What is bubble tea? If you haven’t heard of this Asian drink sensation, you’re bound to hear about bubble tea sooner or later. From Taiwan to Hong Kong to San Francisco to Castro Street to our very own Sweet Shop in Wilbur Marketplace, bubble tea has made its presence known to college campuses and the community beyond.

If we were to mention bubble tea about a decade ago, probably no one would have any idea of what we were talking about. However, during the 1990’s, a “bubble tea” craze swept the streets of Taiwan, and made its way throughout Asia. The United States was the next stop, with tea shops introducing the drink in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Seattle and New York ("Origin").

So that takes us back to the question of, “What is bubble tea?” and “What is it about bubble tea that has everyone craving for more?”

By definition, bubble tea is a concoction of tea, milk and ice, plus marble-sized balls of tapioca that hover near the bottom ("Bubble Tea"). It's served with a straw wide enough to let you suck up the slick tapioca balls - a somewhat strange sensation if you're not used to it. The pearls, or “boba”, are much bigger than the balls used in tapioca puddings, and have up to a diameter of 6 millimeters. Bubble tea comes in a wide assortment of flavors, from coconut to Thai iced tea to lychee to possibly any flavor you can imagine!

While the taste is remarkable and delicious, bubble tea has been shown to be a healthier alternative than coffee, and milk tea is far healthier than the rich concoctions served up by Starbucks and similar establishments. Even the tapioca bubbles are a nutritious component made from cassava roots which actually supply modest but significant amounts of iron and calcium. Some bubble tea drinkers even consider tapioca a promoter of regular bowel movements ("History").

But where did the bubble tea as we know it to be today come from and how did it wind up with all these strange names (bubble tea, boba, pearl milk tea, etc.)? Let’s continue on to find out!

References

“Bubble Tea.” 06 Mar 2006. Wikipedia. 10 Mar 2006. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_tea>.

“History of Bubble Tea.” 05 Jun 2000. Bubble Tea Supply. 10 Mar 2006. <http://www.bubbleteasupply.com>.

“The Tale of the Bubble Tea Origin.” 03 Mar 2003. Jorbins. 10 Mar 2006. <http://www.jorbins.com/food-drink-magazine/articles/bubble-tea-origin.php>.

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The History of Bubble Tea

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