YIELD: 1 SERVING

2 oz. cooked tapioca pearls

1 oz. flavored syrup, optional

1 cup ice

10 oz. orange juice

1. To cook tapioca pearls, use 1 cup tapioca pearls and 7 to 8 cups of water. Place water in large pot and bring to a boil; add tapioca pearls. Cover and boil 25 minutes. Remove 1 pearl; cut in half to check if tapioca is cooked through. If center of tapioca is still mealy, continue cooking and check every 5 minutes. When pearls are thoroughly cooked, turn heat off, cover pan and let tapioca sit in water for 25 minutes. Rinse in warm water; drain.

2. Place cooked tapioca pearls in bottom of clear glass. Pour syrup over pearls, if desired. Place ice on top of pearls and fill to top with orange juice.

Serving suggestion: serve with straw just slightly wider than tapioca pearls. (Find pearls and straws at Asian specialty markets).

Photo and recipe: Florida Department of Citrus