Teaplomacy: US tells UK it does not endorse claims salt is must for perfect cup of tea

The US Embassy in London waded into a burgeoning transatlantic dispute over the perfect cup of tea, disowning a controversial claim by American professor Michelle Francl that salt should be added for the ideal brew.

The embassy issued a tongue-in-cheek statement to reassure Britons that the unconventional suggestion was not official United States policy.

In response to Professor Francl's purported tea revelations, the embassy playfully asserted: "Today's media reports of an American professor's recipe for the 'perfect' cup of tea has landed our special bond with the United Kingdom in hot water." 

Emphasising the significance of tea as a unifying elixir between the nations, the statement declared, "Tea is the elixir of camaraderie, a sacred bond that unites our nations."

The scientist's unconventional tips included using a short and stout mug, leaving the tea bag in, using warm milk to prevent curdling, and the most contentious of all—adding a pinch of salt to reduce bitterness. 

The embassy's intervention aimed to pacify the varying reactions among Britons, ranging from anger to bemusement and disgust.

Concluding the statement with a touch of humor, the embassy affirmed its commitment to the traditional approach to making tea, quipping: "The US embassy will continue to make tea in the proper way - by microwaving it." This lighthearted exchange adds a new chapter to the age-old debate on the proper way to brew the quintessential British beverage.