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Your little suggestion makes an entire country boil. No wonder: Michelle Francl, professor of chemistry at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, is shaking up a cornerstone of British life: drinking tea.
For the British, this is more than just pouring water, putting in tea bags and done. Drinking tea is celebrated there. But apparently the British haven’t got it quite right over the years. The American researcher suggests adding a pinch of salt to the tea. This makes the tea taste less bitter. That’s not all: a squeeze of lemon would also be best.
The American embassy became involved
An insult to the British. At most they put a little milk in the tea. But certainly no salt and certainly no lemon. Accordingly, Francl’s idea was hotly debated.
The US Embassy in London even felt compelled to intervene and spoke out about X. “Tea is the elixir of camaraderie, a sacred bond that unites our nations. We cannot stand idly by as such an outrageous proposal threatens the very foundation of our special relationship,” the post on X said.
The US Embassy continued: “We would therefore like to reassure the good people of Great Britain that the unthinkable idea of adding salt to Great Britain’s national drink is not an official policy of the United States. And that will never be the case.”
“We value our special relationship”
But there was also a small swipe from the embassy. At the end of the day, the employees continue to heat the tea as it should be: in the microwave.
The British government then intervened in X. “We value our special relationship, but we must vehemently disagree. … Tea can only be made with a kettle.”
“This is terrible”
Nevertheless: Francl seems to take her tea advice seriously. In her new book ‘The Chemistry of Tea’ she documents tea making practices dating back more than 1,000 years. It is also important to warm the cup in advance so that the healthy substances in the tea, such as antioxidants, can be released better.
The American researcher had already thought that her ideas would not be received with joy in Britain. However, she argues that tea making can be improved in both the US and Britain. “In the US you get terrible cups of tea,” she told the Daily Mail. And further: “People here often use lukewarm water straight from the tap. That’s horrible.”
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
