By Michaela Steil
Maybe it’s the satisfaction of poking your straw through the plastic cover on the cup or the surprise of the first boba that you sip (and is then followed by about ten more that overwhelm you), but I’ve always been a fan of bubble tea. As a long-time fan of bubble tea, I’m always trying to get more people to try it, but usually the first response I get is “I don’t like tapioca pearls.” Well good news, that may not be what the bubbles are referring to.
Bubble tea, also known as Boba, was first started and gained popularity back in the 80s in Taiwan. Supposedly, Bubble tea got its name because when all the ingredients are combined the drink is shaken, which in turn causes bubbles to form. In this case, if you don’t like tapioca, you can still enjoy bubble tea! Naturally, there are also theories that the bubbles do actually refer to the pearls at the bottom of the drink. Like with many other things, I guess it just depends on who you talk to.
The Jasmine Tea House located at Jasmine in the Wang Center.
The bubble tea trend first gained popularity back in the 80s. One of the reasons many younger people aren’t aware that bubble tea has been around that long is because we were too young in the first big wave of popularity. It was popular in the US in the 90s as well but then less popular in the early 2000s and now, obviously, bubble tea is back and bigger than ever. This generation didn’t discover bubble tea, but we sure are enjoying it.
Fun Fact: In 2012 in Germany, McDonalds served bubble tea at their McCafes. For about a year there was a huge rise in popularity of bubble tea in Germany, but it was more so the syrup bubbles rather than tapioca. These boba are filled with different flavored syrup so when they pop, you get a burst of flavor as well. You can still find these bubbles at some bubble tea shops and as fro-yo toppings as well.
There are really two main types of bubble tea: milk teas and fruit teas. Milk teas are, as their name suggested, a more creamy variation usually made with powdered creamer or milk. These are the drinks that are more pastel-y colors. Fruit teas are the ones that look a bit more like what we know as iced tea. These can be made with different bases, depending what you like– you can choose black or green tea, or even just water.
Next there are the toppings. At the Jasmine Tea House there is way more than just tapioca boba. They also have various jellies you can add to your drink. While my favorite is always going to be tapioca pearls, I also love the heart shaped jellies you can get.
So maybe it’s their sweet taste or maybe it’s their insta-worthiness, either way bubble tea is sure to remain a favorite. Give it a try, and don’t forget you can always customize it to your liking.
Sources and further readings!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_tea
https://www.thedailymeal.com/what-bubble-tea-and-where-did-it-come/12/03/13
https://www.bubbleteasupply.com/bubble-tea-history/
http://www.foodandwine.com/tea/bubble-tea-taiwanese-street-drink-turned-american-addiction
