Tapioca Pearls for Bubble Tea

3 ounces dry tapioca pearls
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Boiling water

Add tapioca pearls and half of the sugar to boiling water in a large bowl. Stir quickly to separate pearls and dissolve sugar completely. Let stand for 3 hours or until pearls are soft on the outside and pasty in the center when squeezed between thumb and index finger. If stirring them makes the water really cloudy, they have been over-soaked.

Drain tapioca pearls, retaining the water. Put water and remaining sugar in saucepan and bring to a boil. Add soaked tapioca pearls and lower heat to medium-high. Simmer, taking a pearl out every minute and eating it. You have to sample it in order to see how cooked it is as every tapioca pearl brand has a different cooking time. The cooking time ranges from 1 minute to even 10 minutes. The pearls are done when the outside is soft, and the center is chewy.

Put cold water in a bowl; drain pearls and put into cold water to stop cooking.

Yields about 1/4 to 1/2 cup, depending on the size of the pearls.

NOTE: If you don’t keep the pearls in the water, they’ll dry out and turn inedible. However, keeping them in water overnight turns them into mush, so eat them as soon as possible.

Spiced Tea

1/2 cup tea leaves (such as Earl Grey)
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 quart water
3 oranges
3 lemons
3 cups granulated sugar
1 gallon water

Cut a large square of cheesecloth. Wrap tea and spices in cheesecloth; tie tightly with string. Place in a large saucepan in 1 quart boiling water. Boil 5 minutes. Steep overnight.

Add sugar and juice of oranges and lemons. Mix well, then mix into a gallon of water.

Lychee Coconut Bubble Tea

Some bubble tea shops use milk powder rather than fresh milk or a combination of the two to achieve the desired creaminess.

A 230 gram package of dried/raw bubble tea pearls will make about 10 portions. Other fresh fruits such as papaya and mango make tasty substitutions.

1/2 cup chilled, cooked bubble tea pearls
1 cup crushed ice
1 cup canned lychees with syrup or fresh pitted fresh lychees OR
    other fresh fruits such as mango and papaya
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup homogenized milk or cereal cream
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
Honey or sugar, to taste

Place pearls in a large parfait glass. Combine all remaining ingredients in a blender and blend for 1 minute or until mixture is frothy and creamy. Pour into glass and serve with extra thick straws.

Makes 1 (16 ounce) drink.

Iced Lemon Grass Tea

8 stalks fresh lemon grass
1 quart water
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, or to taste

Rinse lemon grass stalks; slice into thirds. Crush stalks with side of cleaver or mallet; place in saucepan with the water. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Add sugar, stirring to dissolve. Cool, strain and serve over ice.

Iced Chai

7 cups water
3 Darjeeling tea bags
4 thin slices fresh ginger
1 vanilla bean, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1 cup milk
6 tablespoons honey

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Add tea, ginger, vanilla bean, cinnamon and bay leaves. Simmer for 5 minutes, adding milk near the end of the simmering time.

Stir in honey. Remove from heat, cover and steep for 3 minutes. Strain through a sieve to remove spices. Chill.

Serve over ice.

Makes 1 quart.

Classic Bubble Tea

The tea should be very strong. A Hong Kong-style tea or Ceylon Black tea is recommended. If using coffee, espresso is a good choice.

1/2 cup chilled, cooked bubble tea pearls
1 cup crushed ice
1 cup very strong chilled black tea
1 cup homogenized milk, or to taste
Honey or granulated sugar, to taste

Place pearls in a large parfait glass. Combine all remaining ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake rigorously until mixture is frothy. Pour into glass and serve with large-diameter straws.

Makes 1 (16 ounce) drink.

Southern Fruit Tea

Tea bags for 2 gallons tea
1 1/2 quarts boiling water
2 cups granulated sugar
1 (48 ounce) can pineapple juice
1 (12 ounce) can frozen orange juice
1 (12 ounce) can frozen lemonade

Place tea bags in bowl or pitcher. Pour boiling water over tea bags. Add sugar, stirring to dissolve. Let tea bags steep in sugar water several hours or overnight. discard tea bags. Pour tea into a large bowl. Add juices, stirring well. Pour equal amounts into two one-gallon jugs. Add water to each to fill jug. Refrigerate. Shake well before serving.

Makes 2 gallons.