coffeecheese, put in the bottom of the cup to melt a bit, salty and chrunches between the teeth, a bit like Halloumi.
Britishers getting riled is one of my most favorite things. Having Chicken Tikka Masala as a national dish makes me hoot and howl and hork every SINGLE TIME. TEA isn't even from GB. F****n COLONIZER A*S SCRUBS
Interesting how Brits got tea from Asia where sometimes salt is added, but still think they're the authority on what constitutes a good cup of tea. They also seem to be confused as to where the flavor of tea comes from since they have a problem with heating the water in the microwave as opposed to the kettle. It comes from the tea leaves you put in the water after it's heated. You'll probably look less a fool if you just not gatekeep tea. Enjoy your cuppa and give back the world's artifacts!
i mean, you put sprinkles on your buttered bread. why can't we put salt in our tea?
By "their" tea, do you mean the OG Chinese drink orrrr???
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Adding a tiny bit of salt to something rich and sweet is pretty well known. A lot of sweet baking recipes call for a bit of salt. There's a cookie called "salted caramel" FFS, and flaky finishing salt on top of baked goods isn't uncommon. Make your tea however you want, of course, but acting like adding a tiny bit of salt to a sweet drink is somehow insane or "uniquely American" is ignorant and asinine. Freaking out about microwaving water is both understandble and ridiculous, considering most Americans drink coffee so wouldn't own an electric kettle. But is a Brit said they microwaved water for coffee, we would probably wonder why they don't own a coffee maker. So, fair enough.
The way people respond to things. JFC, it's not a requirement. I for one cannot stand sweet tea, and my solution to this world-shaking crisis is...I don't drink sweet tea.
If I’m understanding this correctly: tea is a Chinese discovery from ~2700BCE & is as integral in most Asian societies as it is in the UK, several iterations of tea-drinking in Asia has involved salt for ~800 years, an American chemist recommends doing so in 2024 and now all Americans are crazy tea-haters who’re apparently all bastardizing this British institution??? Um….ok, I guess.
Contrary to public opinion in the US and UK most of the world's tea drinkers are NOT British. China, India, Turkey are among many tea drinking countries and far outnumber the Brits. None of these countries do as the British and put milk in their tea. Most of the world is lactose intolerant meaning that Britain is an outlier here and for most this is simply an awful thought anyway. ie the Brits are NOT the arbiters of tea drinking. They tend to drink bitter blends sweetened by an excessive amount of sugar and dulled by milk whilst in the rest of the world lighter, tastier teas are consumed without milk and enjoyed. In short put what you want in your tea but if you need to add stuff perhaps consider another type of tea..
From a scientific standpoint, I can absolutely understand the salt suggestion, from a cultural one, I get the outrage/ridicule, but what is up with the "mayo in coffee" thing?! Did I miss a memo? Also, wtf is the one twitter user on about with her "why put butter on bread" comment? Like, why not?!
The professor lost all credibility when she suggested that one should use a large tea bag to allow it to circulate. Any true Brit knows that however convenient they may be, tea bags are not how it should be done, not the proper posh way at least.
You sound like "curry" and "tikka" are your favorite meals!
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As an American, I am appalled. Now I can't say I've never microwaved my water for tea, especially as a kid, but now I have an electric kettle and life is good. I also don't sweeten my tea though so 🤷♀️.
Brit here. Salt, a tiny dab in coffee works for me, tried it in tea (‘cause I’d tried it in coffee) and it’s a no from me. I have no issues with how others drink their beverages, what you like is what you like. I will however take issue with the microwave aspect. Beyond that I like lime in a G&T, chocolate in chilli, McDs fries dipped in McFlurry, lemon in any meat/tomato sauce, and a strawberry in Billecart-Salmon Rosé Champagne. Feel free to send as much champagne to me as you fancy or indeed decent gin 😀
I am a huge tea lover so it feels weird to hear that but i will try just to check. I have a nice 1kg bag of black tea from Rwanda and it is great but bittersweet.
I feel like my reaction to this depends on the type of tea. I imagine it might work well in some kind of indian chai, because the spices can make it so sweet, the salt might counteract that, idk. I don't think I'd put it in my regular tea, but i may try it just once. xP
I am going to stand by my American representatives on this issue because a pinch of salt in coffee has the exact same results, it makes the coffee less bitter. So if I were to drink tea, other than my southern sweet tea, I would add a pinch of salt to it. You shouldn't taste the salt to be clear, just the smallest amount to decrease bitterness. And yes, I do understand I have no actual dog in this fight as I exclusively drink coffee, sweet iced tea, or water, but as an American, I will continue to comment on things that are not my business.
Most of us do that from time to time, Jamie. Comment on things that are not our business, that is. Makes for a good bun fight sometimes!
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Who else knows this tidbit: I like buying milk by the gallon, but it tends to go bad. Adding a pinch of salt -- only a pinch is necessary -- and shaking the milk prevents it from spoiling so quickly. I don't know how it works, but I've even tested it with side-by-side milk cartons.
I suppose it beats injecting bleach to cure some infectious virus...
If only the Indians did that to the britishers hahaha
Load More Replies...
It's "assure" not "ensure." If the American Embassy are going to try to take the p**s, make sure you don't look stupid first.
All I can say is "try it first, then comment". I put a small pinch in any coffee, makes it just that much better. A tiny bit of salt does wonders for many thing you wouldn't otherwise consider... like on ice cream.
I did.. I don't remember who the literal hell it was who told me this. I'll regret it the rest of my life. It was not even a pinch but less. One cup of wonderful tea had to be thrown out. Disgraceful. That is all i can say. Americans should drink simply coke.
Load More Replies... Salt counters bitterness, so this isn't an inane suggestion. I'm a coffee drinker, but coffee in restaurants is always cheap coffee and, therefore, rather bitter. A pinch of salt counters it in a way that no amount of sugar could do. On the rare occasions I drink tea, it's either Twinings Earl Grey (the only Earl Grey sold in the US with the proper amount of bergamot) or Chinese black tea. No sugar and no milk in either one. (If I am making tea, I'm boiling water in my kettle and making a full teapot. Also, it's hard to find loose tea anywhere here except a specialty shop. In the supermarket, it's all teabags.)
You, like the erstwhile professor, are completely missing the point. Most Brits like proper strong tea, such that teabags sourced elsewhere would need to be two per cup, and the bitterness is a key part of that, hence the need for milk and sugar. How other people may choose to drink it is completely and absolutely irrelevant.
Load More Replies... I'm German mentally eating popcorn and watching this unfold
*bats a piece of popcorn under the sofa*
Load More Replies... personally, i only like indian chai cuz its a lot more flavorful and has more spices
I have a thought: how about we let people enjoy their food and drinks however it tastes best to them and stop being judgmental about it since it has no effect whatsoever on anyone else's life.
If people stopped being judgmental about other peoples' choices, then we wouldn't have an internet.
Load More Replies... I can't stand tea, it's just bitter beige water to me, therefore I'm willing to try add a pinch of salt because, honestly, it just can't taste any worse than it already does! A tiny bit of salt works perfectly well with caramel, chocolate and coffee so why not with tea
You got it all wrong. You are supposed to salt your coffee. Also add cheese to it. If you go north in Sweden, try coffeecheese, put in the bottom of the cup to melt a bit, salty and chrunches between the teeth, a bit like Halloumi.
Britishers getting riled is one of my most favorite things. Having Chicken Tikka Masala as a national dish makes me hoot and howl and hork every SINGLE TIME. TEA isn't even from GB. F****n COLONIZER A*S SCRUBS
Interesting how Brits got tea from Asia where sometimes salt is added, but still think they're the authority on what constitutes a good cup of tea. They also seem to be confused as to where the flavor of tea comes from since they have a problem with heating the water in the microwave as opposed to the kettle. It comes from the tea leaves you put in the water after it's heated. You'll probably look less a fool if you just not gatekeep tea. Enjoy your cuppa and give back the world's artifacts!
i mean, you put sprinkles on your buttered bread. why can't we put salt in our tea?
By "their" tea, do you mean the OG Chinese drink orrrr???
Load More Replies... Adding a tiny bit of salt to something rich and sweet is pretty well known. A lot of sweet baking recipes call for a bit of salt. There's a cookie called "salted caramel" FFS, and flaky finishing salt on top of baked goods isn't uncommon. Make your tea however you want, of course, but acting like adding a tiny bit of salt to a sweet drink is somehow insane or "uniquely American" is ignorant and asinine. Freaking out about microwaving water is both understandble and ridiculous, considering most Americans drink coffee so wouldn't own an electric kettle. But is a Brit said they microwaved water for coffee, we would probably wonder why they don't own a coffee maker. So, fair enough.
The way people respond to things. JFC, it's not a requirement. I for one cannot stand sweet tea, and my solution to this world-shaking crisis is...I don't drink sweet tea.
If I’m understanding this correctly: tea is a Chinese discovery from ~2700BCE & is as integral in most Asian societies as it is in the UK, several iterations of tea-drinking in Asia has involved salt for ~800 years, an American chemist recommends doing so in 2024 and now all Americans are crazy tea-haters who’re apparently all bastardizing this British institution??? Um….ok, I guess.
Contrary to public opinion in the US and UK most of the world's tea drinkers are NOT British. China, India, Turkey are among many tea drinking countries and far outnumber the Brits. None of these countries do as the British and put milk in their tea. Most of the world is lactose intolerant meaning that Britain is an outlier here and for most this is simply an awful thought anyway. ie the Brits are NOT the arbiters of tea drinking. They tend to drink bitter blends sweetened by an excessive amount of sugar and dulled by milk whilst in the rest of the world lighter, tastier teas are consumed without milk and enjoyed. In short put what you want in your tea but if you need to add stuff perhaps consider another type of tea..
From a scientific standpoint, I can absolutely understand the salt suggestion, from a cultural one, I get the outrage/ridicule, but what is up with the "mayo in coffee" thing?! Did I miss a memo? Also, wtf is the one twitter user on about with her "why put butter on bread" comment? Like, why not?!
The professor lost all credibility when she suggested that one should use a large tea bag to allow it to circulate. Any true Brit knows that however convenient they may be, tea bags are not how it should be done, not the proper posh way at least.
You sound like "curry" and "tikka" are your favorite meals!
Load More Replies... As an American, I am appalled. Now I can't say I've never microwaved my water for tea, especially as a kid, but now I have an electric kettle and life is good. I also don't sweeten my tea though so 🤷♀️.
Brit here. Salt, a tiny dab in coffee works for me, tried it in tea (‘cause I’d tried it in coffee) and it’s a no from me. I have no issues with how others drink their beverages, what you like is what you like. I will however take issue with the microwave aspect. Beyond that I like lime in a G&T, chocolate in chilli, McDs fries dipped in McFlurry, lemon in any meat/tomato sauce, and a strawberry in Billecart-Salmon Rosé Champagne. Feel free to send as much champagne to me as you fancy or indeed decent gin 😀
I am a huge tea lover so it feels weird to hear that but i will try just to check. I have a nice 1kg bag of black tea from Rwanda and it is great but bittersweet.
I feel like my reaction to this depends on the type of tea. I imagine it might work well in some kind of indian chai, because the spices can make it so sweet, the salt might counteract that, idk. I don't think I'd put it in my regular tea, but i may try it just once. xP
I am going to stand by my American representatives on this issue because a pinch of salt in coffee has the exact same results, it makes the coffee less bitter. So if I were to drink tea, other than my southern sweet tea, I would add a pinch of salt to it. You shouldn't taste the salt to be clear, just the smallest amount to decrease bitterness. And yes, I do understand I have no actual dog in this fight as I exclusively drink coffee, sweet iced tea, or water, but as an American, I will continue to comment on things that are not my business.
Most of us do that from time to time, Jamie. Comment on things that are not our business, that is. Makes for a good bun fight sometimes!
Load More Replies... Who else knows this tidbit: I like buying milk by the gallon, but it tends to go bad. Adding a pinch of salt -- only a pinch is necessary -- and shaking the milk prevents it from spoiling so quickly. I don't know how it works, but I've even tested it with side-by-side milk cartons.
I suppose it beats injecting bleach to cure some infectious virus...
If only the Indians did that to the britishers hahaha
Load More Replies... It's "assure" not "ensure." If the American Embassy are going to try to take the p**s, make sure you don't look stupid first.
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