London - Many of us enjoy an ice- cold glass of bubbles, but could bubble-filled tea be about to replace champagne in our affections?
Bubble tea is a Taiwanese drink that is becoming increasingly popular. The cold teas come in exotic fruit flavours, such as lychee, mango and kumquat, and can be blended with milk.
What sets these teas apart from the average cuppa are the “bubbles” — floating balls of fruit, tapioca or candied jelly that are designed to be sucked up through an extra-wide straw.
Though some critics have likened the unusual texture to “drinking frogspawn,” its quirky appeal is catching.
British and Asian entrepreneurs have opened a string of Bubble Tea cafes across London and in Manchester, Liverpool, Brighton and Birmingham.
The drink has already won fans in Canada, Australia and California, where celebrities such as pop star Beyonce and actress Lindsay Lohan have been spotted drinking it.
David Elghanayan, owner of Marylebone tea shop Amanzi, said: “It puts a smile on people’s faces. You give this to an adult, they get the bubbles in their mouth and it’s as if they’ve become a child again.” - Daily Mail