Key Points
- A chemist claims to know how to make the perfect cup of tea after studying the craft.
- Michelle Francl's addition has divided the internet, but tea enthusiasts have pointed out it's not a new tradition.
- The founding director of the Australian Tea Cultural Society, says the practice dates back to the eighth century.
The British pride themselves on brewing the perfect cup of tea but a US suggestion has stirred up debate online, with Australians quick to weigh in.
A chemist based in Pennsylvania has been studying the craft of tea and believes to have found the perfect formula. Her secret ingredient? A pinch of salt.
Professor Michelle Francl claims to have read 500 papers and drank more than 400 cups of tea to reach the verdict.
"My perfect cup of tea starts with loose black tea, usually a nice English breakfast, and then use boiling water, and I let it steep for four minutes," she said.
"That little pinch of salt makes it you know less bitter. My perfect cup of tea."
Francl's advice caused a stir online – even causing the US Embassy in London to release a tongue-in-cheek statement.
"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," they said.
"The US Embassy will continue to make tea in the proper way - by microwaving it."
What is the history of salt in tea?
Some tea enthusiasts have rightly pointed out that salt in tea is hardly a new tradition.
David Lyons, founding director of the Australian Tea Cultural Society, said the practice dates back to the eighth century in East Asia.
"I was in China two weeks ago, and was invited to a Tang Dynasty tea house and was served Tang Dynasty-style tea. In that tea was salt," he told SBS News.
"In Mongolia, they have their suutei tsai which is their milk tea and that has salt in it. In the Himalayas, places like Nepal or Bhutan, they drink salt tea.
"Remember that salt is just a flavour enhancer so if you add it to anything, it will improve the flavour."
Lyons said Mongolia is one of the countries in East Asia that drink their tea with salt. Source: Getty / Aumphotography
"Being from an Indian family we used to drink a lot of chai, so, you know, boiling with cardamom pounds, ginger, that sort of thing, a fair bit of sugar. But I wouldn't think to put salt in it," he said.
"I mean, I put a lot of different things in. I've had tea with honey, I've had tea with monkfruit. But no, I wouldn't think about salt. That's not the flavour profile you think of with tea."
It's little wonder Francl's suggestion has brewed strong opinions. Tea is the most consumed drink after water according to the United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organisation.
Lyons said he would love to see Australia foster a new and innovative multicultural tradition.
"We certainly believe that there should be a tea culture that reflects the multicultural and historical foundations of Australia. And not just those of the British tea culture," he said.
