Pretty much everyone is a sucker for aesthetically pleasing food, so when the internet discovered a purple vegetable that could be used in cocktails, ice cream, and even donuts, you better believe Instagrammers were all over it. It's called Ube, and while it may sound unappetizing, Ube concoctions are anything but.
While ube has always been around as type of yam traditionally used in Filipino cooking, it's just now getting its time in the spotlight, even though nobody can really tell you exactly what it tastes like. “It’s almost like a white chocolate flavor,” Manila Social Club's Björn DelaCruz told NYLON. Others say it tastes of pistachio, vanilla, and coconut, but that almost doesn't matter. What people like most about this surprising root vegetable is the striking purple color it gives its recipes.
DelaCruz recalls an ube doughnut party the restaurant hosted in January. "The line was 200 people down the block, waiting in four-degree weather," he says. "And you have to remember, there was no alcohol at this party.”
No alcohol, just eager social media participants looking for the perfect shot of this #NoFilter food. You can pick up an ube of your own at most Asian markets, or just drool over all the impressive ube concoctions below.
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