(still Nabokov-free) Orwell on tea

[pynchonoid]

Trouble is brewing 	
For further information, please contact:
Dianne Stilwell 
The Institute of Physics 
dianne.stilwell at iop.org 
0207 470 4875 

	 	
24 June 2003 

keywords 
Physics, Chemistry 
	
  	
 
  	A nice cuppa may be needed as some of the best
scientific minds in the UK clash over our national
brew - the Institute of Physics is disputing the
conclusions of an experiment carried out by the Royal
Society of Chemistry, saying that tea-making is based
on physics rather than chemistry.

George Orwell wrote an essay outlining the 11 steps to
the perfect brew - inspiring the RSC to mark the
centenary of his birth by researching the best method
of making tea. They were helped out by Tony Benn, who
yesterday sipped the first cup of tea brewed from a
method commissioned by the RSC. 

But a storm is now brewing over teacups. Institute of
Physics Chief Executive Dr Julia King disputed the
chemists'' research, saying:

"Trust chemists to make things complicated. Tea is
something we have been enjoying in Britain for over
300 years, we have been perfectly capable of making
very good tea for a very long time. It is not the
complex matter the RSC believes. When it boils down to
it, the physics is more influential than the chemical
side of things."

"The RSC are making matters difficult - as the main
point is to keep the water temperature at 98 degrees.
Materials physics holds the answers," says Dr King. 

"High quality porcelain is an excellent material for
tea pots and cups. The fine structure and thin walls
make it look and feel nice, but are also the key to
its strength. All types of pottery and china contain
pores and particles as an inherent part of the
material. These features act as the defects which
initiate cracking when you stress a cup or a plate,
for example by dropping it or by pouring in very hot
water. High quality porcelain is carefully worked to
minimise the sizes of these particles and pores,
making it strong and resistant to cracking. Porcelain
can therefore withstand higher thermal shocks - you
can pour hotter liquid into a cold cup - than cheaper
china. Putting the milk in first has nothing to do
with taste. It is a habit we have retained from the
times when only the rich could afford porcelain -
which, because it isn''t as porous as china, could
withstand the hot tea being poured in directly. Those
of us with cheap china had to put the milk in first to
cool the tea slightly to prevent our cups from
cracking. So in this case our taste has been moulded
by the physics rather than the chemistry." 
  	
 



  	Notes for editor 

1. For more information about the science behind
tea-making, try
http://www.tea.co.uk/ for general information.

2. The history of tea goes back to Chinese mythology!
The British drink an amazing 165 million cups of tea
very day, and have been drinking tea for more than 350
years. It was said to have been discovered in 2737 by
Chinese Emperor and in the Tang Dynasty (618-906 AD)
tea became China's national drink. The Portuguese and
Dutch claim the credit for bringing tea to Europe, and
England entered the trade via the East India Company
in the mid to late 17th century.

3. For more information about this press release or
other Institute of Physics activities, please contact:
Nina Romain, Institute of Physics Press Officer, tel:
+44 (0)20 7470 4815 or nina.romain at iop.org.
Alternatively, see the Public Relations web site at
http://physics.iop.org/IOP/mediar.html.

4. The Institute of Physics is a leading international
professional body and learned society with over 37,000
members, which promotes the advancement and
dissemination of a knowledge of and education in the
science of physics, pure and applied. It has a
world-wide membership and is a major international
player in:
„h scientific publishing and electronic dissemination
of physics;
„h setting professional standards for physicists and
awarding professional qualifications; 
„h promoting physics through scientific conferences,
education and science policy advice.

5. The Institute is a member of the Science Council,
and a nominated body of the Engineering Council. The
Institute works in collaboration with national
physical societies and plays an important role in
transnational societies such as the European Physical
Society and represents British and Irish physicists in
international organisations. In Great Britain and
Ireland the Institute is active in providing support
for physicists in all professions and careers,
encouraging physics research and its applications,
providing support for physics in schools, colleges and
universities, influencing government and informing
public debate.

6. George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair) lived from
1903-1950. He wrote the satirical political novels
Animal Farm and 1984 as well as working as a
journalist, writing for the Observer as well as
working for the BBC. He wrote an essay entitled "A
Nice Cup of Tea" in 1946, outlining the 11 steps to
the perfect brew. This essay stated you must use a
cylindrical rather than flat-based breakfast cup for
tea; the brew should be strong, never drunk with
sugar, and have the milk poured in last. 


....see also:
<http://www.booksatoz.com/witsend/tea/orwell.htm>

  	

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