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Old 04-07-2013, 11:18 PM
 
Location: Palo Alto, CA
12 posts, read 38,907 times
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Milk tea with tapioca pearls is a very popular drink in California, especially around universities and Asian communities, but people call it a variety of different names: pearl milk tea (abbrev. PMT), boba, bubble tea, etc. Personally, I've always called it boba back in SoCal, but when I moved up, I heard it being called PMT.

I want to hear your opinion: Where are you from and what do you call this delicious beverage? (The opinions of non-Californians are welcome as well; just be sure to say what state or country you're from.)
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Old 04-08-2013, 12:25 AM
 
Location: LA/OC
1,083 posts, read 2,158,957 times
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I'm from So Cal and I call it boba. Most everyone I know from here calls it boba (Asian and otherwise). I've seen it listed on menus as Pearl Milk Tea or just Milk Tea (add boba). I have a friend from New York who calls it Bubble Tea.
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Old 04-08-2013, 12:51 AM
 
1,714 posts, read 3,831,613 times
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The original name is pearl milk tea--a direct translation of the Chinese name. It's a drink originated in Taiwan around the early-'90s.

When pearl milk tea got to SoCal in the mid-'90s, it was called boba milk tea.

Back then, I had friends from Hong Kong who would be puzzled why it was called boba in SoCal because the drink was also called pearl milk tea in HK (like in Taiwan).

Bubble tea is an even more Americanized version of the name.
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Old 04-08-2013, 11:27 AM
 
Location: SW King County, WA
6,400 posts, read 8,225,777 times
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It's actually REALLY bad for you. LOTS of toxins/chemicals in boba pearls...
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Old 04-08-2013, 03:41 PM
 
1,714 posts, read 3,831,613 times
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I am sure if the store uses cheap suppliers, then there could be questionable substances in the tapioca.

Just go to reputable stores that specialize in teas and dessert drinks and it should be fine.
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Old 04-08-2013, 05:24 PM
 
222 posts, read 434,445 times
Reputation: 449
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoNorCal View Post
Milk tea with tapioca pearls is a very popular drink in California, especially around universities and Asian communities,
You don't say? I've never heard of the stuff. Sounds seriously strange, tapioca pearl tea? For real? Must be a university crowd and Asian town thing, like you say. Just keep it away from me, lol!
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Old 04-10-2013, 02:30 AM
 
Location: California / Maryland / Cape May
1,548 posts, read 3,018,565 times
Reputation: 1242
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoNorCal View Post
Milk tea with tapioca pearls is a very popular drink in California, especially around universities and Asian communities, but people call it a variety of different names: pearl milk tea (abbrev. PMT), boba, bubble tea, etc. Personally, I've always called it boba back in SoCal, but when I moved up, I heard it being called PMT.

I want to hear your opinion: Where are you from and what do you call this delicious beverage? (The opinions of non-Californians are welcome as well; just be sure to say what state or country you're from.)
In Maryland, my experience is that it's most often called bubble tea.
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