Making the perfect cup of tea has never been easier (Picture: Getty)
Your morning brew will no longer be hit or miss now that we have our hands on the recipe that makes the perfect cup of tea.
According to the UK Tea & Infusions Association, Brits drink around 100 million cups daily, so will this recipe be the quali-TEA we need it to be?
Key steps, according to Dr Michelle Francl, an American professor at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, include the right-shaped mug, warm the milk and only using the tea bag once.
Dr Francl has dedicated years to studying papers and historic texts dating back more than 1,000 years to figure out the exact recipe for the perfect tea.
All are revealed in her new book, Steeped: The Chemistry of Tea, published by the Royal Society of Chemistry, but we’ve been given a sneak peek – including one surprising addition.
The secret ingredient to a top tea
The first tip for the perfect cup of tea is a little controversial, but apparently it will make a massive difference – all you have to do is add a pinch of salt.
Regular table salt will help reduce the bitterness of the tea, as the sodium ions will interact with the chemical mechanism of how we perceive bitter taste.
The perfect cup of tea is simple to make (Picture: Getty Images)
Microwaving your tea is a huge no-no, and can lead to an unpleasant film across the top. If you must though, try adding lemon juice to get rid of the ‘scum’. The juice lowers the pH while citrate ions can surround calcium and magnesium ions, preventing them forming solids.
Warming the milk before adding it into your brew will reduce the chance of it curdling, and keep the tea hotter for longer.
But it’s not just the milk you should warm. By preheating your cup, you can release more ‘aromatic compounds’ from the tea.
Take the tea bag out quickly, as leaving it to steep for longer will make the tea taste bitter. Dr Francl says the bitter compounds – tannins – take longer to dissolve, but the levels of caffeine will remain the same.
How to make the perfect cup of tea
Using warm milk will reduce the chance of curdling
A short and stout mug will keep your tea hotter
Use tea leaves over teabags
Give the leaves room to move by using a tea basket
Heat your cup or pot
Only use tea leaves or teabags once
Never microwave your tea
Don’t steep for too long – longer means bitter, not better
In less controversial advice, Dr Francl suggests using short, stout mugs which have less surface area so the tea stays warmer for longer. Using larger tea bags (but ideally loose tea leaves) will allow the tea room to breathe – but make sure to only use them once.
And there you have it – how to make the perfect cup of tea.
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Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.
