Sawt Falasteen - Brits find US advice on making tea hard to swallow

The US embassy weighed in on the storm in a tea cup by suggesting brewing up in the microwave, which drew a rebuff from a top British government department.

Michelle Francl who teaches chemistry at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania says in her new book "Steeped: The Chemistry of Tea" that salt can rescue an overbrewed cup.

"A pinch of salt is not even enough to taste and it turns out salt can moderate your perception of bitterness," she told the Daily Telegraph.

"It's great if you've accidentally over brewed your tea. I've taken to adding just a tiny pinch of salt and it really does help," she added.

The professor also suggests adding warmed milk and says preheating your mug or teapot is also "crucial" to increase the amount of caffeine and antioxidants released.

In a tongue-in-cheek response, the US embassy in London called the hot beverage the "elixir of camaraderie".

The idea of adding salt was "unthinkable" and had "landed our special bond with the United Kingdom in hot water", it said.

"The US embassy will continue to make tea in the proper way -- by microwaving it," it added.

That prompted more jollity, this time from Britain's Cabinet Office, a department that usually confines itself to the running of government.

"We appreciate our special relationship, however, we must disagree wholeheartedly," it said in a statement.

"Tea can only be made using a kettle," it added.

Tea has traditionally been the UK's favourite hot beverage.

A study of 2,400 people last year by Statista however suggested coffee was now slightly more popular.

Some 63 percent told researchers they regularly drank coffee over 59 percent who chose tea.

R.Shaban--SF-PST