How To Make Bubble Tea

As my Bubble/Boba Tea addiction has been spreading, I have been getting many inquiries about what it is and how to make it!  I previously wrote a blog about the background of the delicious drink and figured it was about time that I wrote a step by step instruction blog.  Enjoy!  And please let me know if you have any questions.

If you want to view the blog about what Bubble Tea is check it out: Bubble Tea: My Addiction

Today we decided to make Apple Cinnamon Honey Dew Bubble Tea :)  it was the most delicious combination of flavors yet!

Ingredients:
2 Cups Pearl Tapioca
3 Tbsp Honey (You can also use simple syrup if you prefer)
Apple Cinnamon Tea
Milk (I used Rice Milk)
4-5 squirts of Honey Dew flavored syrup
Wide Straws (Straws with Tapered ends make getting any remaining tapioca easier at the end of the drink)

Directions:
Get a sauce pan to a roiling boil with about 4 Cups of water.  (It is imperative that the water is boiling before you add the tapioca or it will turn into goop)
Prepare Tea
Strain out 2 Cups of Pearl Tapioca to shake off any loose powder.
Add the pearl tapioca to the boiling water and stir continuously for about 10-15 minutes (they should be a little bit chewy).
Pour into a strainer and run cold water on the tapioca to keep from sticking together.
Add 3 Tbsp Honey to a Container with a lid, heat up for about 15 seconds.  Add the tapioca to the Container and top just barely with cold water.  Stir until the honey is thoroughly mixed in.  
Pour the brewed tea in to a Large glass (possibly a pilsner glass) about 3/4 or a little more full.  Add 4-5 squirts of the Honey Dew syrup.  Put 2-3 Large spoonfuls of the Tapioca into the glass.  Top off with any kind of milk you would like, I used rice milk.  Place the straw into the cup and stir thoroughly.  Enjoy!

First you need the Tapioca! 

Put about 2 Cups of tapioca in a strainer and shake it around a little bit to get rid of any loose powder

Select a tea that goes with the flavor you want to use

Bring water to a rolling boil

Brew the tea

Add the tapioca and stir continuously

Pour the tapioca into a strainer and run cold water over top

Get the honey out

Add honey to a seal able container

Microwave for 15 seconds

Pour the tapioca into the container and top with water

Pour the brewed tea into the serving glasses about 3/4 of the way full

Add the honey dew syrup to the tea

Add 2-3 spoonfuls of the pearl tapioca

Top with Milk

Pick a wide straw to use

Add the straw to the glass, stir thoroughly and serve!

Was it REALLY Worth It?

In this blog I would like to share my comments on some stories of people who killed or attempted to kill other people over some of the dumbest stuff.  Please feel free to comment.

First we are going to talk about a mother who stabbed her 17-year old son to death in a dispute involving ice cream.  Really?  Ice Cream?  You would rather kill your own son for some ice cream?  How did you manage to not kill him for the previous 16 years?  How is there not something to be done to save kids from situations like this?  I have to say that at least the mother only stabbed her son one time as opposed to multiple times.  However, it only took one stab wound to the chest to lead to her son's death.  The mother Robin Erwin did at least call 911, except that her initial claim was that her son had walked into a knife..  No one ever said which kind or flavor of ice cream lead to the death....  Apparently the police also seized 130 grams of marijuana as well.  Guess the munchies took over in this case.
Mom Stabbed Son Over Ice Cream

In an eye gouging case we visit Xulam Holman who REALLY REALLY wanted the remote control.  So badly in fact, that it caused him to gouge out his uncle's eyes.  This wasn't even about fighting about what was on tv.  Holman apparently used his thumbs to gouge out his uncle's eyes because the remote control was merely missing.  This event took place on New year's Eve after Holman had already pushed his elderly uncle down the stairs.  Holman's uncle reportedly lost one eye and has limited vision in the other as a result of the attack.  Holman was sentenced to 14 years.  Wouldn't it just have been easier to get up off your lazy butt and change the channel???
Eye Gouging Scuffle

In case ice cream wasn't enough, we had a 13 year old girl who killed her grandmother's husband over milk.  Granted the guy seemed like a real asshole.  Labrina Brown and her grandmother's husband did not seem to get along very well.  She had reportedly pulled a knife on him several times previously.  On the morning of the killing, Labrina had poured herself a bowl of cereal and asked her grandmother's husband for the milk.  He decided it was a better idea to pour a glass for the baby and then pour the remainder of the milk down the sink so that Labrina couldn't have any of it.  Anyone who has ever poured themselves a bowl of cereal and then realized that they were out of milk, know the anger and frustration that this can lead to.  However I don't know that I have ever actually wanted to kill anyone because of it.  She readily admitted to police what she had done and showed no remorse. 
Killing for Milk

Have you ever had a concert that you just HAD to go to?  For 39-year old Robert Lyons this was an Avril Lavigne concert.  And he wanted his mother to arrange sky box tickets for him.  When she didn't do so he became enraged and hit her with a champagne bottle twice. After which he stabbed her 9 times.  If that wasn't enough he doused her body in household cleaners and insecticides.  Afterwards he went to a local Hooter's restaurant where he was apprehended by police.  Lyons apparently suffered from bipolar disorder.  I guess Avril was more important than his mother's life. 
Avril Lavigne worth killing for









We end the night with another tv related murder.  Clarence Newcomb killed his grandmother over what to watch on tv.  Clarence apparently strangled his grandmother over what to watch on tv.  The show in question was never specified, but it seems like Clarence was  very ungrateful grandson that was 25 and being supported by his grandmother.  His friends reported that he showed up at their house confused and carrying a baseball bat.  He has admitted to killing his grandmother after the altercation. 
Grandmother killed over a tv show