Tapioca Pearls Shaved Ice -A byword for Taiwanese Soul food

Taiwanese soul food is a byword for describing the old times\\\' flavors. In the 1950s, Tapioca pearls shaved ice is a kind of traditional dessert with Taiwanese characters.

According to legend, during the Qing Dynasty, Empress Dowager Cixi praised a dessert that was made by the government. They used tapioca starch as the material and make the shape and taste similar to glutinous rice balls (Tang Yuan) as a tribute. Since then, the tapioca starch ball has become a well-known dessert in Taiwan.

Traced back to the 1950s in Taiwan, the early chemical food industry was not developed. Making tapioca pearls was simple, made of tapioca starch, no additives, so the color was white, even if the taste was not refined, but the material was natural. Nowadays, tapioca pearls are very popular as its black color and texture. Due to the industrialization of food, the factory added brown sugar and caramel coloring make it to be black color and increase the aroma and sweetness.

After the evolution of food culture, traditional tapioca pearls shaved ice is only made of brown sugar and crushed ice. And now, the crystal-clear tapioca pearls have transformed into a cup of bubble milk tea. The charm of tapioca pearls, even after standing the test of time and food culture, still firmly establishes the status of Taiwanese soul food.