What actually is boba? This handy guide will tell you all you need to know so that you’ll be a bubble tea expert in no time.
Contents
- What is boba and where does it come from?
- How is boba made?
- What does boba mean?
- What does boba taste like?
- Where can I try boba?
What is boba and where does it come from?
Boba is the name of the small tapioca pearls you would often find in a bubble tea drink. These drinks are sometimes also called boba tea. They originated in Taiwan and come in lots of different variations. You can get fruit teas with ‘popping boba’ which are essentially tiny balls filled with fruit syrup that go in the drink.
The most standard types of bubble tea, however, are milk-based and come with chewy boba pearls that go in the bottom of the drink and are designed to be sucked up the straw along with the beverage. The most common flavor of boba is “brown sugar milk tea” which usually doesn’t actually have any tea in it. It’s generally made of milk, brown sugar syrup, and the chewy tapioca pearls. Tapioca is a common dessert food in East Asia, so these drinks are kind of like a drinkable dessert.
How is boba made?
Traditional chewy boba balls are made by rolling tapioca starch and boiling water into tiny, doughy balls. These are then added to boiling water and brown sugar and boiled until they are jelly-like.
Popping boba, or fruit-flavored boba is made by mixing fruit syrup with a compound that creates a thin skin around the bubbles, meaning that they burst in your mouth when you bite into them. These are a little more difficult to make, but you can find a recipe here if you’re feeling ambitious. You can also buy the stuff in bulk at Walmart.
The tea drinks themselves vary, but are usually flavored iced teas or flavored milks with syrup and the boba added, you’ll then get a wide straw to help you drink up all that goodness.
What does boba mean?
The origins of the word ‘boba’ come from a childish joke. The word boba is actually a slang term for nipples in Taiwanese and although the name originally started as a joke, it has stuck around. No one actually knows who first called the drink this though, but it seems they had a good sense of humor.
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What does boba taste like?
Your first experience with boba may be a strange one, and the texture of these pearls is not to everyone’s taste. The chewy brown sugar tapioca pearls have a treacle-like taste and the same texture as a gummy bear if it was a little chewier.
The popping boba has a completely different texture, as it pops in your mouth (hence the name.) These come in many different flavors and are like a burst of juice in your mouth when you bite into them.
Where can I try boba?
Bubble tea has become a huge success in the US due to its unique texture and Instagram worthy aesthetic.
Across the US there are several bubble tea chains, including Tapioca Express which is the oldest chain in the country, and Boba Guys which has stores all across the East and West Coasts.
If you don’t live near a bubble tea store, you can order bubble tea kits online which will give you an idea of the process of making the drink, as well as allow you to customize the drinks to your tastes. This one on Amazon has everything you need.
While you’re here, check out some of our other drinks guides:
Best Starbucks iced coffee drinks | What is the Starbucks secret menu and is it real? | What is a handcrafted drink at Starbucks? | What do Starbucks sizes mean? | What flavor is Dr Pepper? | What is Starry Soda?