After 250 years since American revolutionaries threw tea into Boston Harbor, a new diplomatic storm is brewing between Britain and the United States over the beloved beverage, according to CNN. The U.S. network reported that British media reacted angrily to an American scientist who claimed that the perfect cup of tea requires a pinch of salt.
Michelle Frankel, who authored a book on the molecular science behind a good cup of tea, believes the addition is essential to reduce the drink's bitterness. However, her suggestion led to an angry backlash on social media from Britons, who are known for their belief in having the best recipes for the drink.
Legal journalist Molly Quell wrote on X, "Are we going to war again?" while British comedian Matt Green questioned, "What is happening there?"
Frankel, a chemistry professor at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, defended her seemingly radical idea to the network, stating, "It turns out that a small amount of salt prevents bitterness."
Following the uproar on social media, the U.S. embassy in the UK intervened to distance itself from the "extreme-sounding suggestion." The embassy wrote in a post on X: "We cannot stand by as such a shocking suggestion threatens the foundation of our special relationship." It added, "We want to assure the good people in the UK that the unimaginable idea of adding salt to the British national drink is not an official political stance of the United States. And never will be."
