swansont Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 “The chemist who told us to put salt in our tea explains why she did it” “While it might seem outlandish, the idea of adding a pinch of salt to tea in order to reduce the bitterness is rooted in science. Sodium ion is a key element of salt, and it interacts with the chemical mechanism that produces the perception of a bitter taste.” https://www.newscientist.com/article/2414348-the-chemist-who-told-us-to-put-salt-in-our-tea-explains-why-she-did-it/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheVat Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 2 hours ago, Phi for All said: And while I appreciate a little honey in tea sometimes, no sweetener ever touches my coffee. Bleh, just bleh! Right on. If coffee needs sugar, then someone has brewed some bad beans, probably cheap Robusta. Good coffee from Arabica beans needs no sugar. I also recommend Slippery Elm bark tea, for an infusion that needs no sugar. Great for sore throat, too. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moontanman Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 10 hours ago, exchemist said: How horrible. My specialty! 3 hours ago, Phi for All said: If your doctor is after you about the fats and sweets, the bergamot in Earl Grey tea pairs really, really well with lemon, and not just because the British say so. In this case, they are spot on. Not fats, just sweets, for some reason unsweetened tea is awful to me but sweet coffee is awful as well! I like iced coffee and iced tea but only coffee unsweetened! My own personal diet for type 2 diabetes includes fats, protein, and fiber but excludes as much carbs as possible. No seed oils, the only vegetable oils I use are olive and coconut oils. I mostly cook with lard and or beef tallow and all my blood parameters have gone back to nominal! My doc is amazed and I feel much better after losing 50 lbs! 3 hours ago, TheVat said: I think he's channeling Jean-Luc Picard. YES! I actually tried Earl Grey Tea due to Captain Picard! I loved the taste, I even preferred it in iced tea! 2 hours ago, zapatos said: I considered posting this anonymously lest I bring down the wrath of the British Empire, but I guess I'll proudly show my American roots; I like my tea iced, with a bit of lemon juice. I only drink hot tea when I am cold or under the weather. Iced sweet tea is the house wine of the south! I do miss it, along with bread, pasta, potatoes, and rice...😭 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exchemist Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 (edited) 3 hours ago, zapatos said: I considered posting this anonymously lest I bring down the wrath of the British Empire, but I guess I'll proudly show my American roots; I like my tea iced, with a bit of lemon juice. I only drink hot tea when I am cold or under the weather. The Italians do the same and it’s just the job on a hot day in Sicily. And the Arabs drink it “ahmar, red”, hot, in a glass in which it can indeed look red. There are different ways to drink tea. But what is in all cases essential is to brew it properly, which is where our continental and transatlantic cousins can get it a bit wrong, generally not using water that is hot enough. Edited January 26 by exchemist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethoflagos Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 4 minutes ago, exchemist said: our continental and transatlantic cousins can get it a bit wrong, generally not using water that is hot enough. Bless their little cotton socks! What do they miss out? The preheating the teapot bit, or the tea cosy to keep the heat in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dimreepr Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 7 minutes ago, sethoflagos said: Bless their little cotton socks! What do they miss out? The preheating the teapot bit, or the tea cosy to keep the heat in? Indeed, clearly they're all wrong bc my Gran made the best cuppa... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exchemist Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 28 minutes ago, sethoflagos said: Bless their little cotton socks! What do they miss out? The preheating the teapot bit, or the tea cosy to keep the heat in? All too often, giving you a cold teacup, a teabag and water in an urn at about 80C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zapatos Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 7 minutes ago, exchemist said: All too often, giving you a cold teacup, a teabag and water in an urn at about 80C. I read somewhere that when making tea the problem Americans had was confusing "boiling water" with "water that had once been boiled". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exchemist Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 1 minute ago, zapatos said: I read somewhere that when making tea the problem Americans had was confusing "boiling water" with "water that had once been boiled". Haha. Well, it is an issue in a lot of places, not just the States. Continental hotels almost always offer a hot water urn and teabags. I resort to using one cupful of hot water to warm the cup as much as I can, then discard that and brew the teabag in the cup with a fresh cupful. In the US one issue seems to be the absence of electric kettles. When my late wife and I moved to Houston in 1999 for a couple of years we found it really hard to buy one, though we did manage in the end. Seems they heat a pan of water on the cooker if they want boiling water. One can get electric kettles in France without difficulty, however. It's just the hotels, apparently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phi for All Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 1 hour ago, exchemist said: In the US one issue seems to be the absence of electric kettles. When my late wife and I moved to Houston in 1999 for a couple of years we found it really hard to buy one, though we did manage in the end. Seems they heat a pan of water on the cooker if they want boiling water. Saw my first electric kettle in Germany a few decades ago. I couldn't believe how much more efficient it was than a pan on the stovetop! Finally found them here in the US and haven't used anything else since. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethoflagos Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 2 hours ago, exchemist said: All too often, giving you a cold teacup, a teabag and water in an urn at about 80C. It'd need a minute in the microwave otherwise you may as well be drinking bathwater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exchemist Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 25 minutes ago, sethoflagos said: It'd need a minute in the microwave otherwise you may as well be drinking bathwater. Well yes, but microwaving hot water isn't a great idea. If the cup is clean you can get superheating, bumping and a trip to hospital when you take the cup out again. Though if you mean microwave it with the teabag already in it, that could work, I suppose. 55 minutes ago, Phi for All said: Saw my first electric kettle in Germany a few decades ago. I couldn't believe how much more efficient it was than a pan on the stovetop! Finally found them here in the US and haven't used anything else since. Yes, it's strange they don't seem to be part of the culinary culture in the USA - or not 20 years ago. I use the kettle all the time time, not just for tea. If I need boiling water for cooking vegetables, or pasta, or something like that, I boil the kettle, as it is so much faster. But it is true that in the UK the primary purpose of a kettle is to provide actually boiling water, to pour over the tea leaves in the (prewarmed) teapot. So, having bought a kettle primarily for that, it makes obvious sense to use it for other purposes too. Not sure what the primary purpose of a kettle would be in a coffee drinking nation like Germany. But they may just appreciate the speed and efficiency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethoflagos Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 10 minutes ago, exchemist said: Though if you mean microwave it with the teabag already in it, that could work, I suppose. It does. Been recycling tepid tea that way for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordief Posted January 26 Author Share Posted January 26 (edited) 32 minutes ago, sethoflagos said: It does. Been recycling tepid tea that way for years. But tea (-making)is a social occasion ,a ritual of sorts I always felt. Do you offer up warmed up old tea to your friends and visitors? Edited January 26 by geordief Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exchemist Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 15 minutes ago, geordief said: But tea (-making)is a social occasion ,a ritual of sorts I always felt. Do you offer up warmed up old tea to your friends and visitors? I haven't heard that since I was about 8, in 1962 or so. Brings back memories of primary school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swansont Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 I fund it interesting that the pushback I’ve seen on this is that it goes against tradition rather than evaluating whether or not it makes for better tea. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordief Posted January 27 Author Share Posted January 27 (edited) 59 minutes ago, swansont said: I fund it interesting that the pushback I’ve seen on this is that it goes against tradition rather than evaluating whether or not it makes for better tea. That is because it is (apparently) only of very incremental interest to the consumer of the beverage whereas the cultural significance of the drinking of the tea is far more important. There is also the humour involved in the Boston Tea Party where the English and the Americans are free to have a good laugh at each other if they want to. You kicked us out of your country using the "tea issue" at the outset but we are the ones who (in our minds at least) actually know how to use the stuff. Any coincidence that the phrase "a storm in a teacup" is still fairly widely used? The Japanese also hold tea in high estime(not so sure about other countries) Don't see what "pushback" you mean. I am sure it may well make a difference in the taste but ,personally speaking I have never added sugar to tomatoes even though it is well known that it makes it taste better and is often recommended in recipes..... Edited January 27 by geordief 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moontanman Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 1 hour ago, swansont said: I fund it interesting that the pushback I’ve seen on this is that it goes against tradition rather than evaluating whether or not it makes for better tea. It is kind of odd! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exchemist Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 7 hours ago, swansont said: I fund it interesting that the pushback I’ve seen on this is that it goes against tradition rather than evaluating whether or not it makes for better tea. Well I at least have evaluated it and reported my findings in this thread. But any pushback you may have read about elsewhere is far from odd, actually. Culinary tradition is often something people have strong views about. Just think of the arguments in Italy about Bolognese, or whether to use Marsala or Amaretto in tiramisu. Or in Spain about paella. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethoflagos Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 (edited) 10 hours ago, geordief said: But tea (-making)is a social occasion ,a ritual of sorts I always felt. Not here. Within the circles I move in, beer is the social brew of choice. 10 hours ago, geordief said: Do you offer up warmed up old tea to your friends and visitors? Only to geordies who ask daft questions. 9 hours ago, swansont said: I fund it interesting that the pushback I’ve seen on this is that it goes against tradition rather than evaluating whether or not it makes for better tea. More the chutzpah of those who believe their taste in tea is somehow superior to anybody else's. There is no universal 'perfect cuppa'. Just an individual's preference. The similarity of sugar cellars to salt cellars in many establishments has caused most of us to have conducted unplanned experiments with salty tea. Edited January 27 by sethoflagos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dimreepr Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 3 hours ago, sethoflagos said: There is no universal 'perfect cuppa'. Of course there is, my Gran made it... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethoflagos Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 13 minutes ago, dimreepr said: Of course there is, my Gran made it... And thus the language of our noble ancestors lies dying in the no man's land of post-modernist chutzpah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dimreepr Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 7 minutes ago, sethoflagos said: And thus the language of our noble ancestors lies dying in the no man's land of post-modernist chutzpah One has to wonder... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordief Posted January 27 Author Share Posted January 27 (edited) Some strange brew going down in this thread,man https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hftgytmgQgE "A witch of trouble in electric blue" yes ,blue crockery does it for me. Edited January 27 by geordief Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheVat Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 5 hours ago, sethoflagos said: More the chutzpah of those who believe their taste in tea is somehow superior to anybody else's. There is no universal 'perfect cuppa'. Just an individual's preference. Sugar in tomato sauce, however, remains wrong. Universally. Brands like Newmans Own marinara have no added sugar and are far better than the sugared brands on American supermarket shelves. (this post guaranteed chutzpah-free) 4 minutes ago, geordief said: Some strange brew going down in this thread,man https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hftgytmgQgE "A witch of trouble in an electric blue" yes ,blue crockery does it for me. So it's okay to add Cream to a forum thread? sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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