Thanks to the fine folks over at Saute Wednesday and their article on bubble tea, I ventured out into the world during my lunch hour today. After touring the web for recipes and finding local recommendations in the Austin Chronicle, I went first to the Hong Kong market to get bubble tea ingredients and then to Coco's Cafe for a taro root milk tea with pearls. Delish!

Check out these sites for recipes:
Bubble Tea Online
About.com Chinese Food

I also bought some coconut jelly to use instead of the prepared tapioca pearls. I've had jelly milk tea and I think this is what they used. What the heck, it will be a little adventure. Picked up some chopsticks and Pocky, an Asian candy... cookie? Pocky comes in a variety of styles/flavors, and consists of a cookie/cracker stick about the diameter of a drinking straw and is usually dipped in chocolate. I got "Men's Pocky." The package says, "Crispy pretzel dipped in dark chocolate for the type of person who enjoys the finer points in life." I guess women aren't the type of people that enjoy the finer points in life? You can learn more and order Pocky at JapaneseSnacks.com.