The bubble tea phenomenon has taken the United States by storm over the past decade. Tea shops have popped in many parts of the country, enchanting thirsty customers with colorful tea drinks and unique add-ons.

Bubble tea is said to have originated in Taichung, Taiwan at the Chun Shui Tang tea house, according to CNN.

The founder, Liu Han-Chieh, first came up with the idea of serving Chinese tea cold in the early 1980s after visiting Japan where he saw coffee served cold.CNN

So why the name bubble tea? It is a common misconception that the name comes from the round tapioca balls (boba) that are often added to the tea.

The name actually comes from the bubbles that form at the top of the tea once it is prepared. Bubble tea beverages are shaken vigorously to ensure all the ingredients are well mixed, causing small bubbles to form at the top.

Bubble tea is a surprisingly versatile beverage. It can come in the form of a milk tea or flavored tea, and it can feature many different flavors and add-ons. This makes it a great menu item. Business owners can choose flavors that best suit their customer’s preferences. It is very easy to get creative with bubble tea.

Popular bubble tea add-ons

Bubble tea’s popularity was established partly by the popular add-ons that many shops use to enhance their drinks. Boba is the most well-known of these add-ons.

Boba is a chewy round ball of tapioca that creates a unique texture for milk teas and other types of bubble tea. Boba can be purchased in different sizes, and sometimes different flavors and colors.

Popping pearls, also known as popping boba, are another add-on used in bubble teas. Popping pearls are round, juice filled balls made from seaweed extract. These pearls are available in many vibrant colors and tasty fruit flavors. When bitten into, popping pearls burst, releasing the tasty fruit juice inside.

Other interesting bubble tea toppings include pudding, which is a flan-like treat, and jellies.

These add-ons not only enhance flavor of a beverage, but they also make them visually appealing to the consumer.

Adding flavor to your bubble tea

Bubble tea can be made with many different types of tea leaves, including black tea, green tea and more. These teas can be entirely transformed once flavoring is added to them. Add fruity flavors like strawberry, watermelon, passion fruit and many others.

Milk and flavor can be added to create creamy milk tea, which is extremely popular and delicious. Create an elaborate milk tea by combining a top-selling flavor with add-ons.