Forever trapped in a hailstorm of fizzy, heart attack-inducing drinks, the average college student doesn’t have much of an opportunity to branch out into more exotic alternatives. College is a time for experimentation, however, and that includes the liquid side of one’s diet. Instead of merely switching from Red Bull to Jolt Cola this semester, my advice is to take a cue from the Far East and experience a longer, lingering delight in beverage consumption.
I’m referring to boba, a drink craze that has swept East Asia and America’s West Coast over the last 10 years. Boba is a simple tea remarkable mainly for its tapioca balls, which are the most fun part of the drink. The exact origin of boba is unknown, although some sources credit Taiwan with the honor. It’s certainly not as trendy as a double grande mochaccino frappe-what-have-you, but it has developed a loyal following in a relatively short time.
American vendors tend to market boba under names ranging from bubble tea, pearl tea, QQs and even the regrettably cutesy “chewies.” The tapioca comes in the form of inch-thick, often black gobs of pudding that are lightly sweetened to contribute to the overall flavor of the tea in which they are submerged. If the prospect of snorting mysterious black pods disturbs you, most providers consider the boba to be optional.
Boba can be made at home. Purchase tapioca pearls wherever you can find them, either online or at an international supermarket, and boil them in water for half an hour. Allow the boba to soak in the water for another half hour before draining and rinsing them in cold water. Boil a solution that is three parts water, two parts white sugar and one part brown sugar. When this has been removed from heat, place the boba in it to soak for an additional half hour.
Tea, water, iced coffee and milk (or creamer in its stead when you are using a fruit flavor) can serve as the liquid base. Nothing particularly special characterizes the tea itself. Remember to put the tapioca pearls in first, because most of the fun is in extracting them and watching their shadowy figures creep up the straw. To recreate the ambiance of the typical bubble tea den, try to get your hands on some oversized drinking straws. Otherwise, you’ll be left unceremoniously spooning out tapioca in between sips.
In Washington D.C.., numerous tea houses offer boba, including Wok & Roll and Tam’s Szechuan in Chinatown, China Caf? III in Dupont Circle and three Teaism locations in Dupont, Lafayette Square and Penn Quarter. Neighborhood malls are also jumping on the bubble tea bandwagon by the dozens.
Maybe I seek a worthy foe in the game of bubble capacity to see who can fit the most tapioca in his or her mouth at one time, or maybe it’s just the look in someone’s eyes as that first dark bundle begins its long trek along the expanse of straw from cup to mouth. Either way, when introducing someone new to the world of bubble tea it’s best to let them discover the slimy, shocking reality of the contents themselves; no description of texture or sensation could ever do it justice. You’ll never view, or taste, bubbles the same way again.
