The Tea Leaf Mystery

Curious Cases

BBC

Science

4.8 • 4.1K Ratings

🗓️ 26 May 2016

⏱️ 19 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today the team examine the chemistry of tea, in answer to the following question sent in by Fred Rickaby from North Carolina:

"When we are preparing a cup of tea and the cup contains nothing but hot, brewed tea we need to add milk and sugar. My wife always adds the sugar first, stirs the cup to make sure it is dissolved and then add the milk. So, is that an optimum strategy for adding milk and sugar to a cup of tea?”

Adam consults Prof Andrea Sella from University College London about the perfect formula for a cup of tea. Inside his tea factory in Kent, Master Blender Alex Probyn teaches Hannah an unusual method for tasting tea.

Most importantly, the duo discovers whether you should add milk first or last. But can tea professionals really tell the difference?

If you have any questions for Drs Rutherford & Fry to investigate send them to curiouscases@bbc.co.uk

Presenters: Hannah Fry, Adam Rutherford Producer: Michelle Martin

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome back to the Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry.
0:02.8	Hello!
0:03.8	We've got five whole brand new episodes, especially for you.
0:07.2	Yes, where you send in your curious questions.
0:11.2	To CuriousCases.bbs.uk.
0:13.6	And we go off and we try and figure out what the hell is going on.
0:16.6	I can't say that kind of.
0:17.6	Indeed, using our special science detective skills.
0:20.8	Yes, and today's episode is about the correct way to pour and make a cup of tea,
0:27.2	which is very important to us Brits.
0:29.2	Absolutely.
0:30.2	This episode also comes with a bit of a warning, because it does contain some slurping noises,
0:35.4	which some listeners may find disturbing.
0:37.4	Yes, I found them disturbing.
0:39.2	They were both shocking and revolting, but nevertheless, apparently, that's how tea
0:44.2	taste is actually tasty.
0:45.8	It was like...
0:46.8	...which is a bit like Hannibal Lecter.
0:49.8	A little bit like Hannibal Lecter.
0:51.8	I wanted to put that in the scripts, but Michelle, our producer, say hello, Michelle.
0:54.8	Hello.
0:55.8	She said we couldn't refer to our guests as being like Hannibal Lecter.
	...

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