Lets Get Popin Cookin!

I have come across something absolutely amazing. It is so fun!

It's called POPIN' COOKIN'

It is this incredible candy kit from Japan. You can make your own candy in the form of various food items such as: sushi, pizza, ramen, donuts, etc. I asked my bf for it for X-mas and he got it for me, yay. I got the sushi and donut versions.

Donut Kit

Sushi Kit

The instructions on the box are all in Japanese, but this wasn't a problem at all. The packets in each kit are color-coded and there are instructional pictures with the directions. So it is pretty easy to follow. There are also numerous videos on YouTube in case you want to see someone else making it.

Here's the making of the sushi kit:

Such cute packaging inside the box too

This is everything that comes in the kit

I made the rice on the right and you can see the egg and tuna for the sushi on the left.
You just mix the different powders with water and let it sit in the molds, super easy

I am making the ikura or salmon roe. It is so cool how it looks just like the real thing.
You just have to use a dropper and take the dissolved orange stuff (bottom left) and drop it in the top left container where I already dissolved some magical clear powder and then you have ikura, so cool.

This is my finished Sushi candies. Pretty good yeah.

You can see that it really does look like the picture on the box.

It also comes with candy soy sauce for the sushi, wow.

The sushi smells like Japanese grape candy and tastes like it too. But the texture is kinda gelatinous and weird. The ikura by itself tastes the best. It is so easy to make though and so nice looking that I didn't want to eat my creation.



Here's the making of the donut kit:

Super cute packaging for the donuts too

Everything that comes in the kit

You can see I already mixed the regular donut dough and separated it.
Now I am making the chocolate donut dough.

The molded donuts and the strawberry and vanilla icing.
Molding the donuts is kinda tricky as the dough doesn't stick together as well as I would like. I also had to whack the molds to get the donuts unstuck (sorry I forgot to take a picture of the molding process, too excited)

You can see I started applying icing to some of the donuts.
I just mixed the chocolate icing and am preparing it for the piping bag. 

The filled piping bag, ready to decorate donuts!

My fully decorated donuts with icings, sprinkles, and cookie crumbles.

Looks like the box picture to me

I thought the donut Popin Cookin was more difficult to make than the sushi one. It also took me longer to decorate each donut, but I think this kit was more fun. The donuts also smell like real dough, very tempting. The icing smells so good and tastes like real icing too. These donuts actually taste pretty good too, much better than the sushi ones. The texture is doughy and tastes like cake batter, not too bad.


I would definitely recommend Popin Cookin. It is so fun! They may not always taste so good, but the fun is in making candy that looks like real food. You can impress your friends and family or even one of your crushes. I would be super amazed if someone made this for me.

Obviously the easiest place to get Popin Cookin would be in Japan. All the ones I have seen are made by the company Kracie. You can order the kits from various websites but I think ebay sellers will be able to ship to most global locations. The kits are around $8-9 plus shipping, but it is definitely worth it. (I have also heard that you can find Popin Cookin in Hawaii in various Japanese stores like Marukai or Nijiya, but not sure)

Hawaii Juice Factory - Shirokiya

Upper Floor of Shirokiya
Ala Moana Shopping Center
1450 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814
http://www.yelp.com/biz/hawaii-juice-factory-honolulu

This place is great, always a go-to for me when I am at Ala Moana.

I ordered: Papaya Bubble Tea

• Taste: delicious and creamy real papaya flavor
• Bubbles: amazing chewiness and good taste
• Price: $5 for their only size - huge 24 oz

The best thing about this place is that all their bubble teas are made smoothie style with real fruit. They definitely make the best papaya bubble tea I have ever had. For some reason it is hard to find real fruit papaya in most bubble tea places. The papaya powder or syrup is just never the same as the real thing. This place also makes Snow Ice (Shave Ice's crazy cousin). They also have so many options to choose from: lychee, strawberry, guava, avocado, coconut.... It is a bit pricey at $5 but you get a huge real fruit smoothie which for me is a meal in itself. The consistently good quality and flavor variety is definitely worth it. I have never been disappointed by this place. 

Other flavors I recommend:

mango, green tea, coffee, strawberry, banana, lychee

Tip: don't forget to ask for their stamp card. Buy 10 get the next one free.

5 out of 5 Bubbles

Buffalo Wings

Believe it or not, some of the best buffalo wings in Buffalo are not from places such as the Anchor Bar or Duff's.
You can find them at a little place called Bocce Club Pizza. Trust me.
http://www.bocceclubpizza.com/
Multiple locations throughout Buffalo.

Anchor Bar and duff's sauce is way too vinegary, that is pretty much all you can taste. Plus Bocce's wings are baked so they taste better and are even a little healthier for you.

Bubbles and Buffalo

In Buffalo, NY for a few days. Visiting the bf's family. I've been here a few times before and I have come to realize if you are a bubble tea "connoisseur," like myself, then Buffalo just isn't the best place for you.

I have only come across 2 places here that sell bubble tea, so there aren't that many options.


Bingo's Dim Sum / Bubble Tea House
3202 Sheridan Dr
Buffalo, NY 14226
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bingos-dim-sum-house-buffalo

I guess this place is ok, for buffalo. Nothing very special about their bubble tea, just typical powders and syrups. Honestly I only went there last winter break, so i don't remember everything about it. From what I hear it is pretty much the same. Their dim sum was ok too, it isn't a real dim sum place where they come around with everything already on carts. That is their main drawback.

2.5 out of 5 Bubbles



Tea Leaf Cafe

4224 Maple Rd

Amherst, NY 14226

http://www.tealeafcafe.com/

Now this place is newer to Buffalo. It is right next to the AMC movie theaters so its location isn't bad.

I ordered: Hot Japanese Green Tea Milk Tea

• Taste: very nice, traditional green tea flavor, slightly sweet but not too much
• Bubbles: good texture and the taste was pretty good
• Price: $3.50 for 16oz. size

This place is really cute and has lots of tables and leather couches to sit at. They also serve a variety of regular teas, smoothies, and desserts. This is probably the best place for bubble tea in Buffalo. They also have many flavors to choose from so you will definitely find something for every palate.

4 out of 5 Bubbles

If I was in the mood for bubble tea I would definitely got to Tea Leaf Cafe over Bingo's.

Saint's Alp Teahouse

39 3rd Ave., New York, NY 10003

(between 9th St. & Bowery)
http://www.saintsalp.com.hk/

Part of a Hong Kong chain, Saint's Alp offers a wide variety of bubble tea along with a full food menu. I haven't eaten their food, but their menu looks good.

Today I ordered: Grapefruit Nectar with Citron Agar
(I got the jumbo size, which is the largest size, but not that jumbo, about 16 oz.)

• Taste: It tasted exactly like grapefruit, not to sweet, not too bitter and it was ice blended. LUV.
• Jelly: the citron agar was pretty good, i don't know if it was very citrus tasting, but it was slightly sweet. Firmer than fiber crystals.
• Price: $4.50, for NYC, this place is reasonably priced. Their small sizes are around $3.50, so not a bad deal.

I thought this drink was very refreshing. I was glad it had jellys instead of regular bubbles. I think the starch of the bubbles wouldn't have been as nice with the grapefruit flavor as the jellys were. I have also tried other flavors at Saint's Alps. Their almond milk and taro milk bubble teas are also delicious. Try them hot too, even yummier.

4 out of 5 Bubbles

TGiving Time

Thanksgiving is a few days away and I thought it would be nice to go over some holiday drink recipes. Yum. Well first I have never really seen any holiday themed bubble tea. HAVE YOU? So i tried to think of some. First off these are all recipes you may have to DIY, since I know of no bubble tea vendors that do so. (Don't forget to buy those big boba straws if you are gonna make it at home. Nothing worse than making it and having no way of enjoying the boba.)

Let's talk about making boba at home first. It really isn't as difficult as you think. You can find dried boba at many Asian markets. It is best to follow whatever directions are on the package.

Here's the brand I bought. They are green tea flavored boba. I think they are pretty tasty.

Bought at M2M in EVillage

The instructions on this are basically to boil the desired amount in water until they become plump and soft, 5 mins or so. (I recommend taste testing one). Then turn off the heat and let them sit for 5 mins. These won't stay soft over night so it is best to use them fairly shortly after preparing them.

This is what I thought of for drinks:

For those who love pumpkin, go to Jamba Juice and buy their holiday pumpkin smoothie. It tastes like pumpkin pie. Then you add the boba you made at home and voila holiday pumpkin boba!

I also thought you could experiment with either gingerbread, pumpkin spice, or peppermint syrups which are widely available for coffee. These syrups could be added to milktea or even coffee tea so you can create any flavor you like at home.

For those who don't want to buy their own boba, this is a recipe I think I'm gonna make.

I'll call it the HOLIDAY CREME MARTINI.

Basic version:

• Equal parts Bailey's and Spiced Rum.
• Shake with ice, strain into chilled martini glass. 
• Garnish with cinnamon powder or stick.

(Tips: the amount of liquor depends on the size of your martini glasses and the number of drinks you're making. For an individual drink I would first try 1.5 shots of each liquor. You can also add more Bailey's than rum if you don't want your drink to be too strong.)

Variations:

• There are several ways to alter this drink. 
• For a more creamy cocktail, add a splash of cream or eggnog at the end. 
• Try different flavors of Bailey's, like mint or caramel.
• Also you can garnish this drink with a mini candy cane or mint, depending on what you prefer.
• You can also drizzle some chocolate syrup on the inside of the martini glass. (I'm gonna try this one)

There are many other holiday drink recipes out there. But simple is usually the best and easiest.

For instance, good old apple cider and spiced rum, either hot or cold is a classic.
(If you're ever in Ithaca, NY. Stop my Cornell orchards and buy some of their cider. I swear the best I've ever had. Cornell dairy's eggnog is also damn fine.)

I hope this is of some use. Have a great Thanksgiving!

Types of Bubble tea

From my personal research I have found three main categories of  bubble tea: 

MILK  TEA

FRUIT TEA

SLUSH / SMOOTHIE

Milk Tea - The most traditional of bubble teas. As the name suggests, this category of bubble tea is comprised mainly of milk and tea. Various teas are used such as black, green, and jasmine. Often different flavoring powders or sweeteners are added. Served cold over ice or hot.
(My Go To: honey jasmine milk tea)

Fruit Tea - Simply tea and various flavoring without milk. Usually different fruit syrups are used. Generally served cold over ice.
(My Go To: lilikoi (passion fruit) green tea)

Slush/Smoothie - This type of bubble tea can be made with the same ingredients as milk tea or fruit tea but it is blended with ice.
(My Go To: matcha green tea)
Because this bubble tea is blended, real fruit may be used to make a healthy beverage. I think real fruit is always better than flavored powders or syrups.
(My Real Fruit Go Tos: taro/coconut, papaya, or mango)


Balls and Jelly

Boba with Jelly

Most bubble teas come with black tapioca balls (although a rare few offer green tea tapioca balls yum). Tapioca balls are soft and chewy semisweet balls, shockingly made from tapioca. However, many stores now supply other offerings in addition to / instead of tapioca balls.

I have seen stores offering different flavored jellies and even pudding. These jellys come in a variety of flavors at some locations. Pearl Delights at the Pearl Harbor NEX mall in Hawaii has by far the most options I have ever seen. First off they call their jellys "fiber crystals." Supposedly they are healthy, I really can't attest to this but they are delicious. They have many rotating flavors including coconut, almond, Kona coffee, jasmine tea, strawberry, aloe.... They also have bursting boba, which are similar to regular tapioca but they come in a multiple flavors (yogurt, li hing mui ...) and are filled with a juicy center.

The different combinations are endless.

Out Damned Spot!

Spot Dessert Bar - Review
13 St. Marks Place, New York, NY 10003

Yesterday I went to Spot Dessert Bar to try their bubble tea. Spot is a small place tucked below St. Marks street level. They have a small bubble tea menu since their main focus is desserts. I haven't tried their desserts but they looked really good. Although I hear they are expensive.

I ordered: Thai tea bubble tea
(if you've never had Thai tea, TRY IT, it rocks)

• Tea: very good, just like real Thai tea, not watered-down, not too sweet
• Bubbles: perfect consistency, with a slightly sweet flavor
• Price: super expensive imo, $4.75 + tax which comes out to over $5 for fairly simple bubble tea

The bubble tea was only 16oz (the grande size at Starbucks). For me the price of Spot's bubble tea is plain robbery. Especially since you can buy good quality canned Thai tea for less than $2 at a supermarket. 

Yes the quality of the bubble tea is good, but in comparison I can get the same size and quality Thai tea bubble tea from Bale in Hawaii for around $3.

I don't know if I would go back to try other flavors, the price is just too damn high!

My suggestion: If you're in the area and want bubble tea, skip Spot. Try Saint's Alp Teahouse (review forthcoming). More options, a little cheaper, and more seating.

2 out of 5 Bubbles

What is Bubble Tea?

History:
Bubble tea goes by many names: boba tea, momi, pearl tea....
There really is no right or wrong name.

Invented in Taiwan in the 1980's, bubble tea has become much more than the traditional milk, tea, flavoring, and tapioca ball concoction. Bubble tea has since become sort of a phenomenon, spreading throughout Asia and many other countries around the world. While I don't know the full geographic extent of its popularity, bubble tea is now widely found throughout the mainland U.S. Most often found in Chinatowns, Japantowns, Koreatowns, and areas of the same ilk.

I think part of bubble tea's popularity derives from its variability. It can be crafted to any individual's liking and the flavor options can be tailored to local tastes.

My Experience:
Growing up in Honolulu, Hawaii I experienced the introduction and explosion of the bubble tea phenomenon. I am not exactly sure when I had my first bubble tea, but I think it was from Pearl's Korean BBQ in Manoa Marketplace. Unfortunately, I remember their bubble tea wasn't very good. The tapioca balls were a bit hard and they used powder flavorings (not sure how it is now, or if they still make bubble tea there). But that was then. Now in Hawaii bubble tea is as common as shave ice. Almost every crackseed store (Hawaiian candy store) has it.

Personally, I have never had bubble tea from its Taiwanese birth place. So i cannot attest to its likely awesomeness. But in my opinion, the best bubble tea is from Hawaii. (I admit I am extremely biased, but it is true.)