Controversy Erupts Over American Scientist’s Revolutionary Black Tea Brewing Method

An American scientist’s claim to have discovered how to brew the “perfect cup” of black tea has sparked controversy. The US Embassy in London issued a statement calling it “outrageous” to recommend using tea leaves instead of tea bags and adding a pinch of salt if necessary.

Michelle Frankl, a chemistry professor at Bryn Mawr College, told Forbes on Tuesday that her recipe for the “perfect black tea” suggests that it is better to use loose tea leaves, and that if you use tea bags, you can place them up and down in a cup of hot water. This includes stirring the tea leaves well by moving the cup around, and using a short, stubby mug to keep the tea from getting cold.

These “discoveries” were revealed in Professor Frankl’s book “Steeped: The Chemistry of Tea,” which was published on the same day. The book is a scientific analysis of black tea, and explains how the characteristics of black tea change depending on specific ingredients, such as milk and lemon.

The professor’s recipe recommends adding a pinch of salt if the tea is too strong. They say this is a method of coping that dates back to 8th century Chinese manuscripts. He also recommends using lemon to remove the white film that forms when you boil water in the microwave.

Professor Frankl, who is a tea drinker himself, also argues that pre-warming the mug or teapot is essential to extract the maximum amount of caffeine and antioxidants from the tea leaves. He suggested not adding hot water to a tea bag, as it can only extract enough caffeine for one cup.

Furthermore, when making milk tea, which is common among British people, people should follow the procedure of warming the milk first and then adding it after pouring the tea into the cup.

The US Embassy in the UK was the first to respond to this recipe. On the 24th, a satirical piece about Professor Frankl’s research results was released.issue a statementHe criticized the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom as “throwing it into hot water,” or in other words, a source of trouble. The statement said, “The embassy cannot stand by and watch as such an outrageous proposal threatens the very foundations of our special relationship,” and added, “Adding salt to Britain’s national drink is an unthinkable idea.” “is not, and never will be, official U.S. government policy,” he humorously promised.

In an interview with Forbes, Professor Frankl commented on the controversy that has continued on the Internet since the publication of his book, saying, “It turns out that British people really value tea.” “In the United States, when you order tea at a restaurant, you can have a terrible experience. The water is too lukewarm and it doesn’t taste good. The tea you drink at a gas station in Ireland is better than the tea you get at a restaurant in the United States, where the food is well-regarded. It tasted better than black tea.”

The professor started researching how tea is brewed after a fellow researcher posted on X (formerly Twitter) in 2020, wanting to know whether the shape of the tea bag matters. The professor delved into the literature of chemistry and presented a short paper on tea at the Royal Society of Chemistry. He furthered his research and compiled his findings into a book. He intended the book to be a chemistry explanatory book that would be “eye-opening” for people who are not familiar with chemistry.

Surprisingly, according to the professor, tea is the second most consumed drink in the world after water, and even more popular than coffee.

（forbes.com Original text）

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2024-01-28 01:00:07