Here’s a tip: Happiness is Bubble Tea
An early toast to Asian Heritage Month with some bubble tea
Saturday is Bubble Tea Day and as we head into Asian Heritage Month this prompted some delicious research. “Food days” are a marketing ploy, but they invite people to learn about and try possibly unfamiliar foods.
My niece reminded me that I introduced her to bubble tea years ago in a mall food court. To be honest, all I knew at the time was that it existed, that it was tasty and that the “bubbles” were tapioca pearls.
Bubble tea first appeared in the 1980s and most agree that its roots are Taiwanese. From there it spread to East Asia and is now popular in Europe and North America — with constant creative adaptations.
A primer on bubble teas is in order and somewhat complicated given that menus list more than teabased beverages. Vendors are often families running a big brand franchise. It seems easiest to go through the primer with reference to the excellent Gong Cha.
In an attractive space, sisters Kim Phan, Thi Phan-Tran and Phuong Phan-Tran, all born and raised Hamiltonians, opened Gong Cha in November 2021. They have all worked in fields that require people skills — something reflected in their warm welcome and willingness to guide patrons in their choices.
I chatted with Kim, an ultrasound technician who dropped her hours to part-time in order to work in the shop. She had her first bubble tea around the age of nine at D’s Café, which is still in operation.
If what follows seems confusing, it’s worth noting that Gong Cha greets you with photos of their bestsellers and you can’t go wrong by ordering one of them. Also note their features, which when I visited were the Strawberry and Earl Grey Series — because who wouldn’t like pink Bubble Tea?
It takes time to sort through the multiple combos offered in a place like Gong Cha. The brand prides itself on the quality of its teas — green, oolong, black and early grey. At Gong Cha, the milk added to the tea is a plant-based creamer but contains whey so is not entirely lactose-free.
In its simplest form, add “pearls” to a milk tea and you have bubble tea. The pearls are wee balls of tapioca (made from cassava roots) that turn dark after being cooked in a solution containing brown sugar or a caramel colouring They have a chewy, squishy texture and are mildly sweet adding texture as they pop into your mouth via the wide straw. These tapioca pearls are often referred to as “boba” — a term sometimes used to refer to the entire beverage — hence the “I Heart Boba” franchise.
Depending on what you order, your drink may contain pearls that are not black — as with my order of Matcha Mango Kanten Jelly that came with mango coloured/flavoured pearls. Depending on the vendor, pearls come in various fruit flavours and colours.
The Gong Cha menu has 14 milk teas and a menu section called Creative Fruit Mix Teas. Moustache Teas are topped with foam and not consumed with a straw hence the likelihood that your first sip will leave you with a moustache. Coffee-based drinks are now appearing at most vendors and Gong Cha has added Teaffogato — a play on the Italian affogato (espresso poured over ice cream). Most bubble teas are shaken, often settling to an Instagram-worthy visual.
Some vendors offer (thick) smoothies and/or (ice-based) slushies and almost any drink can be ordered hot or cold. You might think that’s all you need to know but there’s more. You can specify how much sugar and ice you want. Sugar may mean white or brown
sugar syrup or honey. My drink at Gong Cha had a fixed sugar and ice ratio — with no added sugar to overpower the mango.
You can also add toppings. If not specified, your beverage may not come with pearls so you may want to add that. At Gong Cha choose from 17 toppings that include foam,
Kanten jelly, sweet red bean or jello-textured pudding.
Sometimes presented with a heatsealed lid, the straw is sharp on one end enabling you to puncture the lid, but dome lids are available. In my chat with Gong Cha, I asked about the plastic straw and was told they will soon be replaced with bamboo straws.
Some bubble tea shops are designed similar to coffee shops as social hangouts. Others do only takeout and delivery. Some vendors offer other edibles and at Gong Cha that means terrific bubble waffles with or without ice cream (available when warm weather arrives). No matter which vendor you visit, variety awaits. For example, OneZo makes their tapioca fresh daily onsite. Hui Lau Shan Hamilton offers mango-based Hong Kong-style desserts.
It takes a wee bit of time to make the bubble tea. Some vendors have smartphone apps that walk you through all the choices and enable you to order ahead. There are many vendors and choices. All bring to mind Gong Cha’s slogan — “Brewing Happiness!”