Now, grab a pot. Fill it with two quarts of cold tap water. Put it on the stove and crank the heat to maximum overdrive. While you wait, you can practice your impatient knee-bouncing. It’s an essential iced tea skill.
When the water reaches a rolling boil—that’s when it looks like a mini volcano—turn off the heat. Immediately. Do not let it boil for ten minutes. That just annoys the water and makes it taste metallic. You want hot water, not a science experiment in bitterness.
Drop your Family Size bag into the hot water. Let it steep for exactly five minutes. Set a timer. If you forget and it sits for twenty minutes, your tea will develop a tan—and not the good kind. It will turn bitter and sad.
