this post was submitted on 24 Jan 2024
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[–] [email protected] 47 points 10 months ago (5 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 10 months ago (4 children)

Dude, I've been experimenting with different mixes of ginger and cinnamon. People obsess about water temperatures. Tea drinkers like nothing but ideas for more posh things to do to their drinks. "Pinch of salt" is just snobby enough that I can't wait to try it and tell it to all my friends next time I'm complaining about a lackluster café order.

The big issue I see, and it's a PR thing, is it coming from the US. That alone may disqualify it. We'll have to see.

[–] Lmaydev 12 points 10 months ago (2 children)

As a Brit this is genuinely the exact opposite of how most tea drinkers are here. The less shit you do to it the better is the general view.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)
[–] Lmaydev 8 points 10 months ago (4 children)
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[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Oh, yeah, I know. Brits will just throw a bag of the crappiest tea they have around in a teapot and move on with their day.

Which is a luxury you can afford when even middling supermarket tea is drinkable. Over where I am if you're doing tea you have an... affectation. Plus even if you don't want to, finding drinkable tea is hard enough that you end up going to the fancy stuff by default.

[–] Lmaydev 7 points 10 months ago

Yeah I literally take tea bags on holiday haha just not the same elsewhere

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Temperature is a state function. It is completely irrelevant if you boil or microwave you water.

We will continue to microwave because science

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Does your microwave have an in-built thermometer which stops the heating at the right temperature like a kettle?

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

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.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago (1 children)

To be honest, the microwave thing outrages me far more than the salt thing.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago (2 children)

But why? The water will be hot either way. Who cares how it gets that way?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I've tried it. It tasted weird and I felt like I'd committed a crime.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago (2 children)

I suspect that's some sloppy writing. I think we are being cautioned against microwaving the water with the teabag in

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago

Microwaves don't hurt the water any.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

No, microwave water to make tea.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (4 children)

shudders

What's wrong with the kettle? Or are they not commonplace in the states?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

American power is too weak for kettles.

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[–] [email protected] 34 points 10 months ago

The world is in a bad place - war, famine, climate change and now this fucker is trying to start WWIII.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Scientifically it makes sense.

But I'd rather take a walking holiday in Milton Keynes than do it.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago

"rather take a walking holiday in Milton Keynes"

Nice, I'm stealing this one

[–] [email protected] 22 points 10 months ago (1 children)

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!?!"

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[–] [email protected] 21 points 10 months ago

"I have had better cups of tea at service stations in Ireland than I have had at fancy restaurants in the US."

Ha, burn.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 10 months ago (2 children)

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!

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I'll be trying too. Bare in mind that they are suggesting it removes bitterness in particularly stewed tea

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

My attempt was underwhelming, how about yours?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago

Well that's embarrassing. I forgot, and I'm sitting here with a cup of tea.

...

2 minutes later... as you say .... 'meh'

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (4 children)
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[–] [email protected] 17 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

...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

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

literally couldn't make it taste worse, amirite?

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Why would you want to take away the tiny bit of bitterness that tea has?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Right. Tea is supposed to be bitter.

Try adding sugar to your gin and tonic to remove the lemon flavour...

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Hey you guys. I heard that liking bitter stuff means you're much more likely to be a sociopath.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Ooh boy do I have some news for you about the ingredients of tonic water...

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago

I tried it. It did seem to work. I will try a few more times and record whether I detect bitterness or not. Ideally I would conduct a blind taste test but I don't want to change my ritual too much.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago

That article was actually more amusing and informative than I was expecting!

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago

"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.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago

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.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago

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.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

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?

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

Ha ha ha ha. No.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

and coconut milk, a little curry, some stir fried veggies, a soft boiled egg, and ramen noodles. Perfect cup of tea. Just ask Gordon Ramsey.

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