Bubble Tea

Bubble tea is a tea beverage typically served cold. It originated in Taiwan in the 1980s, first spread to nearby East Asian countries, migrated to Canada before spreading to Chinatown in New York City, and then to various spots throughout the West Coast of the United States.

There are many variants of the drink, depending on types of tea used and ingredients added. The most popular kinds are "bubble black tea", "bubble green tea", and "pearl milk tea".

In the most common English usage, the name "bubble tea" is often associated with pearl milk tea, as it is the most popular variant of the drink. Pearl milk tea, also known as "boba milk tea", is traditionally made by adding boba balls (made from a mixture of tapioca and carrageenan powder), large or small, to shaken milk black tea. Some tea houses use pre-mixed milk tea to simplify the steps and reduce cost, thus removing the "shake" part from step and lessening its connection to the "bubble tea" name. This has caused some confusion as to what "bubble" is referring to in pearl milk tea.