The claim has landed the professor in hot water, with even the US embassy hitting back at the suggestion to add salt, saying in a post on X: “We cannot stand idly by as such an outrageous proposal threatens the very foundation of our Special Relationship.
“Tea is the elixir of camaraderie, a sacred bond that unites our nations. Therefore we want to ensure the good people of the UK that the unthinkable notion of adding salt to Britain’s national drink is not official United States policy. And never will be.
“Let us unite in our steeped solidarity and show the world that when it comes to tea, we stand as one. The US embassy will continue to make tea in the proper way – by microwaving it.”
The Cabinet Office has also waded into the row, saying it “must disagree wholeheartedly” with the US embassy’s statement. “Tea can only be made using a kettle,” it sternly rebutted.
I feared I would get disowned by my gran when I told her I was putting salt in my tea, but she calmly responded: “It’s us who are famous for tea, so I don’t know how they can give us lessons… good luck.” And with her well wishes, off I went to go and buy some loose-leaf tea.
The professor says that the mug should be heated up at a higher temperature while steeping to increase the amount of caffeine and antioxidants. Now, if you are telling me I can get an even bigger caffeine hit with a cup of tea, I am all ears. I also like this idea as it will keep my tea hotter for longer. Apparently, the shorter mug keeps the tea hotter for longer too.
So, with the mug heated up, boiling water in and tea infuser in the mug I let the leaves do their work. As I strained the leaves, it very quickly gave a strong tea colour and I was impressed – it saved me from having to squeeze the life out of a tea bag. Professor Michelle claims that using loose-leaf tea leaves means there’s “more room for the tea to circulate” and will “extract more of their fragrant compounds”.
Next up I heated the milk, and according to the expert, this reduces the chance of the milk curdling. I can’t say I have ever had this issue before, but again it will keep my tea hotter for longer, and I add warm milk to my coffee so I wasn’t too offended by this idea either.
However, what I, and probably the rest of the UK will be offended by is the idea of adding salt. Yes, table salt. So, go with me on this, the expert claimed: “The sodium ion reduces the bitterness in your cuppa.” Now, I was very reluctant to do this but she said all you need is a pinch.
Adding the salt I stirred cautiously and couldn’t believe I was about to ruin what looked like a glorious steamy cup of tea. However, in the name of science, I was happy to give it a whirl. Professor Michelle also urged to only use the leaves once as she warned: “Virtually all of the caffeine and antioxidants are gone within a minute of steeping.” That’s us told.
Anyway, I decided it was time to take a sip of my science experiment and I was actually pleasantly surprised. I couldn’t taste the salt at all. So I added a little more, and still couldn’t taste it. I have to say, it was actually a really good cup of tea but I’m not sure the salt made any difference.
Overall I enjoyed my tea, but out of deference to everything I have ever known, I probably won’t be adding salt again. Instead, I’ll save it for my chips. I also feel as if it goes against everything we Brits have worked towards to hold the crown for the best brew.
A version of this article was first published on January 24, 2024.
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