About Tapioca

Why don’t we see tapioca more often? Clearly, all of its “fish-eye,” “frog-eye” and “freshman’s tears” nicknames don’t help improve tapioca’s reputation. But despite generations of derision, tapioca is as comforting as a pudding can be, the equal of rice pudding in innate appeal and even gentler on the palate.

Tapioca is ground from the root of the starchy cassava plant, which is also called manioc and sometimes “tapioca plant.” Native to Africa, where cassava is a staple starch, the plant grows in several tropical regions.