Nowadays, most people refer to the bubble in bubble tea as Tapioca pearls, also known as boba. The yummy and chewy topping known as Tapioca Pearls are made of tapioca flour, water and brown sugar. Tapioca flour, unlike other flours, consists only of starch.

Bubble teas can come in many different flavors, but the classic flavor combines the robust complexity of black tea with the creamy richness of milk and the sweetness of brown sugar tapioca. Of course, the drink will taste slightly different if you order yours made with green, Earl Grey, jasmine, chai, or oolong teas.

It's called bubble tea both because of the tapioca balls, and the floating “bubbles” created by the vigorous shaking involved in its blending.