Bubble Tea (Tapioca Pearl Tea)

Pearl tea, which is also commonly referred to boba or bubble tea, was first introduced in the 1980’s by a Taiwanese street vendor who created the sweet and usual cold beverage to sell to children after school. Bubble tea it is a tasty and refreshing beverage that is part tea drink and part dessert.

In just a few years, word quickly spread throughout Asia about the luscious, strange concoction of tea, milk, flavoring, ice and black tapioca balls (or pearls) that have a chewy consistency. These balls sink to the bottom of the drink and give it extra sweetness. An oversized straw allows you to enjoy the drink and savor the tapioca as it melts into your mouth.

If you want to enjoy bubble tea in your home, you can purchase kits that include the dried tapioca pearls, various powdered flavors of your choosing, and the larger straws necessary to get the full effect of the pearls.

In addition, there are party packs available that serve up to 25 people. Kits can be purchased from grocery stores, gourmet food and drink shops, and the internet.

These sweet dessert teas originated in Asia and, like most teas, were brought to the West by enthusiasts who knew they would make a big splash. Specialty teas have historically been a big part of Asian culture and are believed to bring good health and longer lives.

In the late 1990's, demand soared as scores of bubble tea parlors opened in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and all over South East Asia.

Then, the beverage's appeal came West and cafes began selling the unqiue tea beverage in almost every major Asian population center.

Recipes vary but include blending hot black or green tea with flavoring and/or milk and shaking with ice until chilled. Then cooked, sweetened tapioca pearls are added just before serving.

There are generally two types of pearl tea:

1. Fruit-flavored teas. Flavoring added to bubble tea can take the form of powder, fruit juice, pulp or syrup. Examples of popular flavors include berry, tropical fruit, banana, coconut and chocolate
2. Milk teas. Milk teas may be made with cream, milk or non-dairy creamers, which add a unique flavor to the beverage. Milk teas may or may not include flavoring.

The tapioca balls are made from the cassava root, a starchy root that originated in Central orSouth Americaand later spread worldwide. Preparation includes boiling the marble-sized balls for 25 minutes until they are cooked thoroughly and have a chewy consistency.

Next, the balls are cooled and, since they have little-to-no taste, are soaked in sugar, syrup or honey solutions.

Extra-large straws are needed to drink pearl tea and enjoy the refreshing, dessert-like beverage.

As popularity for the beverage continues, new recipes and variations are being introduced – some that do not even include brewed green or black tea from which pearl tea originated.

Some variations include:

• Changing the consistency to an icy slush-type drink
• Developing new, exotic flavors
• Creating easy make-at-home pearl tea kits

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