What is Bubble Tea?

Many of you have perhaps heard about Bubble Tea, but wondered what it is, how to make it, where it originally came from and how can you experience it. This drink which has a tea base (such as green or black) combines elements such as cream powder or sweetened condensed milk. While adding the basic elements which are needed to be shaken well (not stirred) for a good taste, the formed bubbles in the drink are known as "bubble tea", "boba", "boba nai cha" or "zhen zhu nai cha". This traditional bubble tea is usually served in a 16-ounce clear plastic cup with a big fat straw.

Where does Bubble Tea originally come from?

Bubble Tea which originally comes from Taiwan has become very popular across the United States. During the past decade, bubble drinks have spread into cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver, Seattle, Toronto and New York. Bubble drinks are usually cool and sweet with tapioca pearls sitting on the bottom of a clear cup. Sometimes the drink can be flavored with powder or juice/syrup to create another healthy drinks such as Strawberry Green Tea, Almond Milk Tea and so on.

What is Tapioca?

Tapioca pearls are black, but can sometimes be white or transparent. Depending on the ingredients of the pearl, the color varies. Tapioca pearls are mostly from tapioca starch or Cassava (tropical plant with starchy roots from which tapioca is extracted). To form the black tapioca pearl for bubble tea, the tapioca starch is heated with water and caramel into a thick paste which is then run through the sieves to form pellets. The consistency of tapioca pearls is somewhere between jello and gummy bear, and the shape is round and black after being prepared.