Bubble Teas: A new tea trend
For quite some time now, bubble tea has been a craze in many countries around the world. It has been one of the most sought-after drinks globally despite not really having bubbles in it, and sometimes, not even tea.
But what is driving this new popular trend? What makes it so special to people that they, and even including myself, have been standing in line at different locations bubble tea is available just so they can have one? The answer is that it simply is good.
What is Bubble Tea
Bubble tea (also know as Boba) is a drink that is usually made from tea, fruit extract, coffee, or milk with added delicious and chewy tapioca pearls. The flavors available can vary from honeydew, strawberry, mango, lychee, peach and a whole lot more.
However, not a lot of people who crave this amazing drink know that bubble tea can be served to you either as a cold drink or a hot one. So where did this drink come from?
Bubble tea, also known as Boba tea, originated in the beautiful country of Taiwan, specifically in Tainan and Taichung somewhere around the 1980s. It has several alternative names like tapioca tea, and pearl milk tea.
While some would say that the name bubble tea comes from the tapioca pearls added to the drink to symbolize bubbles, it is not entirely true. Boba is the Taiwanese slang for pearls but the name bubble tea actually refers to the milk froth that is formed when the drink is shaken.
As for the tapioca pearls, they come from an extract of cassava roots. The extract is naturally gluten free, is first made into flour and eventually, mde into pearls.
After the marble-sized pearls are formed, the tapioca pearls are then cooked in boiling water until they reach the right tenderness needed for the drink. The cooked pearls then are soaked in a syrup that will make them sweet.
What Are The Flavors Available?
For the flavor of your bubble tea, the choices are almost limitless.. Aside from the classic pearl milk tea, there are several “classic” flavors like Thai Milk tea which is based on Ceylon tea; Matcha Milk tea which usually is based on latte, and Lychee Green tea based on green tea and lychee syrup.
Add to these the growing list of other flavors like Mango Green tea, Strawberry Frozen Iced tea, Jasmine Milk tea, Roasted Milk tea, and you begin to see how easy it will be to find a favorite.
What About A Homemade Version
Now, for those people who have a huge craving for bubble tea but do not have the time to go to the mall or to any of the nearest bubble tea shops, no need to worry as you can actually make your own version of bubble tea in the comfort of your home.
What you need to make the bubble tea are tapioca pearls, tea, milk, and sugar syrup. If you also have a fruit extract at home, you can also include it for extra flavor of your bubble tea. You can make the tapioca balls and the sugar syrup ahead of time and keep them in the refrigrator.
INGREDIENTS
Uncooked tapioca
Sugar Syrup:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
Milk Tea:
3 ounces milk
3/4 cup black tea (yo can use grren tea or whatevr other tea you like
1 ounce sugar syrup
1 cup crushed ice
Optioal - add a flavored syrup like mango, strawberry, etc.
1/3 cup cooked tapioca pearls
INSTRUCTIONS
To cook the tapioca, pour the tapioca into boiling water. Boil, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Remove from the heat, place a lid on the pot and let it sit for 20 minutes. Drain, and form into balls about the size of marbles. Coat lightly in the sugar syrup.
To make the sugar syrup, combine the white sugar, brown sugar and water in a small pot. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
To make the bubble tea, combine all ingredients for each flavor (except the tapioca balls) in a blender and pulse until smooth. Pour the tapioca balls into a tall glass and pour the slushie on top. Enjoy with a bubble tea reusable straw!
What More Do We Need To Know About Bubble Teas
Despite the growing industry of bubble tea, there are still some other hindrances and obstacles along the way that the shops have been facing. One of the biggest as of yet, is the gradual banning of the usage of straws due to environmental concerns that are slowly arising.
Being in the beverage market, this gives the franchises a bit of a problem as they have to find several alternatives for straws. Fortunately, this allows them to be more creative and more imaginative on how to innovate in the very hectic bubble tea market.
Nevertheless, there is still really good news for people who want bubble tea straws.
The Last Straw - The Best Bubble Tea (Boba) Reusable Straw
The Last Straw, the world’s first slide-apart, easy to clean, reusable straw is already making its own waves in the international market. Not only because it is reusable, it is also very much environment friendly.
What makes it unique? It slide apart for easy cleaning – no brush required – so there will be no threat of mold or any mildew, making it healthier for users.
And since we are talking about bubble teas here, there is also the specific reusable straw available for bubble tea fanatics. The Last Straw has a particular straw for drinking of smoothies, and especially, bubble teas. Not only will the use of reusable straws save you money, it will also be a big help for the conservation of our Mother Earth while in turn being a lot healthier than with the usage of plastic straws.
All things considered, bubble tea fanatic or just wanting to try the pearls, supporting the conservation of our nature should be part of our every day existence as people of the planet.
There you have it; basic information that someone needs to know when talking about bubble teas, or boba teas, or pearl milk teas or whatever we call it.
There are still lots of amazing unexplored stories behind our beloved drink that are yet to be told, but this should get you ready enough to take your first sip of this amazing drink if you are yet to try it, or another glass of it if you have been enjoying this precious refreshment for quite some time now.
And don’t forget to buy some reusable Boba Tea straw here.
Tags: Bubble Tea, Boba, Reusable Straws, Tapioca Balls