Thursday, June 16, 2011

Bubble Tea

Are you ready for a fun summertime drink. If yes, pick up some tea, milk sugar, tapioca pearls and a large straw. We are making bubble tea.

You may have seen bubble tea at the mall or at some beverage kiosk. It is all the range in Asia where it may be called pearl shake, boba tea, momi or zhen zhu nai cha. Basically, bubble tea is strong black tea with sugar, milk and tapioca pearls.

At the heart of bubble tea is the tapioca pearls. When I first ventured out to buy them I was unlucky and just bought minute tapioca. Minute tapioca is fine for pudding and gravy but it does not have the same wow factor as tapioca pearls. The minute tapioca does create the bubbles but they are smaller. I finally found tapioca pearls at an Asian grocery store. If you unable to get yours hands on tapioca pearls you can certainly use the minute tapioca and a smaller straw. Cheers!







Bubble Tea

4 cups water
½ cup tapioca pearls
1 teaspoon sugar
1 ½ cups strong black tea
1 ½ cups milk
sugar to taste
ice



In a large pot bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the pearls. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let set for another 15 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Divide pearls among two large glasses. Mix tea, milk and sugar in a pitcher and pour into glasses. Add ice and straw. Enjoy.



National Tapioca Day is June 28th

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Parfait Perfection

What makes a meal or dessert perfect? Is it the taste or the preparation? I have often asked this question. To have both would make the dish a winner. Well then, consider parfait the winner.


As summer slowly falls upon us, so does the need and want of tasty easy food prep. Ice cream is the first choice for summer time treats. A parfait (a French word which means perfect) is most likely the best example of an ice cream dish. Layers of ice cream, fruit and whipped cream. It is the perfect summer treat, easy and delicious.


But not all parfaits are desserts. Many restaurants are now serving savory parfaits. Layers of meat, gravy and potatoes. This too is perfect. Sweet or savory the parfait reigns supreme when it comes to prep and taste.


June 25 is National Strawberry Parfait Day