Political tea

Trying to get the bitter taste of our new McCarthy-esque political climate out of your head? If you don’t have cyanide around, I suggest the delicious combination of super-sweet liquid with a dollop of cream that is Thai iced tea.

'But zaf! You say, 'I'm just a pawn of the lip-service moralism of the current administration… and incidentally I also don’t know how to make Thai iced tea!' Well don’t you worry- my vote may not count but I can still teach you how to make the sweet, sweet, oblivion that is this popular fountain soda equivalent.

To a pot of boiling water, add to taste:

• Two Chinese star anise, ground (optional)
• A teaspoon orange flowers…I actually leave this out and substitute cardamom instead
• A teaspoon vanilla
• 1 pinch cloves
• 1 pinch chopped cinnamon
• A handful of long cut China black tea leaves
• At least half a cup of sugar

Steep until lukewarm, strain, pour over ice, top with half and half.

But what if the crushingly low value of the dollar means you can't buy any of the ingredients listed above? I suggest DeDe's Instant Thai Tea- forgetfulness in a packet form. I know you can get it at the Laurel Safeway…probably a whole bunch of other places too but I'm too depressed by the state of the union address to look them up.