Bubble Tea

Some claim the fruity flavors of bubble tea are even more addictive than coffee.

In fact, the popular Asian beverage is popping up all over the United States. For example, at least six stores reside on one avenue in Starbucks Coffee's hometown of Seattle, Wash.

Bubble tea, which created an Asian sensation in the 1980s, made its way stateside in the late 1990s.

It began spreading in U.S. cities with large Asian populations, like New York and Los Angeles. According to the Columbia Encyclopedia, the United States' bubble tea industry has grown to a more than $50 million market in the decade since its American introduction.

Created in Taiwan, this beverage combines the elements of tea with dessert. Marble-sized pearls of tapioca distinguish the drink from its coffee and tea predecessors. These tasty tapioca treats provide a chewy sensation differentiating the drink from typical tea beverages.

Sometimes known as pearl tea or boba, the drink contains tapioca balls which have the consistency of jell-o. They sink to the bottom of the cup and are sipped through a thick round straw. Sometimes these tapioca balls are substituted with coconut, konjac, lychee or coffee jelly.

Bubble tea was initially created to capture the market of elementary school children in Taiwan. After school, children would typically run outside to purchase tea from local vendors. One particular vendor became popular after she started experimenting with different fruit-flavored teas. In 1983, vendor Liu Han-Chie added the tapioca bubbles to the flavored tea. The result was a wildly-popular, flavor-infused beverage.

To make bubble tea, vendors begin with a black or green tea base; flavors are then added. The most popular flavors include pineapple, passion fruit, strawberry and mango. Milk, cream or half-and-half can be added at this stage. Non-dairy powdered milk, when used, adds a distinct flavor and texture to the drink, differentiating it from milk-based or fruit-based variations. Finally, pearls of sweetened tapioca are added, giving the drink its trademark texture.

There are generally two types of bubble tea: fruit-flavored and milk teas. Bubble tea is usually served cold, either shaken like a cocktail or mixed with ice in a blender. It is never stirred. Cantonese-style bubble tea, however, is a warm beverage with added tapioca pearls.

There are many available recipes for bubble tea, but perfecting the tapioca balls proves to be the most difficult task. The tapioca balls are made by boiling Cassava roots for approximately 25 minutes, or until they are thoroughly cooked without losing pliancy. Since the pearls initially have minimal taste, they are rolled in cane sugar, brown sugar or honey. Though they can survive for up to six hours before losing their gummy texture, these tapioca treats are often devoured rapidly by the nation's growing demand for this bizarre delicacy.