Iced tea on the cheap

Heat wave.  You might not think that 80-something Fahrenheit is all that bad, but to wimps like us in the Berkeley area, it’s pretty hard to take.  We have no insulation in our houses, no AC and not enough room for a pool in the backyard – not that we would have one if we could, since residential pools are a waste of resources, but it’s nice to fantasize about a dip.  What is easily attainable, though, is a never-ending container of iced tea on the kitchen counter.  Go get one of those gallon-size so-called “sun tea” makers.  They are of glass and often have some kind of horrible motif painted on them, like beach balls.  There’s a spout so you can serve yourself all day long by simply having the thing on the edge of your counter.  Spend about $5.  Next, get a big box of 1 ounce tea bags at a restaurant food supplier like Smart and Final, which sells a box of 24 for about $4, last I checked.  Throw a tea bag in the jug and fill it up with cold tap water.  Start drinking it in about two hours.  I don’t add sugar but I often toss in a cut-up lemon.  If you are so damned spoiled that you can’t drink iced tea at room temperature, then add ice, but then you might want to make your brew with two tea bags.