Tiny Bubbles

This past year, I have become a junkie. Before you go plotting your interventions, I am not suffering the same throes of addiction as the more glamorous LiLo's and B.Spears. Nevertheless, my addiction is equally crippling. I suffer from mood swings when I can't get my fix. I crave a "hit" at all hours of the day; I lie awake at night thinking about my next encounter with my sweet elixir.

What is it that has me so hot and bothered? What keeps me tossing in bed at night? It's not crack, crystal meth or black tar heroin. It is, however, an exotic import. From the far shores of the Asian Isles, I am enslaved to the flavor and fun of Bubble Tea.

Bubble Tea? WTF is that, you ask? Well, for those of you not in the know, Bubble Tea is a drink craze from Asia. According to Wikipedia, Bubble tea is a tea beverage that originated in Taiwan in the 1980s. The tea features tapioca balls; the balls are often called "pearls," and are consumed along with the beverage through an extra wide straw. Bubble tea is especially popular in many East Asian and Southeast Asian regions such as China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. More recently, the drink has popularized in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The drink has gained in popularity in the US, branching out from regions with large Asian populations (like New York and San Francisco's ChinaTowns). The drink is sometimes referred to as Boba Tea. Boba is children's Mandarin slang for "nipple," as the tapioca pearls somewhat resemble a round nipple.

Essentially, the drink is a base of green or black tea and a flavoring (usually fruit). Added to the cup are tapioca pearls (these are the black balls in the glasses pictured). These pearls are gelatinous, and have a gummy texture - like soft gummy bears. The result is a beverage that can be both sipped and chewed. It's a unique mouth experience. The drinks are served over ice, or in the form of slushees and smoothies. Often times, the drinks are flavored with exotic tastes like Taro and Lychee. Sometimes, the drink is served with "jellies" instead of the typical pearls. The jellies are slivers of gelatin - usually in a fruit flavor. Typically, the teas are either fruit flavored or milk teas. The milk teas would be more similar to a Chai or an iced latte.

Being of Asian descent myself, I'm always open to trying new things. I am fortunate to live in a culturally diverse area - with many ethnic groups represented in their own neighborhoods. By venturing off the beaten path, and trying some of these wonderful restaurants and neighborhood shops, you can find some really amazing things. You might even develop a new "addiction."

You can find me, at least once a week, at my favorite Thai/Vietnamese/Chinese fusion place...bubble tea firmly in hand and a smile on my face. Addiction....ain't it great?