What Are the Bubbles?
An incredibly unique-looking beverage, Bubble tea is a Taiwanese recipe made by blending a tea base with milk, fruit and fruit juices, then adding the signature “bubbles” - yummy tapioca pearls that sit at the bottom.
These delicious fruit or tea infusions can be served either piping hot or iced cold, making a tasty and ever-so-quirky drink and snack. Bubble tea is served in see-through cups with a fat straw so that - as you sip - the tapioca balls (also known as “pearls” or “boba”) come shooting up and can be chewed as you swallow down the delicious liquid. It’s called bubble tea both because of the tapioca balls, and the floating “bubbles” created by the vigorous shaking involved in its blending.
Its quirky look is part of what’s made it an Instagram sensation, with influencers the world over posing with their bubble tea.
Who Invented Bubble Tea?
There is no documented evidence about the invention of bubble tea, but as with many teas, there is a story around it! Rumour has it that the blend first appeared in Asia in the 1980s. Just visit Taiwan or Hong Kong and you can’t help but notice the unique bubble teashops on every corner. Taiwanese tea stands became very popular in the 1980s as a post-work pick me up and place to hang out. This created a certain competitive atmosphere in the tea market, and merchants started searching for and creating ever more inventive variations on their teas and beverages.
It is said that a teahouse called Chun Shui Tang in Taichung began serving Chinese tea cold – having adopted the idea from Japanese-style iced coffee. Just a few years later, Chun Shui’s product development manager, one Ms. Lin Hsiu Hui was bored at a staff meeting. On the spur of the moment, she decided to dump her Taiwanese dessert called fen yuan—a sweetened tapioca pudding—into her Assam iced tea and drink it. It was so good that they decided to add it to the menu, where it soon became the franchise’s top-selling product. Soon after seeing the success of this drink at one teahouse, concessions all over Taiwan started adding tapioca pearls and different fruit flavours to their iced teas, and so began bubble tea as we now know it!
From Taiwan, its popularity has spread throughout China, Australia, the United States, and now right here in the UK.
What’s It Like to Drink?
Tapioca pearls, which sit at the bottom of the cup have a chewy consistency somewhere between jelly and chewing gum. You can get different flavoured pearls and they are usually black, but sometimes white or transparent, making the drink look rather similar to a passionfruit.
What Does Bubble Tea Taste Like?
A sweet, cool refreshing and really delicious treat. It comes in as many flavours as there are teas and fruits, so you can pick and choose.
What Does It Look Like?
Served in a transparent cup to show off its bubbly qualities, bubble tea can be made in a wide range of ways. As well as using the aforementioned varieties of fruit infusions and teas, fresh fruits, crushed ice and milk are often features - a very fancy milkshake indeed. After popping all the ingredients together, it needs a thorough shake to blend it all together. James Bond would approve.
Earl Grey Bubble Tea Recipe
For some bubble tea making inspiration, check out our recipe blog here.
Like the sound of bubble tea? Why not try the latest tea craze, cheese tea?
Types of Tea in Bubble Tea
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I'm no stranger to the world of tea, and bubble tea is a fascinating concoction that has captivated taste buds worldwide. My own journey with tea has involved delving into its rich history, diverse varieties, and the cultural nuances that surround it. Now, let's break down the concepts in the article about bubble tea.
Bubble Tea Composition: The article highlights that bubble tea is a Taiwanese recipe, blending tea with milk, fruit, and fruit juices. Tapioca pearls, referred to as "bubbles," are a signature addition. This unique concoction is served in transparent cups with a fat straw, allowing the tapioca balls to shoot up as you sip, creating the iconic "bubbles."
Origin and Evolution: While the exact origin of bubble tea is shrouded in mystery, the narrative suggests its emergence in Asia during the 1980s. Taiwan, especially, played a pivotal role, with tea stands becoming popular post-work hangouts. The innovative twist came when Ms. Lin Hsiu Hui at Chun Shui Tang teahouse combined her Taiwanese dessert, fen yuan, with Assam iced tea, giving birth to the franchise's top-selling product. This innovative move triggered a trend across Taiwan and, subsequently, other countries.
Tapioca Pearls: The tapioca pearls at the bottom of the cup are described as having a chewy consistency, resembling something between jelly and chewing gum. They come in different flavors and colors, adding a playful element to the drink.
Flavors and Appearance: Bubble tea is praised for its sweet, cool, and refreshing taste, with a myriad of flavor options to choose from. Served in transparent cups, its bubbly qualities are showcased, and the article notes the inclusion of fresh fruits, crushed ice, and milk, giving it a milkshake-like quality.
Popularity and Global Spread: From its roots in Taiwan, the popularity of bubble tea has surged globally. It's mentioned to be a sensation in the UK, having gained significant traction in China, Australia, the United States, and beyond.
Culinary Creativity: The article emphasizes the inventive variations in teas and beverages in the competitive tea market of the 1980s. This creativity led to the incorporation of tapioca pearls and different fruit flavors, shaping bubble tea as we know it today.
With this breakdown, it's evident that bubble tea is not just a beverage; it's a cultural phenomenon with a rich history and a blend of diverse flavors and textures.
