"Pinch Of Salt": US Professor's Tip For "Perfect" Tea Sparks Row With UK

A professor at a university in the US shared advice to make the perfect cup of tea, the second most consumed drink after water in the world. Michelle Francl, a professor of chemistry at Bryn Mawr College suggested adding a pinch of salt to cups of tea.

The advice did not go well with the Britishers and the US Embassy in the UK had to step in after an uproar among tea drinkers in the UK who prefer their cup of tea made in a certain way and even called it an "outrageous proposal that threatens the bond between the two nations." Tea is the national drink of the United Kingdom.

"Adding A Pinch Of Salt"

"You get some awful cups of tea in the US. It's horrific. I grew up in the Midwest, which is a deep coffee-drinking country, but tea has always been my preferred drink - and I have invested a lot of time into studying it," the Independent reported, quoting Ms Francl.

"But even after all these years of drinking tea and researching chemistry, I learned new things about what is in my cup and how to make the very best cup of tea," she said.

The professor advised tea lovers to add a pinch of salt and encouraged them to steep their tea quickly by dunking and squeezing the bags. The recipe made its way to the internet and led to an uproar in the UK after it was published in her book 'Steeped: The Chemistry of Tea', where she wrote about the chemistry behind making the perfect cup of tea.

US Embassy Steps In

"Today's media reports of an American Professor's recipe for the "perfect" cup of tea has landed our special bong with the United Kingdom in hot water," the US Embassy in London in a statement said.

An important statement on the latest tea controversy. 🇺🇸🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/HZFfSCl9sD

— U.S. Embassy London (@USAinUK) January 24, 2024

"Tea is the elixir of camaraderie, a sacred bond that unites our nations. We cannot stand idly by as such an outrageous proposal that threatens the very foundation of our special relationship," the US office in the UK said.

The US had to clarify that adding a "pinch of salt in a cup of tea is not their official policy and never will be," though it added, that "They will make the tea proper way - by microwaving it."

The Cabinet Office of the UK government responded by saying, "We appreciate our Special Relationship, however, we must disagree wholeheartedly...Tea must be only made using a kettle". The banter between the nations is gathering attention on social media, with many users saying "A lot can happen over a cup of tea."

In response, to the statement put out by the US Embassy in the UK:

We appreciate our Special Relationship, however, we must disagree wholeheartedly...

Tea can only be made using a kettle. https://t.co/Jt5xWKYRkT

— Cabinet Office (@cabinetofficeuk) January 24, 2024

Francl, in her book, said she analysed scores of research papers and ancient texts dating back more than 1,000 years to draw her conclusions, the Guardian reported.