Milk or water first? Scientists reveal tips on how to make the right cuppa

It is woven deeply into the material of British tradition. 

But now a scientist from the US claims to have discovered the secrets and techniques to an ideal cuppa. 

Professor Michelle Francl, a professor of chemistry at Bryn Mawr College, claims that Britons ought to use a brief and stout mug, and go for leaves over teabags. 

In phrases of the milk, Professor Francl means that you need to use heat milk to scale back the possibility of curdling. 

But most uncommon of all is her suggestion so as to add a pinch of salt to your brew, to ‘scale back the bitterness.’

It is woven deeply into the material of British tradition. But now a scientist from the US claims to have discovered the secrets and techniques to an ideal cuppa

Professor Francl analysed lots of of analysis papers and historical texts courting again over 1,000 years to plan her final, albeit perplexing, recipe.

She says the important thing components to a scrumptious cup of char embody:

1. Adding a pinch of salt – the sodium ion in salt blocks the chemical mechanism that makes tea style bitter.

2. Warming the milk and including it second – this may scale back the possibility of curdling and higher management the speed at which the tea cools.

3. Steeping tea baggage rapidly however with loads of dunking and squeezing – to scale back the sour-tasting tannins created by caffeine dissolving slowly in water.

In much less controversial recommendation, Professor Francl says it helps to pre-heat your cup or pot to launch extra ‘fragrant compounds’ from the tea.

And a small squeeze of lemon juice can take away the ‘scum’ that generally seems on the floor of the drink, which is shaped from chemical components within the tea and water.

Last night time, Professor Francl insisted her findings had been strong, regardless of coming from a rustic the place tea performs second fiddle to espresso – and is normally served iced.

She instructed the Mail: ‘You get some terrible cups of tea within the US. People right here usually use lukewarm water straight from a faucet. It’s horrific.

‘I grew up within the Midwest, which is deep coffee-drinking nation, however tea has at all times been my most well-liked drink – and I’ve invested quite a lot of time into learning it.’

Professor Francl analysed lots of of analysis papers and historical texts courting again over 1,000 years to plan her final, albeit perplexing, recipe (inventory picture)

Professor Francl’s analysis, which she has documented in a brand new ebook referred to as Steeped: The Chemistry of Tea, additionally discovered that the aroma of tea is nearly as essential because the style – so when consuming from a takeaway cup, it is best to take away the lid.

Larger tea baggage had been discovered to work higher as a result of they permit the tea leaves to maneuver round, holding them in touch with the water.

Decaffeinated tea will be made by steeping a tea bag for 30 seconds, eradicating it and discarding the liquid, then including contemporary water and re-brewing for 5 minutes.

After water, tea is probably the most drunk beverage worldwide, and other people have been obsessing over the right strategy to brew it for lots of of years.

A Chinese mystic from the Tang Dynasty is quoted as saying that, ready completely, tea holds the ability to carry one ‘to the realms of the unwinking gods’.

Professor Francl believes its enduring enchantment comes from the distinctive fragrant expertise and wealthy flavour profile it supplies – together with the caffeine content material.

‘Tea is a cultural touchstone in Britain, however is loved everywhere in the world,’ she stated. 

‘Even in any case these years of consuming tea and researching chemistry, I realized new issues about what’s in my cup and tips on how to make the perfect cup of tea.’