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.
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
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.
“rather take a walking holiday in Milton Keynes”
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.
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!
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
“I have had better cups of tea at service stations in Ireland than I have had at fancy restaurants in the US.”
Ha, burn.
…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
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!
“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. And never will be,” the embassy said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Getting ahead of a diplomatic crisis. Good idea.
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.
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.
