Bubble Tea originated in Taiwan in the early 1980’s, some say to give consumers at Taiwan’s famous “Night Market” a nice soothing drink for hot summer nights. Others credit the owner of a small tea stand near an elementary school as devising the drink to please thirsty children. Regardless of where Bubble Tea got its start, it became all the rage in Taiwan and soon spread to Hong Kong and other parts of Asia.
Bubble Tea is made by combining tea, ice, fruit syrups and a bit of sugar in a cocktail shaker and then vigorously shaking it to blend the ingredients and give the brew an even taste. The finished tea drink is a refreshing, ice-cold beverage topped with a foamy head of thousands of tiny bubbles caused by the shaking action… hence, Bubble Tea. In time, tea shop proprietors took to adding a scoop or two of Boba (also known as Black Pearls) to Bubble Tea. Made from tapioca starch, these chewy, pearl-sized balls resembled bubbles on the bottom of the glass, thus reinforcing the idea of Bubble Tea.
“ZenFusion” is Zen Zoo Tea’s trademarked term for Bubble Tea. It’s the same the frothy drink that Alfred and Linda found being enjoyed throughout Asia and which they were so determined to bring back to America. After studying with the world’s leading Bubble Tea master, Master Chen Zhong Liang, Alfred and Linda created their own recipes and developed their own natural fruit syrups to ensure the highest quality ingredients for their “ZenFusion” beverages. All ingredients of the ZenFusion are available for purchase.