US scientist recommends adding salt to make perfect cup of tea - BBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68085304Open linkView original on lemmy.worldhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68085304Open linkView original on lemmy.worldhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68085304Open linkView original on lemmy.world
As an American (and filthy microwaver of tea, though I do have a kettle now) I just stopped scrolling in the hopes of witnessing some rage at the idea, but everyone's being really reasonable. My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined.
Dude, I've been experimenting with different mixes of ginger and cinnamon. People obsess about water temperatures. Tea drinkers like nothing but ideas for more posh things to do to their drinks. "Pinch of salt" is just snobby enough that I can't wait to try it and tell it to all my friends next time I'm complaining about a lackluster café order.
The big issue I see, and it's a PR thing, is it coming from the US. That alone may disqualify it. We'll have to see.
As a Brit this is genuinely the exact opposite of how most tea drinkers are here. The less shit you do to it the better is the general view.
So... milk is out, then?
Don't be ridiculous.
I'm an American. I drink a lot of tea throughout the day. Different kinds for breakfast, midmorning, lunch and mid afternoon. I've never had a tea I thought would be improved with milk. I just don't get it.
That's because you're American. Don't feel bad.
I don't even know what some people call "tea" in this context sometimes. It could be they're having Ceylon in the morning and Earl Gray in the afternoon, but sometimes what they mean is they're soaking some weeds in the morning and some dry fruits in the afternoon and calling it tea. I lived in a place for a while where all infusions are referred to with the word for "tea", so you'd ask for cup of tea, be given a camomile infusion and be expected not to murder your host.
"Improved" is the wrong word, in my opinion. It's not that the tea is made better with the addition of milk, it's just that it's good in a different way. I drink my tea straight at work, no additions. But on a Saturday morning, with flapjacks and bacon, a lavender earl grey with a hint of sugar and a small splash of cream is just. Mmm. The cream can mute some of the stronger flavor profiles and allow some of the more subtle ones to shine. I love it both ways, neither is better than the other. They're just different good.
Oh, yeah, I know. Brits will just throw a bag of the crappiest tea they have around in a teapot and move on with their day.
Which is a luxury you can afford when even middling supermarket tea is drinkable. Over where I am if you're doing tea you have an... affectation. Plus even if you don't want to, finding drinkable tea is hard enough that you end up going to the fancy stuff by default.
Yeah I literally take tea bags on holiday haha just not the same elsewhere
Yeah we're not exactly known for our tea here, unless it's in a harbor or so full of sugar it's not even really tea anymore, so I can see it not going over that well. I just made a cup but it's one of my favorite kinds and I'm too afraid to try the salt in case it ruins it.
See, this is why I love the internet, it allows me to find my kin. I relish in learning enough about a niche thing that I have enough discernment that I can be a bit of a snob, if I wish.
Hah. This is me respectfully nodding in your general direction.
Although I'll admit that in my case this mostly manifests as me buying literally any food I haven't eaten before and putting super gross stuff in my mouth, no matter how transparent of a marketing scheme it is. I bought that coke they asked ChatGPT to formulate. This is a real problem.
Also, if anybody is curious I put a pinch of salt in my tea today. It was fine, not noticeable. I'll try a bigger pinch next time.
Temperature is a state function. It is completely irrelevant if you boil or microwave you water.
We will continue to microwave because science
Does your microwave have an in-built thermometer which stops the heating at the right temperature like a kettle?
Most Americans don't get kettles with temp settings because we're fucking plebs. Ask an American what they think a kettle is and 7 times out of 10 they'll say it's a busted, dented piece of metal with a strange flippy lid that their mom used to put on the stovetop for some reason.
I mean, I'm not. I have one with 6 different temps on it. Because tea is serious business. But most Americans, you know. 😂
We're not exactly high-tech about it, our kettles are usually a basic plastic thing, and the temperature setting is just "if boiling then turn off"!
I've read that water oxygenation is affected by microwaving water, so there is some difference to standard boiling. Whether this matters for tea or not is a different question, and I can't find anything decisive on the matter.
Temperature affects dissolved oxygen.
To be honest, the microwave thing outrages me far more than the salt thing.
But why? The water will be hot either way. Who cares how it gets that way?
I've tried it. It tasted weird and I felt like I'd committed a crime.
Apparently microwaving affects levels of dissolved oxygen in the water, which may affect flavour, but I don't know
I suspect that's some sloppy writing. I think we are being cautioned against microwaving the water with the teabag in
Nope!
I’m 100% against microwaving water to heat it up. And it’s completely unreasonable! But I really won’t do it at all and scoff at those that do 😁
I’m also perfectly happy to use a microwave for any other purpose. As far as I understand, it’s actually one of the healthier methods to cook food.
I mean, I don't do it either - but rationally, I can't see why it would make a different what method was used to get the water molecules ajiggling.
Microwaves don't hurt the water any.
Microwave tea?!?!?!?!?
No, microwave water to make tea.
shudders
What's wrong with the kettle? Or are they not commonplace in the states?
American power is too weak for kettles.
Winner winner chicken dinner!
Nothings wrong with the kettle, but nothings wrong with the microwave either. I use a kettle and it’s fine.
Electric kettles are indeed less common, I understand that it’s because the 120V power is less effective for heating
They are pretty common in America, and have been for quite a while. Less so than in the UK (which is probably your point). But still pretty easy to find in my experience.
I got one about 20 years ago from Target - nothing too fancy, just an Oster or something. It finally died a couple of years ago and I got a new one from Amazon, where they had a very wide selection.
No disagreement. They’re available but less common than other heating methods. I feel like stovetop is probably the most common but microwave is certainly in there too.
The world is in a bad place - war, famine, climate change and now this fucker is trying to start WWIII.
Scientifically it makes sense.
But I'd rather take a walking holiday in Milton Keynes than do it.
Nice, I'm stealing this one
I can imagine living in a world where this is the top point of conflict across the globe. No wars, no famine, no climate change, no oppression... Just, "can you believe this twat saying we should put salt in tea!?!"
And once we've solved that conflict and everyone is on the right side of history, the true conflict can begin between the virgin Tea Salters and the chad Salted Tea Enjoyers.
"I have had better cups of tea at service stations in Ireland than I have had at fancy restaurants in the US."
Ha, burn.
Well if nobody else is brave enough to try it, I'll give it a go in the morning and report back. Never let it be said that I shy away from a good bit of sciencing!
I'll be trying too. Bare in mind that they are suggesting it removes bitterness in particularly stewed tea
My attempt was underwhelming, how about yours?
Well that's embarrassing. I forgot, and I'm sitting here with a cup of tea.
...
2 minutes later... as you say .... 'meh'
Please report back
See below!
Radio silence, they may have died
I am not a morning person! It takes time for me to wake up and articulate science!
But I have tested this, and have to say it doesn't really seem to have made any difference? Maybe slightly less bitter, but maybe that's just placebo. Not that I have a problem with making overly-bitter tea in the first place, maybe this so-called scientist squeezes their teabag like in the photo and that's why it needed fixing to begin with.
The article is pretty vague on the correct amount to use so it's also possible I didn't do it right 🤷♀️
Well I appreciate your scientific curiosity
...Okay tomorrow at work I will give it a go. If salt makes tea taste better I will be so mad!
Edit: Well that ruined it. It does get rid of that slight bitterness. I liked that bitterness
literally couldn't make it taste worse, amirite?
Well it did. Its just a regular crap cup of tea now instead of a nice cup of crap tea.
Why would you want to take away the tiny bit of bitterness that tea has?
Right. Tea is supposed to be bitter.
Try adding sugar to your gin and tonic to remove the lemon flavour...
Hey you guys. I heard that liking bitter stuff means you're much more likely to be a sociopath.
Ooh boy do I have some news for you about the ingredients of tonic water...
It's already full of sugar, I know
That article was actually more amusing and informative than I was expecting!
I tried it. It did seem to work. I will try a few more times and record whether I detect bitterness or not. Ideally I would conduct a blind taste test but I don't want to change my ritual too much.
Getting ahead of a diplomatic crisis. Good idea.
Damnit. Now the Royal Navy in on the way to dump our tea in Boston Harbor.
Funny enough, a pinch a salt in coffee is a US Navy thing. Tried it, but must have overdone it.
This actually makes sense. I might be able to enjoy tea with this trick, rather than just feeling like I am drinking the remnants of some other drink.
and coffee
I don't drink much tea, but a lil pinch of salt DEFINITELY makes coffee better. It makes shitty coffee less shitty and good coffee even better.
Mans getting bare rude yeah? Whos endz you think ur in bruv? The disrespec. We gonna make 1812 look like a fuckin' joke, you know what I'm sayin fam?
This comment gave me the ick
Ha ha ha ha. No.
and coconut milk, a little curry, some stir fried veggies, a soft boiled egg, and ramen noodles. Perfect cup of tea. Just ask Gordon Ramsey.
https://nitter.net/usainuk/status/1750136728034169147
Also why does the thumbnail show someone touching the teabag with their finger...
Gotta squeeze all the tea out!
So that it's bitter? So that you have a reason to put salt in it?
Squidge against the side of the mug
Absofuckinglutely not.
I heard in Boston they not only add salt but also some molasses. Wonder what that might taste like
Historically, in Boston, they add the salt by chucking the tea in the harbour.
But only after they get told they can’t genocide westwards.
Salty and sweet
I put a pinch of salt in my coffee.
https://www.thekitchn.com/alton-brown-coffee-tip-salt-267757
Alton Brown FTW