An American scientist has sparked a trans-Atlantic tempest in a teapot by offering Britain advice on its favorite hot beverage.

Bryn Mawr College chemistry professor Michelle Francl says one of the keys to a perfect cup of tea is a pinch of salt. The tip is included in Francl香蕉视频直播檚 book 香蕉视频直播淪teeped: The Chemistry of Tea,香蕉视频直播� published Wednesday by the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Not since the Boston Tea Party has mixing tea with salt water roiled the Anglo-American relationship so much.

The salt suggestion drew howls of outrage from tea lovers in Britain, where popular stereotype sees Americans as coffee-swilling boors who make tea, if at all, in the microwave.

香蕉视频直播淒on香蕉视频直播檛 even say the word 香蕉视频直播瞫alt香蕉视频直播� to us香蕉视频直播ο憬妒悠抵辈�� the etiquette guide Debrett香蕉视频直播檚 wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The U.S. Embassy in London intervened in the brewing storm with a social media post reassuring 香蕉视频直播渢he good people of the U.K. that the unthinkable notion of adding salt to Britain香蕉视频直播檚 national drink is not official United States policy.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淟et us unite in our steeped solidarity and show the world that when it comes to tea, we stand as one,香蕉视频直播� said the tongue-in-cheek post. 香蕉视频直播淭he U.S. Embassy will continue to make tea in the proper way - by microwaving it.香蕉视频直播�

The embassy later clarified that its statement was 香蕉视频直播渁 lighthearted play on our shared cultural connections香蕉视频直播� rather than an official press release.

香蕉视频直播淪teeped,香蕉视频直播� in contrast, is no joke. The product of three years香蕉视频直播� research and experimentation, the book explores the more than 100 chemical compounds found in tea and 香蕉视频直播減uts the chemistry to use with advice on how to brew a better cup,香蕉视频直播� its publisher says.

Francl said adding a small amount of salt 香蕉视频直播� not enough to taste 香蕉视频直播� makes tea seem less bitter because 香蕉视频直播渢he sodium ions in salt block the bitter receptors in our mouths.香蕉视频直播�

She also advocates making tea in a pre-warmed pot, agitating the bag briefly but vigorously and serving in a short, stout mug to preserve the heat. And she says milk should be added to the cup after the tea, not before 香蕉视频直播� another issue that often divides tea lovers.

Francl has been surprised by the level of reaction to her book in Britain.

香蕉视频直播淚 kind of understood that there would hopefully be a lot of interest,香蕉视频直播� she told The Associated Press. 香蕉视频直播淚 didn香蕉视频直播檛 know we香蕉视频直播檇 wade into a diplomatic conversation with the U.S. Embassy.香蕉视频直播�

It has made her ponder the ocean-wide coffee-tea divide that separates the U.S. and Britain.

香蕉视频直播淚 wonder if we香蕉视频直播檙e just a more caffeinated society 香蕉视频直播� coffee is higher in caffeine,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淥r maybe we香蕉视频直播檙e just trying to rebel against our parent country.香蕉视频直播�

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