Few things in life are as simple and satisfying as a bowl of piping-hot soup. But to enjoy it to its fullest, having the right utensils on hand is essential. Enter the SOOP Spoon, the newest addition to BOMSHBEE’s elegant line of minimalist tableware.

Growing up in Hong Kong, co-founder William Lau says he was inspired to modernize the humble soup spoon after recalling fond memories at large family get-togethers, where his loved ones connected over shared meals – many of which featured soups on the menu.

“Traditionally in Hong Kong, soups are served before or after the main courses,” says William. “Soups and broths are very special in Chinese and Cantonese cuisine, and many people believe that a meal isn’t complete without soup.”

In Chinese culture, soups are inextricably linked with healing and traditional medicine. They’re believed to help restore balance in the body through specially selected ingredients with medicinal properties, such as herbs, vegetables, meats, eggs, noodles and even dried fruits. More than just a delicious side dish, Chinese cooks carefully plan their soups according to seasonality and take several hours of patient preparation.

Asian-style soup spoons, which can hold generous amounts of soup in their flat, oval-shaped heads,  are ideal for these kinds of nourishing remedies. And that’s why for many, these traditional spoons are more than just humble utensils for enjoying a warm bowl of broth – they embody centuries of cultural heritage and culinary traditions.

“We wanted to create something that pays tribute to the classic ceramic Chinese-style spoon while reimagining it for the modern table,” says William. “Something that would pop in front of the eye and on camera. Ultimately, we decided to use smoke-colored borosilicate glass to craft our SOOP Spoons – a first for Asian spoons.”

As the primary material in BOMSHBEE’s best-selling Angle glassware collection – comprising elegant highball glasses, versatile water tumblers, and go-anywhere Barrel Cups – borosilicate glass is prized for its durability, heat-resistance, and crystal-clear quality. William and his team work closely with a family-run factory in China’s Hebei province, located a few hours outside of Beijing, that handmakes all of their premium borosilicate glass products.

Keen to further elevate the new SOOP Spoon without veering too far from its time-honored blueprint, the team at BOMSHBEE decided to tweak the handle to make it longer and more curved – easier for all hand shapes and sizes. “I remember when I was little, before we could use chopsticks properly, we had to use spoons for our meals, which was usually dishes like braised pork mince or steamed fish over rice,” says William. “So I wanted to design a handle that’s easy for anyone, including small children, to hold and maneuver at meal times.”

The spoon’s wide, flat bowl also delivers an ideal broth-to-noodle ratio and makes it easy to pick up and enjoy delicate foods like tofu or fish. It’s highly versatile, too – ideal for kitchen tasks like measuring out spices, tasting sauces or marinades or serving up rice, side dishes, or desserts.

William points out that BOMSHBEE’s new SOOP Spoons also feature a thoughtful nod to another Asian-inspired product in the company’s collection. “These spoons complement our Chop Chopsticks, as they feature the same unique teardrop-shaped handle. It’s subtle, but we felt connecting these two pillars of Asia’s culinary heritage was important.”

Ready to dig in? BOMSHBEE SOOP Spoons USD$20 will be available to order online from October 1st. Order today to be among the first to try our modern take on classic Chinese soup spoons.

Originally from Taiwan, bubble tea – commonly known as boba or pearl tea – reigns supreme as the undisputed champion of all year round beverages.

Icy cold and refreshing, it offers a perfect balance of ambrosial flavors and satisfying textures. For the uninitiated, bubble tea at its simplest is a combination of black tea, milk, sugar, and “bubbles” –  springy tapioca pearls that give the drink its signature chew.

But as boba culture takes the world by storm, the variations have multiplied exponentially. Modern twists on the drink swap green or oolong tea for black or even decaffeinated fruit-infused tisanes. And in many cases, boba lovers can experiment with their toppings, adding everything from jelly, pudding and red beans to a frothy layer of salty cheese foam.

The drink is so popular that it’s even made its way into foods – think boba pearl toasties, pancakes, and even pizza. So how did it make its way from Taiwanese delicacy to global sensation? 

Well, it’s a little contentious. Two Taiwanese tea vendors claim to have created the drink in different cities in the mid-1980s. Tu Tsong He says that he mixed green tea and white tapioca pearls called fenyuan in his Tainan tea shop, Hanlin, while an employee of the tea chain Chun Shui Tang says she was the first to think of it.

The debate over provenance came to a head in a Taiwanese courtroom when a protracted legal case ruled that the beverage was simply too ubiquitous and universally loved to belong to any shop or person. Bubble tea – it was decided – was the people’s drink. 

Since then, boba has exploded in popularity. It spread quickly to neighboring regions like Hong Kong (where sweet milk tea was already a staple), mainland China, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore, where bubble tea shops became popular hangouts spots for young customers, who would line up in droves to sip the hybrid concoction and socialize with pals.

In the 1990s, the craze migrated globally as Taiwanese and other Asian immigrants introduced it to communities abroad. The playful nature of boba captured people’s curiosity, and the advent of social media further fueled the bubble tea craze, turning it into an Instagram-worthy snack with lasting appeal.

Today, boba culture is stronger than ever. Globally, the bubble tea market is expected to grow to $4.3 billion by 2027, while a whopping 94% of people between the ages of 20-29 reported buying boba tea in the last three months, so we don’t see the bubble bursting anytime soon.

It’s also safe to say that bubble tea has become more than just Taiwan’s most iconic export. It has evolved into a symbol of youth subculture, and a delicious representation of Asian identity and diaspora.

And while it’s often enjoyed out in the buzzing bubble tea shops in cities around the world, you can whip up a cup of boba to enjoy at home this summer with one of our favorite recipes:

---

The Recipe: Pearl Green Milk Tea
Yields: 1 serving
The Glassware: BOMSHBEE’s Angle Taper DOF

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 oz. of vanilla ice cream, cubed if possible
• 2 oz of brown sugar boba
• Matcha powder
• Milk or milk alternative of your choice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Whisk matcha powder with warm milk until it’s smooth and blended well. Set aside.
2. Add vanilla ice cream cubes to your glass.
3. Slowly add boba, gently shaking the glass so the tapioca balls rest in the bottom.
4. Pour the matcha mix over the top and gently stir so the ice cream melts.
5. Enjoy!