{"id":39051,"date":"2021-08-13T00:15:37","date_gmt":"2021-08-13T07:15:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iamafoodblog.com\/?p=39051"},"modified":"2021-08-13T01:05:43","modified_gmt":"2021-08-13T08:05:43","slug":"boba","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iamafoodblog.com\/boba\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Guide to Boba"},"content":{"rendered":"

Everything you need to know about bubble tea, including types, toppings, how to order, and where to get the best boba tea.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nowadays, it seems like you can go anywhere \u2013 even small town America \u2013 and see at least one shop that sells boba. But, what the heck is boba, where did it come from, and how do you drink it? As a long time boba addict, let me take you into the wonderfully sweet and chewy world of boba!<\/p>\n

My first taste of boba was in the 90s, just like much of America. Next to the Asian grocery store we visited every weekend was a tiny shop that seemed to pop up overnight. The signs were in a mix of English and Chinese and the nice shop owners explained to everyone curious that boba nai cha (bubble milk tea) was the most popular drink all over Taiwan.<\/p>\n

I LOVE boba. Boba runs through my veins.<\/h3>\n

I mean, not really because the pearls would get stuck, but I love boba tea so much I would have it every single day of my life, twice a day. It\u2019s my go-to treat: creamy and sweet with a fun chew. It comes in so many flavors with so many toppings that I\u2019m pretty sure I could have a new kind every day for a really long time.<\/p>\n

\"chun<\/picture><\/p>\n

What does boba tea taste like?<\/h2>\n

The classic boba milk tea is creamy and sweet with the essence of tea. The pearls are chewy with a tiny bit of mild sweetness. Boba milk tea is comforting and refreshing. If you take your tea with milk and sugar, you have an idea of what boba milk tea tastes like. The pearls add a pleasant chewiness similar to how gummy candies are chewy.<\/p>\n

What is boba?<\/h2>\n

Boba is a broad term: it can refer to chewy black tapioca pearls or to a category of drinks sold in a boba tea shop. It\u2019s kind of an umbrella term so you\u2019ll hear people say they\u2019re having boba when they\u2019re having a slushy fruit drink boba OR a pumped up drink topped with cheese foam and oreos. Essentially, people use boba as a catch all phrase for all the delicious drinks sold in a boba shop. It\u2019s also called boba tea, bubble tea, tapioca milk tea, or pearl milk tea. Originally the bubbles in bubble tea referred to the bubbles in shaken tea and not the pearls at all.<\/p>\n

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Boba milk tea<\/h2>\n

The most common and standard boba is boba milk tea, which strongly brewed tea mixed with milk and sugar shaken vigorously with ice and served with glossy black tapioca pearls. You get a thick straw so you can suck up the pearls and tea at the same time, simultaneously giving you something you drink and chew.<\/p>\n

Where is boba from?<\/h2>\n

Maybe it seems like boba came out of no where, but the truth its, it\u2019s been around since the 80s. Just like other popular foods out there, there are a couple of shops that claim to be the first ever creators of boba tea. Milk tea is not a new thing and chewy tapioca balls aren\u2019t new either – they\u2019ve been around in Asian and South East Asian desserts for a long time. The combination of the two together came together in Taiwan in the 80s.<\/p>\n

The two shops that claim that they were the first are Chun Shui Tang and Hanlin Tea Room. The rumors go, Chun Shui Tang was already serving cold tea and they were looking for ways to improve sales. The product manager, Lin Hsiu Hui put some tapioca balls into her iced tea and thus boba milk tea was born. It\u2019s not too clear on how Hanlin Tea Room invented boba milk tea but they claim to be the first as well and have been around since the 80s.<\/p>\n

\"half<\/picture><\/p>\n

The tea\/base<\/h2>\n

Boba drinks usually start with a base: either tea or fruit. Teas can range from black, green, oolong, and matcha. Fruits are pretty obvious, they can come as fruit juices or blended up with ice as fruit slush.<\/p>\n

Milk<\/h2>\n

To the tea or fruit base, you can add milk, like the ever popular boba milk tea. When boba first came around the milk was a creamy mix of evaporated milk and condensed milk or non-dairy creamer, but now you can get all kinds of milk, depending on how hipster the boba shop you\u2019re visiting. There are places that do soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, almond milk, you name it, if it\u2019s milky, you can probably add it to your boba. The milk section also includes things like yogurt or yogurt drinks like Yakult.<\/p>\n

Boba tea flavors<\/h2>\n

There are a plethora of flavors added to boba via syrups, powders, or fresh ingredients. Some common flavors are: taro, coconut, almond, black sesame, melon, ovaltine, chocolate, mango, lychee, matcha, and the list goes on. Each boba tea shop will have it\u2019s own list of curated flavors.<\/p>\n

\"alfred<\/picture><\/p>\n

Toppings<\/h2>\n

The name toppings is kind of a misnomer because the toppings actually sink down into the bottom of your cup, but most boba shops refer to their mix-ins as toppings. You can get as many toppings as you like, making boba drinks infinitely customizable. Most toppings have a pleasant chewiness or \u201cQQ\u201d which means bouncy, chewy, and satisfying.<\/p>\n

Pearls<\/h4>\n

The most popular and common topping for bubble tea. Balls of tapioca boil and simmer until chewy and tender, then soak in either brown sugar, sugar, or honey. They are subtly sweet, chewy, and absolute perfection when done right. All boba shops cook their pearls daily because they harden and don\u2019t last overnight or in the fridge.<\/p>\n

Coconut or lychee jelly<\/h4>\n

Coconut jelly or nata de coco is coconut water set with gelatin. It comes in little clear rectangles and is a touch more crunchy rather than chewy. Sometimes they flavor the jelly with lychee and boom, it\u2019s lychee jelly. Coconut and lychee jelly go great in tropical fruit based teas that don\u2019t have any milk in them.<\/p>\n

Aloe vera<\/h4>\n

Aloe vera are clear jellied cubes that are harvested from the gel inside of large aloe vera leaves. They\u2019re loaded with antioxidants and vitamins. Aloe ver is super refreshing, juicy, soft, and jelly-like with QQ. They\u2019re soaked in syrup so they have a bit of sweetness and are they\u2019re great in teas or fruit drinks that don\u2019t have milk.<\/p>\n

Pudding<\/h4>\n

This isn\u2019t your regular pudding cup pudding. Instead, think of pudding-like flan or custard. Essentially, it\u2019s a jiggly custard made from eggs, cream, sugar, and gelatin. It\u2019s extra creamy and soft with a bit of texture. You can suck it up through a thick straw and it pairs perfectly with creamy milk teas making them extra luxurious. The standard pudding flavor is vanilla but sometimes they have mango, taro, almond, or black sesame pudding too.<\/p>\n

Grass jelly<\/h4>\n

Grass jelly comes made from a plant that\u2019s in the mint family. It\u2019s a bit firm and can come either cut into small cubes or giant soft scoops that are easily sucked up through a straw. Think of it like jello but with a refreshing, slightly sweet, and herbaceous flavor. It goes great with milk tea and coffee based drinks and is lower calorie than boba making it a popular choice.<\/p>\n

Red bean<\/h4>\n

Red bean is an incredibly popular dessert\u00a0\u00a0flavor in asian desserts and red bean boba is delicious! Adzuki beans simmer until tender with sugar, making them starchy, chewy, and fragrant. They go great in milky teas and matcha based drinks, giving them an earthy, sweet chew.<\/p>\n

Foams<\/h4>\n

Foams are relatively new development in the boba world. Whipped foam toppings come in a huge array of flavors and is a fun and fluffy way of adding creaminess to boba. They have things like tiramisu cream, sea salt cream, and cheese tea. The idea is that the foams\/whipped toppings are a liquid fluffy mousse or cheesecake that add an extra dimension of texture and flavor.<\/p>\n

\"xing<\/picture><\/p>\n

Ice and sugar levels<\/h2>\n

Boba is all about customization and two of the basic customization questions you\u2019ll get are: ice and sweetness. Boba comes warm\/hot, which is perfect in the fall and winter. Ice and sugar can range from full ice\/sugar to less ice\/sugar. Boba shops usually have a handy little chart for you to look at with the ice and sweetness levels.<\/p>\n

From sweetest to zero sugar:<\/h4>\n

Extra sugar
\nRegular sugar
\nLess sugar
\nHalf sugar
\nLess sugar
\nNo sugar<\/p>\n

From cold to hot:<\/h4>\n

Extra ice
\nRegular ice
\nLess ice
\nHalf ice
\nNo ice
\nWarm
\nHot<\/p>\n

Packaging<\/h2>\n

After your boba master gets your order, they\u2019ll make your drink according to your customizations and pop everything into a cup, either plastic or paper, depending on the store. The cups are sealed with a paper or plastic film and they give you a thick straw with a pointy tip so you can puncture the lid and get to the goodness. Some shops have switched over to tops that aren\u2019t sealed and have pre-made holes for you to pop straws into.<\/p>\n

The best way to poke the straw in is to place the cup on a stable surface, position the straw on top of the lid with one hand while using the other hand to firmly push down on the top of the straw.<\/p>\n

Most boba places have switched to paper straws and you can even get reusable straws made out of metal or glass.<\/p>\n

Hot drinks are usually served in a typical to-go coffee cup with a spoon so you can scoop out your toppings.<\/p>\n

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What type of boba should I get?<\/h2>\n

Is this your first time?<\/h3>\n

If yes: Go for the classic milk tea, cold, with pearls. Choose your ice and sweetness according to your preferences.
\nIf no: go to the next question!<\/p>\n

Hot or cold?<\/h3>\n