Milk Tea
Milk tea can refer to a wide range of teas and tea-based beverages from throughout the world. At its most basic, milk tea is just tea with milk in it. However, how these delectable beverages are prepared varies from nation to country and area to region. Milk (and occasionally a sweetener like sugar or honey) is usually added to black teas to lessen astringency and create a mellow, balanced cup of tea. Milk tea is one of the most popular tea additions globally because it gives a sweet flavor and a creamy mouthfeel.
While various types of tea may provide health advantages, green and black teas have received the most attention. Both are manufactured from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, but they are processed in distinct ways. Flavonoids, which are plant chemicals, are abundant in black teas. These chemicals work as antioxidants, assisting in the battle against underlying cell damage caused by reactive molecules known as free radicals. High amounts of free radicals contribute to heart disease, cancer, and other problems.
History of Milk Tea
It is difficult to say who developed tea or where and when the first cup of tea was prepared, although the Chinese had been drinking it for almost 2,000 years. Tea came to Britain in 1660, but in 1655, a Dutch adventurer named Jean Nieuhoff had tea with milk at a dinner hosted by the Chinese Emperor Shunzhi in Canton. Madame de la Sabliere served tea with milk in her famed Paris salon around 1680. She is credited with introducing the custom to Europe. The British formally introduced tea to Southeast Asia during the 18th century.
Milk is believed to have been utilized by less than honorable bosses to decrease British workers’ tea breaks. Before introducing milk tea, employees would take longer breaks to enable the black tea to cool to a drinkable temperature, adding milk chilled the drink, reducing the time it took to consume it and therefore increasing work time.
How to Make Milk Tea?
Everyone has an opinion on what constitutes a “proper” cup of tea. Leaf teas must be the first component. Neither tea bags nor powder will suffice.
- Fill a kettle with fresh water and bring it to a boil.
- Warm the teapot with a small amount of boiling water, swirling it around the pot and discarding it.
- 1 tsp fresh leaf tea for each person, plus one for the pot
- Fill the teapot halfway with boiling water
- Allow to infuse for 3 to 4 minutes; any longer will result in a “stewed” taste.
- Pour the tea straight into clean, preferably china teacups using a tea strainer.
The debate over whether to put milk in the cup before or after pouring persists. Milk was usually added before the tea to prevent hot teas from breaking the fragile bone china cups. Tea experts agree with this practice, but they also claim that adding milk into hot tea after it has been poured changes the flavor of the tea.
Boba Tea
This beverage is most widely known as bubble tea, but it is also known as boba, pearl tea, tapioca tea, boba nai cha, Zhen zhou nai cha, black pearl tea, pearl shake, and other names. Contrary to common perception, the term “bubble” does not relate to the tapioca balls (AKA boba). Instead, it refers to the frothy bubbles that develop on top of the drink after shaking it.
Bubble tea is a type of Taiwanese iced tea with a coating of chewy tapioca balls on the bottom. Bubble tea is a fun and tasty drink that consists of a tea base combined with milk, fruit, flavored syrups, and tapioca pearls.
History of Boba Tea
Bubble Tea first appeared in Taiwan in the early 1980s at a tiny tea stand. Milk tea was already well-known in Taiwan, where tea drinking was a widespread practice. Shaved ice and tapioca balls were both popular treats at the period. Someone had the bright idea to combine three popular ingredients into one beverage: tapioca balls on the bottom, a layer of shaved ice on top, and milk tea to fill the remainder of the glass.
Boba Tea Popularity
Boba developed throughout time as it became increasingly popular throughout Taiwan. Bubble tea’s popularity skyrocketed in most Southeast and East Asia regions as early as the early 1990s. Recent research predicts that the bubble tea business will increase by over $2 billion by 2027, reaching a whopping $4.3 billion. Bubble tea orders in Southeast Asia increased by 3,000 percent in 2018, and the drink has been appearing on menus outside of Asia for quite some time.
Bubble tea tastes have grown to include honeydew, mango, avocado, strawberry, chocolate, sesame, and lavender. Aside from the many varieties of Bubble Tea, the beverage has spawned a flavor range for several other sweets such as cakes and ice cream.
How to Make Boba Tea?
Every cup of boba begins with a scoop of tapioca balls, then the tea or juice, and finally adding some ice. There are now ribbed plastic cups, broad straws for fitting tapioca balls, and seals, so all you must do is pierce the seal with the straw designed particularly for bubble tea as well as sealing machines that perform the work automatically. Many modern-day boba shops now feature syrup and tea dispensers, allowing consumers to customize their sweetness and milk levels.
