Boba: Classic, Fun, Refreshing - Bubble Teas to Make at Home

TOPPINGS: BASIL SEEDS

Basil seeds, also known as Sabja seeds, are little black seeds that closely resemble black sesame. These tiny seeds pack a punch in terms of nutrition and make a great add-on or topping to any drink and dessert. Not only are they low in calories, but they’re chock-full of fiber, protein, calcium, iron, and magnesium. There’s so much fiber inside these little guys, experts have cautioned against eating too many! So be careful and consume sparingly. When mixed with water, the basil seeds form a clear outer layer around their tiny bodies. This creates a crunchy effect that’s fun to eat and slurp up with boba drinks!

FRUIT TEAS: AREA 51 - CUCUMBER + KIWI GREEN TEA

Extremely fascinated with aliens and all things supernatural, Beyah decided to name this green drink after the highly classified United States Air Force facility. Known as Area 51, the facility is located within the Nevada Test and Training Range, famously the source of many alien conspiracies. Just like the Lady Bug (page 86), this drink name made sense based on the color of the fruits and the base. In Beyah’s mind, green meant aliens! We’re simple people.

MILK TEAS: CLASSIC - BLACK MILK TEA

After going with whole, lactose-free milk over creamer (page 100), we quickly realized that it was not going to be easy selling the idea to seasoned boba addicts. After years of consuming milk teas with creamers, boba-goers were accustomed to the creamy mouthfeel that a traditional milk tea offered. What MILK+T brought to the masses was a healthier alternative, and as a start-up, we were afraid people weren’t going to like that. Five years later, we’ve had our fair share of dislikes, but we’ve also had more than our fair share of compliments and loyal customers! We’ve learned that our milk tea is not everyone’s “cup of tea” (haha, pun intended), and we’re okay with that. Our black milk tea has a different flavor profile compared to other milk teas, but it will definitely leave you feeling refreshed.

SPECIALTY DRINKS: ELECTRIC FEEL

Countdown, Escape, Coachella, Life Is Beautiful—raves and festivals make up a part, if not all, of Beyah’s DNA. The most popular of them all? Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC). When we opened our store in Las Vegas, Beyah knew that an EDC drink had to be created. As the rave’s date grew closer, she started experimenting with different flavors and drinks and names until finally landing on the Electric Feel. It started off as a promotional drink that lined up with the dates of EDC, but after customers got a glimpse—and a taste—of it, they demanded that it stay on the menu. It’s topped off with cotton-candy ice cream and sweetened with condensed milk. Now a regular drink on the menu, this is a noncaffeinated spin-off of our Guilt Trip (page 132)!