By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
A new Hays food truck is promising to offer sweet treats to tickle the tongue and warm the belly.
Curtis and Brooke Deines of Hays will be opening Suck It Up Bubble Cup after the first of the year.
They will be serving bubble teas, milk teas, hot teas and a variety of other sweet and savory treats. Bubble tea is a sweet treat that started in Taiwan in the late '70s and early '80s, Curtis said. It is just now becoming popular in the U.S.
You can have tea hot, cold over ice or in a smoothie or slushie.
The bubble teas have flavor balls added. Traditional bubble tea has tapioca balls or "pearls" in the bottom, but now you can also get popping or crystal pearls.
Fruit syrup is added to a tea base for a fruit tea to which pearls can also be added.
The couple said they want customers to be able to experiment with new flavors, such as rose, lavender, papya or matcha.
"We got some rose in, and I was surprised," Brooke said. "I didn't think I would like it because I typically don't like floral-tasting things. My mouth felt like a rose smells."
Kids might want to try bubble gum or cookies and cream.
In the beginning, Bubble Cup will offer flights so customers can sample new flavors.
"I want people to come to us with ideas," Brooke said. "That's part of the fun of doing this is trying to create new flavors and not just have the plain, basic, ordinary things.
"We want to encompass that we are fun and want to try things. We want people to have fun when they come and order."
Another special treat the food truck will offer is Hong Kong egg waffles. They are cake-like round treats on a stick.
The business will offer 12-, 16- and 24-ounce drinks. A mid-range drink will cost between $5.50 and $6. The business will be offering gift cards.
The couple is waiting for the last of their equipment to arrive.
They don't have a schedule yet, but they plan on attending special events and festivals in Hays. A property owner near campus has promised them space to park the food truck. They hope to be accessible to Fort Hays students in the coming semester.
Several downtown businesses have expressed interest in partnering with the Bubble Cup for events. The Deines' also said they are interested in participating in the Hays Downtown Market.
"Our downtown is thriving, and there's always people there," Curtis said. "We want to be a part of that."
They have also considered setting up at Big Creek Crossing. The couple also said they would be willing to do private parties.
The Deines' are trying as much as possible to source materials from the local area, including honey and coffee.
Neither Brooke nor Curtis have owned a food business before. Brooke worked in food service when she was in school, and both have been volunteers for local concession stands.
"I love [working concessions]. You're working and making people happy because everybody's happy when they are getting food and drinks," Brooke said.
Both Brooke and Curtis plan to keep their day jobs. Curtis works for the city of Hays, and Brooke is a child care provider.
Curtis said this new business is their second wind.