Yahoo news outlet Shine recently declared that bubble tea is over. Technically, bubble tea (or "boba tea") was named for its froth when it was created for schoolkids in Taiwan, but when it came to North America, the boba tea varieties with tapioca pearls or other gummy bits became known as "bubble tea" and the other shaken "bubble teas" of Taiwan were pretty much left out of the picture.
Although bubble tea is Taiwanese, its popularity was fueled by bahn mi (Vietnamese sandwich) shops and all kinds of coffeehouses. It's enormously popular in some cities, especially on the West Coast and in New York City. (I remember seeing multiple bubble tea shops within a few blocks when I lived in New York City, and am within walking distance of a few spots in Portland, Oregon.) The meteoric rise of bubble tea is enough to make many people say it has peaked, but bubble tea still has a loyal following, mostly amongst high school and college students.
If you're worried about your boba tea shop closing and putting an end to your boba addiction (or you just don't want to order a passe drink in public!), you can also make bubble tea at home. If you prefer your bubble tea with tapioca, check out this recipe for tapioca pearls. Then, use the tapioca pearls to make basic boba tea with pearls or make homemade bubble tea. This video on bubble tea may also help you with the finer points of making boba with tapioca pearls.
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Although bubble tea is Taiwanese, its popularity was fueled by bahn mi (Vietnamese sandwich) shops and all kinds of coffeehouses. It's enormously popular in some cities, especially on the West Coast and in New York City. (I remember seeing multiple bubble tea shops within a few blocks when I lived in New York City, and am within walking distance of a few spots in Portland, Oregon.) The meteoric rise of bubble tea is enough to make many people say it has peaked, but bubble tea still has a loyal following, mostly amongst high school and college students.
If you're worried about your boba tea shop closing and putting an end to your boba addiction (or you just don't want to order a passe drink in public!), you can also make bubble tea at home. If you prefer your bubble tea with tapioca, check out this recipe for tapioca pearls. Then, use the tapioca pearls to make basic boba tea with pearls or make homemade bubble tea. This video on bubble tea may also help you with the finer points of making boba with tapioca pearls.
Do you tweet? Follow About Coffee/Tea on Twitter.
Are you on Facebook? "Like" About Coffee/Tea.
Interested in learning more about tea? Sign up for the free, easy Tea 101 e-course.
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