Like so many foodstuffs which are now globally ubiquitous, the Spanish and Portuguese introduced tapioca, the starch extracted from a variously named tuber (manioc, cassava, yuca, etc.) from the New World, to their colonies. It has a vast array of culinary uses, and is still the main carbohydrate source in many cultures. Spherical tapioca pearls are widely used in pudding-style desserts (with the addition of milk and/or cream or coconut milk, and various flavourings), and in bubble tea and similar dessert beverages. Although less frequently, they are also used in savoury dishes – in Belgium, for example, they are added to consommés.