An East Asian favorite
One of Taiwan’s most celebrated beverages, bubble tea comes in many shapes, forms, colors, and flavors. So popular that Southeast Asia saw a 3,000% increase in bubble tea orders in 2018 alone.
How the bubble tea world phenomenon started
This photogenic drink first appeared on the scene in Taiwan in the early 1980s when both milk teas and boba pearl desserts were already firm favorites. When the two ingredients finally made it into the same cup as a refreshing summer drink, it quickly gained popularity as a breakfast-on-the-go or quick snack. Fast forward to 2009, former British investment banker, Assad Khan had his first bubble tea and was so intrigued by the unique flavor and texture that he quit his job and launched Bubbleology in 2011. He opened his first shop in trendy Soho, London. From there, it didn’t take long for the beverage to become a fashionable lifestyle drink and grow into the global phenomenon.
Great balls of flavor
Traditional tapioca pearls have a very mild and slightly sweet taste. Flavor is then infused into the drink by soaking the pearls in syrup or adding jellies, fruits, powders, or other ingredients to the tea. You can also add flavoring directly to the tapioca dough with popular and easy varieties including honey, strawberry, or mango: simply blend the fruit, pass through a strainer and adjust the amount of water in the recipe to accommodate the fresh juice.
Traditional and new flavors
A classic bubble tea is sweet, creamy, and chewy with only four main ingredients: black tea, milk, sweetener, and tapioca pearls. Because the pearls are relatively mild in flavor, however, they can be added to almost any tea, and you will find a large variety on many menus. Must-try combinations include oolong tea, passion fruit and coconut jelly; sugar cane juice and green tea: or a red bean and grass jelly combo.
