Bubble Tea

So….Bubble tea.  Let’s chat.

A few years ago, when I was doing research for the tea room bubble tea was all the rage.  I did offer it on the menu, although in our area it did not do well.  It was, at best, interesting…I did not get addicted to it.

Regardless…bubble tea developed in Taiwan.  School kids would grab a bubble tea when they were done with school..sort of like milk and cookies.  It is a sweet, often fruity drink, that is shaken until there is a thick head of bubbly foam on top.  It is often served with large balls of tapioca in the bottom.. the tapioca can be black, clear, or white and are referred to as pearls.  You use a large straw to suck them up with…and if you are easily grossed out you may not want to do this at home, kids.

I don’t know…I am sort of redneck, backwoods, and uncool..but there is something about a a slimy, chewy, marble sized ball of tapioca arriving in my mouth unexpectedly that alerts my gag reflex that something is not right.

Lots of people like it..and you can have the bubble tea without the pearls.  It is sort of like a rich fruit smoothie with  foam on the top. The flavors tend to be exotic:plum, lichee, mango.  You can also get green tea, black tea, and blends.

So, if you really want to try this and you can’t buy it locally..here is a recipe to try.

Bubble Tea

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chilled large Chinese tapioca pearls, cooked OR 1/3 cup  pearl tapioca
• 1 cup crushed ice
• 1 cup very strong chilled tea of choice.  Try Tazo  Passionfruit.
• 1 cup half & half
• Sugar to taste

Place the pearls in a large  glass. Combine all remaining ingredients in a cocktail shaker, and shake vigorously until the mixture gets a thick foam on top. Pour into the glass, and serve with extra-thick straws. 1 16 oz bubble tea.  You can vary the tea by substituting juice for part of the tea or adding soft fruit and blending before adding to the glass.

Image: Marye Audet