SIP of SC 🍵

APASA’s Sip of SC, as told from the perspective of APASA’s Marketing Director Cody Mizuguchi!

On Friday, 9/25, APASA hosted SIP of SC, a re-imagined virtual event of our previous semesters’ Taste of LA. Prior to the occasion, 30 Factory Tea Bar boba kits were shipped out to those who RSVP’ed, while our Co-Business Relations Chair, Christy Zheng, hustled to get everything in place for the event’s entirety. 

Unlike last year’s Taste of LA event, which was #cancelled because of ‘Rona, we were excited to adapt and revive it virtually. The night unfolded into a bubbly affair, bringing us together to brew tea, slurp jjpaguri² and connect through exchanging meaningful conversations and insights.

Before I knew it, my computer’s clock hit 6:00 pm when everyone began filing in on Zoom. With our webcams on and grumbling tummies waiting to cook and feast on boba and instant jjapaguri, we eagerly sat in anticipation ready to kick off the jamboree. It was at that moment when HE, everyone’s beloved Master chef, took reign of the spotlight to lead the event’s cooking portion. Who is this chef you may ask? Bobby Flay? Guy Fieri? Even better, APASA’s talented, brilliant, incredible, and spectacular Mr. Gabriel Chen*: Mastermind. Connoisseur. And a Principle Business Leader. 

The event quickly transitioned into a HOWCAST, specifically, “How to Boil Water 101 [with Gabe] - the hour-long edition” (just kidding, it took only approx. 10 minutes). You had to be there to see it, though everything turned out just fine.*  Upon blasting Joji and BLACKPINK & Selena’s ‘Ice Cream’ in the background (a classic BOP, I know), everyone was hard at work, adding their ingredients in and concentrating to perfect their culinary masterpieces. It almost felt like watching the Food Network Channel, but LIVE. 

Once everyone was finished and Gabe could retire as head chef, we were placed into breakout rooms, where we socialized with our peers. It was great seeing a mix of new and familiar faces, and hearing everyone bond through the struggles of our current virtual reality. Despite not holding the event in person, or hear Gabe do his signature *Chinese* Gordon Ramsey impression, the event was truly immaculate—filled with humor, deep talks, and a chance to spend some quali-TEA time with one another.

If you’re interested in making boba at home, follow this simple six step recipe, courtesy of Factory Tea Bar¹.

• Boil water and cook boba for 30 mins

• Put 6oz hot water and mix 1/2 the brown sugar bag to create boba sweet liquid.

• Put cooked boba in the boba sweet liquid for 10 minutes so boba can be sweet.

• Put tea leaves in 28 oz hot water 90-95 Fahrenheit for 3 minutes for jasmine or 5 mins for black tea leaves. Take out leave when done.

• Pour the white milk tea powder into tea, stir well when tea still hot. Adjust to put the brown sugar in the bag as you want. Add sweet boba, ice and enjoy your boba milk tea at home.

Pro TipS: 

• What does 6 oz. look like if you don’t have a measuring tool? (Just remember it’s about a cup, or about the size of a small fist )³.

• Oh… and please remember to stir your boba often, just so it won’t stick!

• Enjoy!

* Disclaimer: No fires or participants were harmed or occurred during the duration of the event. And of course, we love and appreciate you Gabe: thank you for your services and of course, for not burning the house down :-)

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¹ As an acknowledgment, we’d like to thank Factory Tea Bar for supporting and donating their boba kits to us for this event! We are extremely appreciative of their generosity, and couldn’t have hosted this event without them! Be sure to check out their Instagram page (@factoryteabarusc) and support their business in the future!

² a Korean savory dish fusing Jjapaghetti + Neoguri noodles (this is for all you Parasite fans out there)

³ Shoutout to Kiki Liu for your insight!

Thanks for coming, everyone!!