One of the favorite drinks in China: Bubble Tea

Bubble tea, also known as pearl milk tea, is a tea-based drink invented in Taiwan in the 1980s.
It quickly became popular at first across China and other Asian countries, then this new vogue spread rapidly all over the world.

The original recipe consisted of a mixture of black tea and condensed milk, to which small tapioca pearls and syrup, or honey, were added. Over the years the recipe was subjected to several variations: for the preparation usually black tea is used, but there are also variations based on green tea or oolong tea; instead of small tapioca pearls, they began to use larger tapioca pearls (black tapioca pearls, which “black” color is due to the addition dark brown sugar to the tapioca dough), coconut jellies, aloe, azuki bean or mung bean paste, popping boba, which are fruit juice or syrups spheres; they introduced also different fruit flavor of bubble milk tea like strawberry, mango, vanilla, taro and so on…

Today, there are store that specialize in bubble tea everywhere and you can drink it in the store or take-away. Commonly, more authentic bubble tea shops serve their drinks in cups that are sealed with plastic cellophane by using a machine. Bubble tea shops usually also offer desserts, like homemade cake, mille crepe cake…, and a variety of snacks.
Some shops offer special version of bubble tea like “Answer Tea” that is classic milk tea, but this drink’s uniqueness is when you order it or before you drink it, you can ask any question that will be answered to you.
Nowadays, bubble tea has become a widespread vogue, especially among young people.

By Valerio Chen