Bubble tea, also called boba, or pearl-tea, had its beginnings in Taiwan but has spread in popularity throughout the world. The creamy milk-tea dotted with chewy, gummy-like tapioca pearls and endless flavor possibilities makes this the perfect snack when you can’t decide if you want something to drink or something to eat.
The tapioca pearls that give these milky drinks their fun texture are made from cassava root. Or, at least they should be. But an investigation in China has turned up a “tapioca” plant that makes pearls from materials that aren’t even edible…