Tuesday's Taiwan-ism {Bubble Tea Shops}

In the United States drinks have become a booming source of income in the last several years. Coffees, energy drinks, and pop have become a "necessity" for many Americans making it the 'norm' to see someone walking around with an extra grande late before they get to work, guzzling a Red Bull energy drink before their lunch break, sneaking out of work around 3pm for their afternoon Starbucks, and enjoying all the free re-fills, to their hearts content, of their Pepsi during their dinner.

You may remember this Tuesday Taiwan-ism post several weeks back talking about Taiwan's customs surrounding meal time drinks. But today's post is about a drink that they DO indulge in...maybe not as much as many Americans, but I digress!

May I introduce you to...the bubble tea! {often also called pearl tea or boba tea} Any way you call it, you can thank Taiwan for this delicious drink that is slowly finding its way into tea shops around the world!

Bubble tea is traditionally served as iced black tea with milk that has pearls added to it {the pearls are very similar to large black tapioca balls} although you can have pearls added to virtually any other herbal tea, fruit tea, or juice that you order. Taiwanese people are very fond of this chewy tapioca like texture {called QQ here} and thus, are naturally big fans of this national, slightly chewy, drink!

What do you think...would you give some Taiwanese bubble tea a try?!