Bubble Tea is a favorite warm weather beverage here. I've organized my
notes on how I prepare it - here you go, and hope someone out there in
cyberland finds this helpful.

-S-

Everything you need to know about making your own Bubble Tea

Bubble Tea can mean different things; you can read the Wiki on it for
more information. At our house, we make it the way we prefer it, which
is in the fruit-flavored tradition. (The other tradition is with milk -
you're on your own for that one, but it's quite similar.) Bubble Tea
for us means iced green tea, flavored with fruit-based sugar syrup, with
tapioca "boba" or "pearls" added that you drink through a large straw.

The Tea

There are many ways to do this, and again you will find plenty to read
on the Internet. We use the same tea used when we first tried Bubble
Tea - a green tea called "gun powder" because it looks a little like gun
powder. It's a young green tea that is rolled into pellets and then pan
fired. Just as roasted nuts have more flavor than raw, so we find that
gun powder green tea produces a stronger color and flavor than most
green teas.

We get ours here - we buy it 2 lbs. at a time.

http://www.coffeebeandirect.com/prod...products_id=56

You may "do the restaurant thing" and make your green tea fresh for each
glass of bubble tea you serve - we don't.

Bubble tea is most commonly served cold (iced) - that is what we do.
Since we're going to drink it iced, anyway, we prefer to make our tea by
the pitcher full. We find it keeps well enough at room temperature for
as long as it takes us to go through an entire pitcher, not usually more
than a day or two in our house.

Thus, your Bubble Tea begins with a glass or pitcher of your choice of
tea - ours is gunpowder green tea.


The Tapioca "boba" or "pearls"

1. Visit http://bubbleteazone.com/boba.htm or just do a web search on
"bubble tea supplies" and order three things:

Boba (or pearls)

Flavored Syrup

Large Straws.

For boba, we order "bag of regular boba" from the link above. It's big,
3 kg, but it seems to last forever. Think of it like buying rice. I
just made boba from a bag that's a year old and it tastes fine to me.

For flavored syrup, we prefer Lychee - get what you like but try lychee
if you haven't. We don't use lychee flavoring for anything in our
cooking except for Bubble Tea, but for that purpose, it seems perfect.
At the above link, you can find flavored syrups by clicking on "Juice"
at the top of the screen.

Don't forget to order straws - regular straws won't work because the
boba are too big to fit.

2. You will also need to make some simple syrup, for which you'll need
plain old refined sugar. Please don't use anything exotic - I've used
organic sugar but that's as exotic as I'd go here. You really just want
plain, old sugar that comes in a 5 lb. bag like your mother used to buy.

3. Prepare the simple syrup - this couldn't be easier, and although you
can do it on your stove top, a microwave oven and a microwavable 2-cup
glass measuring cup are all you need - add 1-1/4 cups of water to the
measuring cup, add an equal amount of sugar, and microwave on high for
about 2-3 minutes to start. Simple syrup is done when what's in your
cup is completely clear. After the initial 2-3 minutes, give your
simple syrup a stir, let it sit for a few seconds and, if necessary,
heat it in the microwave again for another 30-60 seconds, repeating as
necessary until you have a clear liquid. You may set the simple syrup
aside for now - you may also prepare the simple syrup later - up to you.

4. To prepare Boba, do the following:

- put some boba and some water in a pot, bring to a boil. It's a bit
like making rice - the exact amount of water is even less critical. Try
2-3 parts water to 1 part boba - you're going to throw away the cooking
liquid, anyway. Cook on high until it boils, then lower the heat to a
simmer.

- let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every five minutes or so

- let sit in pot afterwards for another 30 minutes.

- rise your boba in a colander or strainer to get rid of most of the
cooking liquid.

- make a simple syrup if you haven't already. Use about as much sugar
as you used boba - that's a rough guide.

- combine the simple syrup and cooked, rinsed boba in a container on
your kitchen counter and leave soak for at least an hour, preferably
several hours.


How to serve

1. Put green tea into a tall glass - no more than half full.

2. Add flavored syrup, stir well.

3. Add warm boba, which will fall to the bottom.

4. Add ice, drink through big straws.


Saving and reheating boba

5. Put away the boba you didn't use. Any plastic or glass container
should do. Refrigerate the entire batch as one. Your boba will keep
very nicely this way for up to two weeks, maybe even longer. If your
batch starts to seem a bit stale, freshen it by draining the liquid,
rinsing again, and adding a fresh batch of simple syrup.

6. When you want to make another Bubble Tea, take as much boba as you
require, put it into a microwavable container, and heat for about 30
seconds. The boba should be warm, almost hot, and soft - if they're not
soft, they're not hot enough.

Steve Freides wrote:
> Bubble Tea is a favorite warm weather beverage here. I've organized my
> notes on how I prepare it - here you go, and hope someone out there in
> cyberland finds this helpful.
>
> -S-
>
> Everything you need to know about making your own Bubble Tea
>
> Bubble Tea can mean different things; you can read the Wiki on it for
> more information. At our house, we make it the way we prefer it, which
> is in the fruit-flavored tradition. (The other tradition is with milk -
> you're on your own for that one, but it's quite similar.) Bubble Tea
> for us means iced green tea, flavored with fruit-based sugar syrup, with
> tapioca "boba" or "pearls" added that you drink through a large straw.
>
> The Tea
>
> There are many ways to do this, and again you will find plenty to read
> on the Internet. We use the same tea used when we first tried Bubble
> Tea - a green tea called "gun powder" because it looks a little like gun
> powder. It's a young green tea that is rolled into pellets and then pan
> fired. Just as roasted nuts have more flavor than raw, so we find that
> gun powder green tea produces a stronger color and flavor than most
> green teas.
>
> We get ours here - we buy it 2 lbs. at a time.
>
> http://www.coffeebeandirect.com/prod...products_id=56
>
> You may "do the restaurant thing" and make your green tea fresh for each
> glass of bubble tea you serve - we don't.
>
> Bubble tea is most commonly served cold (iced) - that is what we do.
> Since we're going to drink it iced, anyway, we prefer to make our tea by
> the pitcher full. We find it keeps well enough at room temperature for
> as long as it takes us to go through an entire pitcher, not usually more
> than a day or two in our house.
>
> Thus, your Bubble Tea begins with a glass or pitcher of your choice of
> tea - ours is gunpowder green tea.
>
>
> The Tapioca "boba" or "pearls"
>
> 1. Visit http://bubbleteazone.com/boba.htm or just do a web search on
> "bubble tea supplies" and order three things:
>
> Boba (or pearls)
>
> Flavored Syrup
>
> Large Straws.
>
> For boba, we order "bag of regular boba" from the link above. It's big,
> 3 kg, but it seems to last forever. Think of it like buying rice. I
> just made boba from a bag that's a year old and it tastes fine to me.
>
> For flavored syrup, we prefer Lychee - get what you like but try lychee
> if you haven't. We don't use lychee flavoring for anything in our
> cooking except for Bubble Tea, but for that purpose, it seems perfect.
> At the above link, you can find flavored syrups by clicking on "Juice"
> at the top of the screen.
>
> Don't forget to order straws - regular straws won't work because the
> boba are too big to fit.
>
> 2. You will also need to make some simple syrup, for which you'll need
> plain old refined sugar. Please don't use anything exotic - I've used
> organic sugar but that's as exotic as I'd go here. You really just want
> plain, old sugar that comes in a 5 lb. bag like your mother used to buy.
>
> 3. Prepare the simple syrup - this couldn't be easier, and although you
> can do it on your stove top, a microwave oven and a microwavable 2-cup
> glass measuring cup are all you need - add 1-1/4 cups of water to the
> measuring cup, add an equal amount of sugar, and microwave on high for
> about 2-3 minutes to start. Simple syrup is done when what's in your
> cup is completely clear. After the initial 2-3 minutes, give your
> simple syrup a stir, let it sit for a few seconds and, if necessary,
> heat it in the microwave again for another 30-60 seconds, repeating as
> necessary until you have a clear liquid. You may set the simple syrup
> aside for now - you may also prepare the simple syrup later - up to you.
>
> 4. To prepare Boba, do the following:
>
> - put some boba and some water in a pot, bring to a boil. It's a bit
> like making rice - the exact amount of water is even less critical. Try
> 2-3 parts water to 1 part boba - you're going to throw away the cooking
> liquid, anyway. Cook on high until it boils, then lower the heat to a
> simmer.
>
> - let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every five minutes or so
>
> - let sit in pot afterwards for another 30 minutes.
>
> - rise your boba in a colander or strainer to get rid of most of the
> cooking liquid.
>
> - make a simple syrup if you haven't already. Use about as much sugar
> as you used boba - that's a rough guide.
>
> - combine the simple syrup and cooked, rinsed boba in a container on
> your kitchen counter and leave soak for at least an hour, preferably
> several hours.
>
>
> How to serve
>
> 1. Put green tea into a tall glass - no more than half full.
>
> 2. Add flavored syrup, stir well.
>
> 3. Add warm boba, which will fall to the bottom.
>
> 4. Add ice, drink through big straws.
>
>
> Saving and reheating boba
>
> 5. Put away the boba you didn't use. Any plastic or glass container
> should do. Refrigerate the entire batch as one. Your boba will keep
> very nicely this way for up to two weeks, maybe even longer. If your
> batch starts to seem a bit stale, freshen it by draining the liquid,
> rinsing again, and adding a fresh batch of simple syrup.
>
> 6. When you want to make another Bubble Tea, take as much boba as you
> require, put it into a microwavable container, and heat for about 30
> seconds. The boba should be warm, almost hot, and soft - if they're not
> soft, they're not hot enough.
>
>
Ooooo, thanks. I must remember to save this post. Does the
texture of the boba change during the time they are stored? I am
kind-of picky about the texture. You know... resilient, no tiny
uncooked bit at the center, not ultra-mushy...

On 4/25/2011 9:42 AM, Jean B. wrote:
> Steve Freides wrote:
>> Bubble Tea is a favorite warm weather beverage here. I've organized my
>> notes on how I prepare it - here you go, and hope someone out there in
>> cyberland finds this helpful.
>>
>> -S-
>>
>> Everything you need to know about making your own Bubble Tea
>>
>> Bubble Tea can mean different things; you can read the Wiki on it for
>> more information. At our house, we make it the way we prefer it, which
>> is in the fruit-flavored tradition. (The other tradition is with milk -
>> you're on your own for that one, but it's quite similar.) Bubble Tea
>> for us means iced green tea, flavored with fruit-based sugar syrup, with
>> tapioca "boba" or "pearls" added that you drink through a large straw.
>>
>> The Tea
>>
>> There are many ways to do this, and again you will find plenty to read
>> on the Internet. We use the same tea used when we first tried Bubble
>> Tea - a green tea called "gun powder" because it looks a little like gun
>> powder. It's a young green tea that is rolled into pellets and then pan
>> fired. Just as roasted nuts have more flavor than raw, so we find that
>> gun powder green tea produces a stronger color and flavor than most
>> green teas.
>>
>> We get ours here - we buy it 2 lbs. at a time.
>>
>> http://www.coffeebeandirect.com/prod...products_id=56
>>
>> You may "do the restaurant thing" and make your green tea fresh for each
>> glass of bubble tea you serve - we don't.
>>
>> Bubble tea is most commonly served cold (iced) - that is what we do.
>> Since we're going to drink it iced, anyway, we prefer to make our tea by
>> the pitcher full. We find it keeps well enough at room temperature for
>> as long as it takes us to go through an entire pitcher, not usually more
>> than a day or two in our house.
>>
>> Thus, your Bubble Tea begins with a glass or pitcher of your choice of
>> tea - ours is gunpowder green tea.
>>
>>
>> The Tapioca "boba" or "pearls"
>>
>> 1. Visit http://bubbleteazone.com/boba.htm or just do a web search on
>> "bubble tea supplies" and order three things:
>>
>> Boba (or pearls)
>>
>> Flavored Syrup
>>
>> Large Straws.
>>
>> For boba, we order "bag of regular boba" from the link above. It's big,
>> 3 kg, but it seems to last forever. Think of it like buying rice. I
>> just made boba from a bag that's a year old and it tastes fine to me.
>>
>> For flavored syrup, we prefer Lychee - get what you like but try lychee
>> if you haven't. We don't use lychee flavoring for anything in our
>> cooking except for Bubble Tea, but for that purpose, it seems perfect.
>> At the above link, you can find flavored syrups by clicking on "Juice"
>> at the top of the screen.
>>
>> Don't forget to order straws - regular straws won't work because the
>> boba are too big to fit.
>>
>> 2. You will also need to make some simple syrup, for which you'll need
>> plain old refined sugar. Please don't use anything exotic - I've used
>> organic sugar but that's as exotic as I'd go here. You really just want
>> plain, old sugar that comes in a 5 lb. bag like your mother used to buy.
>>
>> 3. Prepare the simple syrup - this couldn't be easier, and although you
>> can do it on your stove top, a microwave oven and a microwavable 2-cup
>> glass measuring cup are all you need - add 1-1/4 cups of water to the
>> measuring cup, add an equal amount of sugar, and microwave on high for
>> about 2-3 minutes to start. Simple syrup is done when what's in your
>> cup is completely clear. After the initial 2-3 minutes, give your
>> simple syrup a stir, let it sit for a few seconds and, if necessary,
>> heat it in the microwave again for another 30-60 seconds, repeating as
>> necessary until you have a clear liquid. You may set the simple syrup
>> aside for now - you may also prepare the simple syrup later - up to you.
>>
>> 4. To prepare Boba, do the following:
>>
>> - put some boba and some water in a pot, bring to a boil. It's a bit
>> like making rice - the exact amount of water is even less critical. Try
>> 2-3 parts water to 1 part boba - you're going to throw away the cooking
>> liquid, anyway. Cook on high until it boils, then lower the heat to a
>> simmer.
>>
>> - let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every five minutes or so
>>
>> - let sit in pot afterwards for another 30 minutes.
>>
>> - rise your boba in a colander or strainer to get rid of most of the
>> cooking liquid.
>>
>> - make a simple syrup if you haven't already. Use about as much sugar
>> as you used boba - that's a rough guide.
>>
>> - combine the simple syrup and cooked, rinsed boba in a container on
>> your kitchen counter and leave soak for at least an hour, preferably
>> several hours.
>>
>>
>> How to serve
>>
>> 1. Put green tea into a tall glass - no more than half full.
>>
>> 2. Add flavored syrup, stir well.
>>
>> 3. Add warm boba, which will fall to the bottom.
>>
>> 4. Add ice, drink through big straws.
>>
>>
>> Saving and reheating boba
>>
>> 5. Put away the boba you didn't use. Any plastic or glass container
>> should do. Refrigerate the entire batch as one. Your boba will keep
>> very nicely this way for up to two weeks, maybe even longer. If your
>> batch starts to seem a bit stale, freshen it by draining the liquid,
>> rinsing again, and adding a fresh batch of simple syrup.
>>
>> 6. When you want to make another Bubble Tea, take as much boba as you
>> require, put it into a microwavable container, and heat for about 30
>> seconds. The boba should be warm, almost hot, and soft - if they're not
>> soft, they're not hot enough.
>>
>>
> Ooooo, thanks. I must remember to save this post. Does the texture of
> the boba change during the time they are stored? I am kind-of picky
> about the texture. You know... resilient, no tiny uncooked bit at the
> center, not ultra-mushy...

What is "boba" anyway? Tapioca isn't it? I've never recovered from the
childish description of tapioca pudding as frog spawn and am still
repelled by bubble tea.

--


James Silverton, Potomac

I'm "not"

On Apr 25, 9:48*am, James Silverton >
wrote:
> On 4/25/2011 9:42 AM, Jean B. wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > Steve Freides wrote:
> >> Bubble Tea is a favorite warm weather beverage here. I've organized my
> >> notes on how I prepare it - here you go, and hope someone out there in
> >> cyberland finds this helpful.
>
> >> -S-
>
> >> Everything you need to know about making your own Bubble Tea
>
> >> Bubble Tea can mean different things; you can read the Wiki on it for
> >> more information. At our house, we make it the way we prefer it, which
> >> is in the fruit-flavored tradition. (The other tradition is with milk -
> >> you're on your own for that one, but it's quite similar.) Bubble Tea
> >> for us means iced green tea, flavored with fruit-based sugar syrup, with
> >> tapioca "boba" or "pearls" added that you drink through a large straw.
>
> >> The Tea
>
> >> There are many ways to do this, and again you will find plenty to read
> >> on the Internet. We use the same tea used when we first tried Bubble
> >> Tea - a green tea called "gun powder" because it looks a little like gun
> >> powder. It's a young green tea that is rolled into pellets and then pan
> >> fired. Just as roasted nuts have more flavor than raw, so we find that
> >> gun powder green tea produces a stronger color and flavor than most
> >> green teas.
>
> >> We get ours here - we buy it 2 lbs. at a time.
>
> >>http://www.coffeebeandirect.com/prod...products_id=56
>
> >> You may "do the restaurant thing" and make your green tea fresh for each
> >> glass of bubble tea you serve - we don't.
>
> >> Bubble tea is most commonly served cold (iced) - that is what we do.
> >> Since we're going to drink it iced, anyway, we prefer to make our tea by
> >> the pitcher full. We find it keeps well enough at room temperature for
> >> as long as it takes us to go through an entire pitcher, not usually more
> >> than a day or two in our house.
>
> >> Thus, your Bubble Tea begins with a glass or pitcher of your choice of
> >> tea - ours is gunpowder green tea.
>
> >> The Tapioca "boba" or "pearls"
>
> >> 1. Visithttp://bubbleteazone.com/boba.htmor just do a web search on
> >> "bubble tea supplies" and order three things:
>
> >> Boba (or pearls)
>
> >> Flavored Syrup
>
> >> Large Straws.
>
> >> For boba, we order "bag of regular boba" from the link above. It's big,
> >> 3 kg, but it seems to last forever. Think of it like buying rice. I
> >> just made boba from a bag that's a year old and it tastes fine to me.
>
> >> For flavored syrup, we prefer Lychee - get what you like but try lychee
> >> if you haven't. We don't use lychee flavoring for anything in our
> >> cooking except for Bubble Tea, but for that purpose, it seems perfect.
> >> At the above link, you can find flavored syrups by clicking on "Juice"
> >> at the top of the screen.
>
> >> Don't forget to order straws - regular straws won't work because the
> >> boba are too big to fit.
>
> >> 2. You will also need to make some simple syrup, for which you'll need
> >> plain old refined sugar. Please don't use anything exotic - I've used
> >> organic sugar but that's as exotic as I'd go here. You really just want
> >> plain, old sugar that comes in a 5 lb. bag like your mother used to buy.
>
> >> 3. Prepare the simple syrup - this couldn't be easier, and although you
> >> can do it on your stove top, a microwave oven and a microwavable 2-cup
> >> glass measuring cup are all you need - add 1-1/4 cups of water to the
> >> measuring cup, add an equal amount of sugar, and microwave on high for
> >> about 2-3 minutes to start. Simple syrup is done when what's in your
> >> cup is completely clear. After the initial 2-3 minutes, give your
> >> simple syrup a stir, let it sit for a few seconds and, if necessary,
> >> heat it in the microwave again for another 30-60 seconds, repeating as
> >> necessary until you have a clear liquid. You may set the simple syrup
> >> aside for now - you may also prepare the simple syrup later - up to you.
>
> >> 4. To prepare Boba, do the following:
>
> >> - put some boba and some water in a pot, bring to a boil. It's a bit
> >> like making rice - the exact amount of water is even less critical. Try
> >> 2-3 parts water to 1 part boba - you're going to throw away the cooking
> >> liquid, anyway. Cook on high until it boils, then lower the heat to a
> >> simmer.
>
> >> - let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every five minutes or so
>
> >> - let sit in pot afterwards for another 30 minutes.
>
> >> - rise your boba in a colander or strainer to get rid of most of the
> >> cooking liquid.
>
> >> - make a simple syrup if you haven't already. Use about as much sugar
> >> as you used boba - that's a rough guide.
>
> >> - combine the simple syrup and cooked, rinsed boba in a container on
> >> your kitchen counter and leave soak for at least an hour, preferably
> >> several hours.
>
> >> How to serve
>
> >> 1. Put green tea into a tall glass - no more than half full.
>
> >> 2. Add flavored syrup, stir well.
>
> >> 3. Add warm boba, which will fall to the bottom.
>
> >> 4. Add ice, drink through big straws.
>
> >> Saving and reheating boba
>
> >> 5. Put away the boba you didn't use. Any plastic or glass container
> >> should do. Refrigerate the entire batch as one. Your boba will keep
> >> very nicely this way for up to two weeks, maybe even longer. If your
> >> batch starts to seem a bit stale, freshen it by draining the liquid,
> >> rinsing again, and adding a fresh batch of simple syrup.
>
> >> 6. When you want to make another Bubble Tea, take as much boba as you
> >> require, put it into a microwavable container, and heat for about 30
> >> seconds. The boba should be warm, almost hot, and soft - if they're not
> >> soft, they're not hot enough.
>
> > Ooooo, thanks. I must remember to save this post. Does the texture of
> > the boba change during the time they are stored? I am kind-of picky
> > about the texture. You know... resilient, no tiny uncooked bit at the
> > center, not ultra-mushy...
>
> What is "boba" anyway? Tapioca isn't it? I've never recovered from the
> childish description of tapioca pudding as frog spawn and am still
> repelled by bubble tea.

I like my tea hot, so the point is moot for me. I take it that you're
not a big fan of squashed fly cookies.

Jerry
--
Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get.

Jerry Avins wrote:

> I like my tea hot, so the point is moot for me.

Plenty of people make hot bubble tea - again, read the Wiki and you'll
find it's quite a varied thing. People use black tea instead of green
tea, make it hot instead of cold, make it with milk instead of sweet
syrup.

The place that introduced this to me and my wife is a 2-mile walk from
our house, and we discovered it on a hot summer's day, so the tradition
for us is that it's a pleasing way to hydrate and get a bit of sugar
back into our systems when we're taking one of those hour-long-ish
summertime walks we enjoy. But you could have it however you like it.

The reason I posted my way of making it is that so many people have
asked me about it, and everyone seems to think it's complicated, but
it's really not any worse than making rice. You cook the boba in water,
you soak them in simple syrup, and they're ready to add to your favorite
tea, be it hot or cold, sweetened or with milk or both.

> I take it that you're
> not a big fan of squashed fly cookies.

Garibaldi biscuits/cookies sound like a fine thing to me although I'd
probably have pay a pretty penny for them at a UK specialty shop over
here.

-S-

Jean B. wrote:
> Steve Freides wrote:
>> Bubble Tea is a favorite warm weather beverage here. I've organized
>> my notes on how I prepare it - here you go, and hope someone out
>> there in cyberland finds this helpful.
>>
>> -S-
>>
>> Everything you need to know about making your own Bubble Tea


> Ooooo, thanks. I must remember to save this post. Does the
> texture of the boba change during the time they are stored? I am
> kind-of picky about the texture. You know... resilient, no tiny
> uncooked bit at the center, not ultra-mushy...

That's purely a judgement call on your part. The web site I gave a link
to has a better grade of boba, if memory serves - maybe you'd prefer
that. You really do just have to do it and see what you think. The
store where we used to buy bubble tea would make a new batch every day,
but I honestly can't tell the difference between today's batch and
something that's been in the refrigerator for a week. Your mileage may
vary.

-S-

Steve Freides wrote:
> Jean B. wrote:
>> Steve Freides wrote:
>>> Bubble Tea is a favorite warm weather beverage here. I've organized
>>> my notes on how I prepare it - here you go, and hope someone out
>>> there in cyberland finds this helpful.
>>>
>>> -S-
>>>
>>> Everything you need to know about making your own Bubble Tea
>
>
>> Ooooo, thanks. I must remember to save this post. Does the
>> texture of the boba change during the time they are stored? I am
>> kind-of picky about the texture. You know... resilient, no tiny
>> uncooked bit at the center, not ultra-mushy...
>
> That's purely a judgement call on your part. The web site I gave a link
> to has a better grade of boba, if memory serves - maybe you'd prefer
> that. You really do just have to do it and see what you think. The
> store where we used to buy bubble tea would make a new batch every day,
> but I honestly can't tell the difference between today's batch and
> something that's been in the refrigerator for a week. Your mileage may
> vary.
>
> -S-
>
>
Thanks--and yes, of course. I suspect that I'd have to tinker
with the cooking time a bit. I am interested to see you can't
tell the difference between the freshly cooked boba and those that
have been stored. One of the reasons I have hesitated to try this
is that I wouldn't want to make the boba every day, and if they
didn't store successfully, one would have to make a microscopic
batch of them.

--
Jean B.

Sqwertz wrote:
> On Sun, 24 Apr 2011 23:16:42 -0400, Steve Freides wrote:
>
>
>> The Tapioca "boba" or "pearls"
>>
>> 1. Visit http://bubbleteazone.com/boba.htm or just do a web search
>> on "bubble tea supplies" and order three things:
>>
>> Boba (or pearls)
>
> Can't you just use regular pearl tapioca from the box or in the bulk
> bins at Hole Foods? or is that stuff not consistent enough?

I honestly don't know - when I'm there, likely one day later this week,
I will ask if they have it.

-S-

> I've never been a pearl tea fan, I prefer my drinks in liquid form,
> but my brother and his Taiwanese wife (yuppies in downtown San Jose)
> probably drink it every day.
>
> -sw

Sqwertz wrote:
> On Sun, 24 Apr 2011 23:16:42 -0400, Steve Freides wrote:
>
>
>> The Tapioca "boba" or "pearls"
>>
>> 1. Visit http://bubbleteazone.com/boba.htm or just do a web search on
>> "bubble tea supplies" and order three things:
>>
>> Boba (or pearls)
>
> Can't you just use regular pearl tapioca from the box or in the bulk
> bins at Hole Foods? or is that stuff not consistent enough?
>
> I've never been a pearl tea fan, I prefer my drinks in liquid form,
> but my brother and his Taiwanese wife (yuppies in downtown San Jose)
> probably drink it every day.
>
> -sw

I think that even the largest pearl tapioca might be a tad to
small for this. The boba usually fit nicely into the
large-diameter straw. As I say this, though, I am thinking that
the agar strips don't fit the straw snugly and the straw still
works.

--
Jean B.

Sqwertz wrote:
> On Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:16:16 -0400, Jean B. wrote:
>
>> I think that even the largest pearl tapioca might be a tad to
>> small for this. The boba usually fit nicely into the
>> large-diameter straw. As I say this, though, I am thinking that
>> the agar strips don't fit the straw snugly and the straw still
>> works.
>
> I'm surprised the Powers That Be haven't made it illegal yet. Have
> they at least required posting of "Choking Hazard" signs in places
> that serve bubble tea? Or refuse service to children under 12?
>
> It is a recipe for disaster, after all. You're supposed to suck balls
> (no pun intended) up through a straw which requires you to have your
> airway open - a perfect time to deposit a ball of sticky goo right
> between your epiglottis and your trachea.
>
> I looked up Deaths VIA Bubble Tea, and I only found one of them
> (unconfirmed). OK, so I was curious.
>
> -sw

Yes, I have seen signs about the choking hazard in some places.
That "some", however, would indicate it isn't mandatory. It is
interesting that you only found one death.

I will be near a bubble tea both today and will try to remember to
scrutinize it. I don't recall this one having a sign.