Sunday, April 22, 2007

I love Boba.



For the last few weeks, I have had this craving for Boba (Bubble) Tea. I think that it started after I went into this tiny Chinese Handicrafts store in a mini strip mall that I pass daily on my way home from work. The sign outside, “Bubble Tea” sparked my curiosity. The first time that I tried it was down at Uwajimaya a few years ago. I remember thinking that while good, it was quite the surprise to take a sip through such a large straw and have these balls sucked up through it. I remember thinking it was something that could definitely grow on me, being that Tapioca was never my favorite thing as a kid. I did love that drinking a beverage also meant that you got to chew on something, which to me makes having an iced tea all the more exciting. I also remember being fascinated that there is a machine that actually seals the beverage on top, and in order to consume, you must poke your fat colorful straw through the plastic seal complete with an Asian cartoon. How fun is this?

We live fairly close to the U district, which is filled with ethnic food options and at least 5 bubble tea spots, so I decided to try them all out, when the urge hit..

The first place that I went into was fine, but while waiting for my drink, I chose to stand instead of sitting on their chairs that were filthy with what I will call “mystery stains”.

The second place was the best, and I had to laugh at the name of it, “Gossip.” I will definitely go back..

The third place was a bit of an interesting experience. It was called ‘WOW! Bubble Tea.’ Thinking that it was because, “WOW, this Bubble Tea rocks”, I went inside. While waiting for my Green Milk Tea, I took in the atmosphere. Being in the U district, the place was full of young students, giving it that after school youth group kind of feel. I actually felt old. Then, I looked over to a mural on the wall where it said, “WOW!” and underneath, it said, “Wonder Of Worship.”

Wait. What?

It was only then that I tuned into the Christian Rock being pumped out by the sound system and the accompanying cheesy video on the multiple screened large television in front of me that it dawned on me..

I think “WOW! Jesus Rocks…oh yeah, and Bubble Tea, too” is the more appropriate name for this place.. It was just so strange, the combination of Bubble Tea and Jesus. Who would have thought the two went hand in hand?

After consuming a record number of Bubble Teas this week, it dawned on me to look up the nutrition facts. A lot of these tea places use a non-dairy creamer mixed with powdered “tea” bases, I came to learn. I was a little discouraged too, to learn that each drink that I was getting had an upwards of 30 grams of fat! (don’t quote me on this, hopefully I am wrong) I watch what I eat for the most part, and I like to indulge like everyone else, but this was quite the shocker for me, especially because I have been consuming these like they are water.. I guess sometimes it is better not to know what goes into every little indulgence, but learning this made me want to create a similar drink experience at home.

I was able to find some tapioca at this new Asian Market nearby and I was so tempted to buy their “bubble tea mixes” but, I refrained for this was the whole reason I was here, to buy the Tapioca so I could make a refreshing and healthier alternative to the powdered Bubble Tea. What I came up with was definitely not quite as exciting as going out to get the tea, and, making Bubble Tea at home won’t quite take the place of this guilty pleasure of mine, but it wasn’t half bad!

Black Milk Tea with Tapioca Pearls, my way.

1 c milk heated and steeped with 2 tea bags. cooled.
½ c ice
2 Tablespoons Simple Syrup &
½ c prepared Tapioca Pearls

In a Cocktail Shaker, pour cool tea and ice. Close and shake. Place tapioca pearls in glass, pour tea over, and enjoy!




Monday, April 16, 2007

Help Save The Chocolate!!


The future of the American Chocolate Industry could be uncertain. As of recently, the Grocer Manufacters of America with support of the Chocolate Manufacturers of America (and Hersheys) is vying to change Chocolate so that it can be produced more cheaply. (They argue that they are thinking "outside the box"...) Today, most high quality milk chocolate is made from cocoa liquor (the chocolate part), milk, sugar, vanilla and cocoa fat (naturally occurring in the cocoa bean). The powers that be are petitioning the FDA to relax the ingredient guidelines so that Vegetable Oils can replace the natural Cocoa fats. Doing this would change everything that you know and love about chocolate; the texture, the mouthfeel, the FLAVOR.

(Chocolate candy does exist where the cocoa fats are replaced with vegetable oils..many lower quality candies already do this, but they have to call the chocolate, "chocolate coating")

Sees and Guittard will most likely stick to the current FDA standards for chocolate, as I imagine will the smaller boutique chocolatiers, which is a sigh of relief; but, this doesnt make the petition to loosen the ingredient guidelines any less disturbing. It is amazing what measures those will take, compromising quality and integrity, in the name of saving a buck. Sick.



Express your outrage here: www.dontmesswithourchocolate.com







Did you know that the average American eats 12 pounds of chocolate per year?

Monday, April 09, 2007

Why so Hot and Cross, Bun?

My memories of Easter aren’t of Jesus risen, they are of dying hard boiled eggs and finding hidden Easter baskets full of plastic grass and candy. As I got older, Easter became about eating. I remember in college, having dinners around Heidi’s Easter Tree (yes, there IS such a thing!), where everyone would cook something to feast on. We would clean house and play grown up, set the table with our mismatched plates, hand-me-down place settings and spotty silverware. Then, we would sit down to most random of random meals. Most likely we had a Ham, Karen’s homemade pot stickers, Heidi’s Deer Meat ‘Surprise!’ Casserole, Carrie’s famous Mac and Cheese, Garlic Bread from Safeway and maybe even a salad.. Of course, in these days, only the finest beverages were consumed as well.
Franzia boxed wine, 2 for 1 at Safeway.

This was long before I discovered my life’s work.

Working at the bakery is when I first really discovered Hot Cross Buns. Just the name has a certain comical ring to it.
I always picture a steaming angry bun.
We would bake these for days, to fill our special orders that were scribbled on pages of loose paper kept under the register. (Our sophisticated system) As hectic as they could be, I loved working the holidays. People were fired up and crazy..we were working at maximum speed, buns cooling on racks everywhere, buns being glazed, buns being baked, buns being packaged and labeled. Often around the holidays, I would have to pull a real bakers shift, and come in the late hours of the evening, just to be able to complete the next days work. (Normally, we baked during the day..)

But, I found it all so rewarding. As moody as people can get, they would usually crack a smile when given their bag of buns, still hot and not so cross.




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Saturday, April 07, 2007


I havent forgotten about you dear old blog...
Easter musings to come.

For now, enjoy a photo of my version of the Italian Easter Dove Bread, Colomba Pasquale
..in loaf form!




Colomba Pasquale is a bread similar to a Panetone, but instead of being studded with raisins, this rich bread is scented with vanilla bean, orange zest and candied orange rind. The top is washed with an egg white, almond and sugar mixture.
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