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 Francl91裸聊视频檚 book 91裸聊视频淪teeped: The Chemistry of Tea,91裸聊视频� 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.

91裸聊视频淒on91裸聊视频檛 even say the word 91裸聊视频瞫alt91裸聊视频� to us91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� the etiquette guide Debrett91裸聊视频檚 wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The U.S. Embassy in London intervened in the brewing storm with a social media post reassuring 91裸聊视频渢he good people of the U.K. that the unthinkable notion of adding salt to Britain91裸聊视频檚 national drink is not official United States policy.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淟et us unite in our steeped solidarity and show the world that when it comes to tea, we stand as one,91裸聊视频� said the tongue-in-cheek post. 91裸聊视频淭he U.S. Embassy will continue to make tea in the proper way - by microwaving it.91裸聊视频�

The embassy later clarified that its statement was 91裸聊视频渁 lighthearted play on our shared cultural connections91裸聊视频� rather than an official press release.

91裸聊视频淪teeped,91裸聊视频� in contrast, is no joke. The product of three years91裸聊视频� research and experimentation, the book explores the more than 100 chemical compounds found in tea and 91裸聊视频減uts the chemistry to use with advice on how to brew a better cup,91裸聊视频� its publisher says.

Francl said adding a small amount of salt 91裸聊视频� not enough to taste 91裸聊视频� makes tea seem less bitter because 91裸聊视频渢he sodium ions in salt block the bitter receptors in our mouths.91裸聊视频�

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 91裸聊视频� another issue that often divides tea lovers.

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

91裸聊视频淚 kind of understood that there would hopefully be a lot of interest,91裸聊视频� she told The Associated Press. 91裸聊视频淚 didn91裸聊视频檛 know we91裸聊视频檇 wade into a diplomatic conversation with the U.S. Embassy.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淚 wonder if we91裸聊视频檙e just a more caffeinated society 91裸聊视频� coffee is higher in caffeine,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淥r maybe we91裸聊视频檙e just trying to rebel against our parent country.91裸聊视频�

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