Inside the Los Angeles 'ube craze'

Ask any Filipino and they’ll tell you they’ve been eating ube forever.
The purple yam ubiquitous in Southeast Asia also has built a cult following across the Pacific among Angelenos - you can find about half a dozen ube-flavored items at your neighborhood Trader Joe’s.
For Jenn’s weekly column, she visited Pasadena to try two of her favorite ube desserts.
The first stop is Chaaste Family Market, where the Esteban family has mastered the ube-custard-filled turon. Next up is Wanderlust, an international ice cream shop, where Adrienne Borlongan has put a spin on an American classic with her ube malted crunch ice cream.
For more food coverage, restaurant reviews, recipes, and the latest food news subscribe to the L.A. Times. www.latimes.com/subscribe
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[@JCalltheway]

The Philippines must step up their game in marketing & making more of these ube-based products instead of other countries taking advantage of it.

[@LarryfromPH]

Exactly! Thailand already copied dried mangoes.

[@migovasquez0303]

@@LarryfromPH But thai mango is very fleshy when candid so quality wise it is not the same.

[@MrDac0964]

a korean coffee shop near my place serves ube latte.

[@OceanicNASA]

@@LarryfromPH: 😂 Thailand mango industry was on point from the start. They grow there own.

[@Leganite]

Erwam Eusaff already has an episode about this.

[@rrubio6660]

It's not all over SE Asia. It's a Philippine purple jam, not taro, or sweet potato. And dont' confuse it with the Japanese purple sweet potato...EVER!

[@HF-ft8ln]

exactly! japanese purple yam is gross lol

[@topquark35]

@@HF-ft8ln Yup. Another mistake in this video. Ube is endemic to the Philippines. You will find it nowhere else AFAIK. It is not a Southeast Asian thing.

[@patrickborro2000]

Either way, Ube, thru Halaya, was first a Filipino invented flavor.

[@rrubio6660]

@@patrickborro2000 My comment had NOTHING to do with halaya. LOL! If you can't comprehend, sit down.

[@eduardochavacano]

Ube is exported. So very few Filipinos ever experienced real Ube jams. very few Filipinos have seen an ube plant.

[@psyche9908]

Ube is not tasteless. Ube is fragrant and so is the taste. Very subtle but it's there. Anyone who has tasted real ube knows.

[@karengbt3891]

somewhat nutty too and the after taste is indeed fragrant. ❤

[@fawn_the_fairy5721]

Yes! This woman must not have touched ube in the flesh, i.e. the tuber, so she has no actual idea what it really tastes, smells, feels, and looks like. Not even her elders perhaps as according to her they mostly derived their perception of it from the extract, which is understandable since the Philippine varieties aren’t widely cultivated and easy to get a hold of compared to others.

[@e.m.l.9527]

Yes! Very fragrant which informs the flavor. They ought to try a fresh one.

[@psyche9908]

@@fawn_the_fairy5721 What I thought of as well...

[@daneaporol3902]

Ube is tasteless. Like very tasteless. We have lots of it our backyard and that's why we do ube jam to give it a delicious taste

[@onocoffee]

Ube is not taro and poi is not ube.

[@AlohaYeshua]

Maika'i Loa

[@migovasquez0303]

Youre right. They are two different things.

[@kadoku]

He knows Nothing ube

[@onocoffee]

@@kadoku That may be true, but everyone has to start their learning somewhere. And if he’s earnest and sincere, we could see some very great things in the future!

[@migsgarcia3629]

It's a shame. The guy should have reviewed and researched prior the interview.

[@annanordlac4952]

I've tried all those Trader Joe's "ube". They all do not taste like ube😂. I grew up eating the real ube root crop so I can tell.

[@coffee.170]

Trader Joe’s Ube is kinda mid, doesn’t taste like Ube at all.

[@MicoLyrics]

The way Ube is being introduced here is in artificial way

[@MrDac0964]

i think it’s because it’s very hard to find an actual ube here in California.

[@MicoLyrics]

@@MrDac0964 inside Los Angeles Ube craze is artificial. That's simply the interpretation.

[@arekanderu523]

Ube is not Taro stop confusing everyone

[@Peechiness]

oh it's not the same? OK that explained so much. There were times I liked ube and times I did not. Now I know why. Apparently I like taro a lot more than ube. Ube is too damn sweet. Thanks dude.

[@ChakieStreams2n1]

​@@Peechinessube is purple yam and it's not sweet when eating it as it is, the one you probably ate is "ube halaya" which has condensed milk and lot of sugar

[@ourglass488]

​@@Peechiness there's google and youtube but you stay ignorant, lol

[@james21ap1]

Ube is a Filipino word for purple yam.

[@HF-ft8ln]

@@Peechiness japanese purple yam is very sweet, that's not ube.

[@Kariktan214]

Please support the Filipino farmers and authentic ube producers. The ones you have there are artificial flavoring and wrong crops. Taro and sweet potatos are not ube.

[@drexxsuma1749]

R u supporting Filipino products yourself?😮‍💨😮‍💨😒😒

[@MazdaTiger]

@@drexxsuma1749 if you know the source and season the Aeta community knows their Ube

[@thepinoychoppingboard1012]

Christian Esteban is a Starstruck alumnus and a former Philippine teen actor. So this is his life now. I'm happy for him.

[@Siopaoko]

Kaya pala sabi ko parang pamilyar haha

[@ordnyl]

Ya! One of the OGs from Season 1!

[@superluck1051]

Sabi ko na nga ba.kaya familiar ang itsura nya

[@VeeGee1902]

Kanina pa ko isip ng isip kung san ko siya nakita 😂😂😂

Ohhh I just realized!

[@topquark35]

Ube does NOT taste like any other yam. It is NOT tasteless. Maybe the people she asked just didn't know how to describe it. As someone who has eaten a lot of the "real stuff," the actual tuber, it has a certain creamy, umami, vanilla-y flavor that is uniquely its own and is NOT like a regular yam, taro or sweet potato. It is richer, creamier, more earthy. You can't really describe that flavor profile very well because IMO it's unique. I think the McCormick extract does a good job of replicating the flavor, but nothing beats real ube. Anyway, as an example, many business owners who sell ube pastries and the like cheat and use taro or sweet potato with purple food color, but you could immediately tell that it's fake. If you know ube, you can tell when a product has authentic ube and when it is fake, using taro or kamote dyed purple. Ube is distinct, and saying it is tasteless is just inaccurate.

[@krdiaz8026]

I think it's like when Americans try to describe the flavor of vanilla. They don't really know how to describe it, and most people will say vanilla is tasteless because they only know it from cheap ice cream made with artificial vanilla. She did say that ube tastes like yam but different.

[@topquark35]

@@krdiaz8026 Yeah. And ube is actually considered somewhat of a delicacy even over here because it's not commonly found in great quantity. It has a season, I think. And it is harvested wild, AFAIK, from mountaintops. Because of that, it is hard to get real ube and even harder still to get GOOD ube. I mean, like any produce, there are varieties that are blander than others. Each variety has a distinct flavor profile. Anyway, I just wanted to make it clear that it is NOT in the least bit flavorless. To me, it does not even remotely taste like yam. Perhaps just the texture since they're both tubers, but it's as good as saying potatoes and yams taste the same, which of course they don't.

[@topquark35]

@@arekanderu523 I never said it was Taro??? I said it was closer to taro than to yam, but they're definitely not the same. What are you going on about??

[@topquark35]

@@arekanderu523 Where did I say ube was taro?? I said it was closer to taro than to yam, but they're definitely not the same. What are you going on about??

[@arekanderu523]

Don’t be angry at me that comment is not meant to be on your thread.

[@jannebrija9879]

I so sad that people with filipino roots doesn't know the flavor of real ube and can't describe when someone asks them. Ube(the root crop) has an earthy tone with a very slight bitter aftertaste that's why it is always added with sugar or something sweet but the smell of real ube is what makes it special, it has almost floral or vanilla smell, the texture when you eat it is like yellow sweet yam less fibrous but holds it's shape not mushy unless mashed. I live in Europe and everytime I can go home to the Philippines, I make it a point to taste real ube not just the extract sometimes looking for it in the market and preparing it myself.

[@kaiiizen8626]

i mean, as someone who grew up in the ph my entire life,,, i get why its hard to describe ube to those who havent had it,,,, ive had it ever since i knew how to talk, so it's hard to think of how to describe it other than it tastes like ube,,, ive asked my foreigner friends to describe cilantro to me (since ive never had it) and most of them are just like,,, idk it tastes like cilantro lol now that ive grown up i have learned how to describe it better, but if you wouldve asked me when 5~ years ago,, i'd have to think about it,,, it's def earthy more mature vanilla with hints of coconut for sure

[@tsuraraoikawa4612]

Taro is what we call gabi in the Philippines and ube is not taro. But both are tubers.

[@sorryGodformysins]

That turon is not ube, just custard with ube flavoring and coloring

[@anne4297]

Please do more research. Funny how there is no real ube on this video???

[@TONYPORJ]

baka yung gusto lang talagang ifeature dito ay yung Craze sa LA kumbaga.. kung yung kay erwan na vlog ito pwede pang maging ganon sa sinasabi mo

[@Vizible21]

​@@TONYPORJthis video is about "ube" stop playing.

[@EliseAndrada]

If you're new to ube, go and try to get Filipino Ube Halaya, it's decadent taste is the best representation of what ube should taste, essentially making it as your standard taste for ube, then go try other ube desserts.😊

[@J3unG]

It's just purple coloured yam, yo. Every country in Asia has this stuff. BTW, you can buy purple yam anywhere in the US that grows yam, which is a root. It's NOTHING SPECIAL. The Halaya recipe you talk about is just sugar on sugar on sugar. Insulin resistance for sure. Be careful. It's not someting to be proud about.

[@PreciousEyeballs]

@@J3unG How do you cook your Ube Halaya? What recipe are you referring to? Not all Halaya is made equally.

[@franciscosantiagorodriguez8012]

​@J3unG FYI Ube is considered an invasive species in the US, and Ube is different from Purple sweet potatoes, It is believed to have originated in Southeast Asia and has been cultivated in the Philippines for centuries. In Filipino culture, ube is not just a food but also a symbol of Filipino resilience and adaptability. And before blabbering the PHILIPPINES is the only country in Asia who Utilizes Ube in everything and actively cultivating the crop. Ube, scientifically known as Dioscorea alata, has a long history in the Philippines, dating back to pre-colonial times. It is believed to have originated in Southeast Asia and has been cultivated in the Philippines for centuries. And Another FYI, you cannot find ube outside the Philippines unless Frozen and imported from the PH or Using purple sweet potatoes and labeling it as Ube.

[@miklimecat9636]

From eating ube IN the Philippines, I'd say it doesn't taste like regular yam nor like sweet potatoes. I'd say it's deeper, others would describe that as "earthier". It also has this mild yet distinct "fragrance" in the mouth, vaguely vanilla-like.

[@starlightvee925]

Def get the unsweetened ube halaya, the ube in a sweetened ube halaya won’t have that much flavour other than sugar

[@DarkR0ze]

Sorry, but taro is a different root crop

[@jamesleeborgonia222]

Ube is not taro, those rwo are completely different rootcrops

[@HF-ft8ln]

she's wrong.. ube has a distinctive aroma you can notice once you start eating it. that extract is what exactly ube smells like. It also has a special texture, like a little powdery texture in the mouth, different than any other yam, that's what makes ube special compared to other yam. i used to make milwaukeee-style frozen custard with purple yam and young coconut. It's a flavor very unique, most people have never tried it outside the Philippines. The reaction is usually priceless when I give it to my non-Filipino friends! especially the white ladies, they always get blown away, then they get addicted to it easily lol

[@pinkvelvet3865]

The original Magnolia brand Ube ice cream in the Philippines is the best. If you see a Magnolia ice cream nowadays that's NOT the original Magnolia. It doesn't taste the same as before.

[@robocop581]

Arce Ube Ice cream is excellent

[@dajienyo917]

Go to Philippines if you wanna eat true ube delicacies!

[@wenangism]

Ube extract is not the same as Ube root itself

[@bhoylhogro5093]

As someone who doesn't know much about REAL ube, I think the most accessible product to get the real flavor is Good Shepherd's ube jam. It has a somewhat a floral scent that can't be found in most other ube flavored goods in the PH. I actually use a full cup of that to make ube ice cream and it's my best and easiest way to enjoy an ube dessert. I think I may need to buy a jar once again to make my next ice cream!

[@karengbt3891]

I love Good Shepherd, too, always worth the long queue 😊😍🤭

[@qwertyboo]

I thought Ube the rootcrop is endemic to the Philippines? Correct me if I'm wrong.

[@franciscosantiagorodriguez8012]

Yes that's correct

[@coffee.170]

That’s correct! ☑️

[@thegreateststalkerofalltim2159]

And i do think it'll be hard to export ube since it takes a year to grow an ube and that's not even a lot yet if you're trying to get an ube from the ground. And the ube that is hanging, i don't think it has a strong aroma and taste that comes from the ground, and it is smaller.

[@RampartPh]

yes but other south east asian countries are trying to cultivate them too and market it as their own. those south east asian neighbors are also trying to do the same thing too w/ kalamansi.

[@thegreateststalkerofalltim2159]

@@RampartPh not a news about that kalamansi since if i remember correctly, kalamansi didnt really originated in the philippines, its just philippines are the most consumer and has been the most grower of it

[@olracorig]

"tantsa" means to guesstimate.

[@bluefur1975]

Professional Filipino Ice Cream maker here. Adrienne is both correct and incorrect; the flavor most Filipinos associate with commercial ube ice cream does come from a "Nature identical" extract. However, pure ube, when cooked down with sugar for sweetness does have a delicate distinctive flavor. it really is hard to verbalize. Ive heard people describe it using everything from vanilla to pistachio but none are quite right. She's right in that to make an Ube ice Cream without using extract is really hard. It took a whole lot of R&D and every trick I could think of to bring out the flavor but I was able to do it, it still doesnt taste like what people will associate with "typical" ube ice cream.

[@ronaldcrisostomo7589]

Woah it's Christian Esteban! OG Starstruck avenger, former actor & host. Glad to see him doing well with his family's business after his brief showbiz career in the Philippines

[@patrickborro2000]

Hope that Calamansi and Pili are the next breakout Filipino flavors in the future.

[@coffee.170]

Huh, haven’t heard of Pili before. Sounds interesting!

[@thegreateststalkerofalltim2159]

​@@coffee.170are you a filipino? Pili is a type of nut

[@thegreateststalkerofalltim2159]

Pili doesn't have that much flavor tho

[@patrickborro2000]

@@thegreateststalkerofalltim2159 so does Ube…bit I tasted the ice cream, it does have a great taste in that form so it has potential

[@patrickborro2000]

@@coffee.170 yes its a gem of a nut in Filipino food

[@stephenleonel8244]

That’s Christian from Starstruck batch 1???? So nice to see him!

[@alrodriguez2279]

It’s him. Jade Lopez’s love team.

[@katboni]

I was going to say the same thing 😂

[@katboni]

We old 😂

[@psyche9908]

I knew it! I thought the name and the face seem familiar. Hahaha...we are indeed old.

[@fiorellageno3797]

My mom would cut the Ube in chunks with other ingredients in a sweet hot soup. So was surprises that in that first tart only had a pinch of it, almost like used it as food coloring. But looked really tasty, heading to TJ now.

[@stuka80]

I hate it everytime i hear Filipino Americans who either were born or came to the US as a child describe certain features about filipino culture in the Philippines because they never know what they're talking about and are giving wrong information, in this case ube. I cringed when the guy said ube was never just filipino but also Hawaiian.... no its not and ube and taro are not the same either. Then the lady when she said Ube taste just like any other yam, again wrong, Ube has its own earthy, floral and subtle taste.

[@teejeyee3067]

true

[@harrylordy3221]

Half baked Filipinos

[@fran7414]

Why are you so pressed lol

[@stuka80]

@@fran7414 cause its one of my pet peeves duh, why are you one of these people i just described?

[@camcat6864]

chaaste is a community fav in pasadena!! shoutout to the family's amazing hospitality, convos, and iconic turon + desserts in their shop, always

[@CBD7069..]

Most of the ube items don’t use real ube.

[@kamalaroyale790]

True, some of it are just coloring which is a shame because the real ube taste is delicious.

[@coffee.170]

@@kamalaroyale790Exactly! 👏

[@jpvq31]

Thank you for showcasing Filipino Food!

[@SamungVirtua]

I didn't see them put ube in the turon.

[@drawden]

Fosselman's in Alhambra for ube ice cream. Check it out. Got a tub in the freezer.

[@ThanhNguyen-it5vd]

In Vietnam . Taro is “ Khoai Môn “ and Ube is “ Khoai Mỡ “ . We have a lot of dish from Ube too . deep fried ube donut ( bánh khoai mỡ ) or ube soup ( canh khoai mỡ “ ) is what I recommend for u guys .

[@PreciousEyeballs]

Ube Halaya is my favorite ube dessert. 😋

[@J3unG]

Go have your A1C checked...

[@PreciousEyeballs]

@@J3unG I don't eat it every day. I'm in the Philippines. Even though the Ube yam can be bought from the market, almost nobody's willing to cook Halaya coz it's so hard. Plus, I look down on any ube halaya that is not from the Good Shepherd convent. I'm in Quezon City, I'd have to go all the way to Baguio to get it, and once you do, the nuns only allow you to buy 2 jars.

[@pervysage4934]

Saying Ube is purple yam is akin to saying wasabi is green horseradish. IT IS NOT. Ube is ube, it is similar to purple yam but the flavor is distinct and it is endemic to Philippines.

[@mareecuree]

Ariel's accent was sooo close to Filipino accent when she said 'she's white!..." hahaha

[@angelitapallarcon1749]

We do have ube in our backyard... I always wonder why its so mass produce when we only harvest it once a year?

[@Ferdssss]

Wait, Christian Esteban is from StarStruck Season 1, batch of Jennylyn, Jasmine, Mark and Rainier. Am I right?

[@edp8136]

The ube jam from Baguio is truly one of the best.

[@liprekt]

I refuse to believe that kids "would not touch the purple cake because it's so weird."

[@ZeCabreirasJournal]

There should be an Ube drink. Ube is the new chocolate!

[@ntan]

Was there actually Ube on that Turon or just custard with purple coloring?

[@arielvergeldedios7068]

Watching the way they made the turon it is definitely fake. It is a purple colored custard.

[@user-ci8wx8zw2z]

The flavor of Ube is Purple.

[@manuelilagan3054]

Ube and purple sweets potatoes are completely different kinds of root crops

[@qwertyboo]

Yep I thought ube is native to the PH?

[@coffee.170]

@@qwertybooIt is! :))

[@user-lg3vo4kq6g]

Why is a non Filipino talking about Ube she knows nothing about?

[@SaBoTeUr2001]

I recently had an Ube Sans Rival. It was insanely good.

[@prettzel09]

Most people outside the Philippines mistake a sweet potato to a purple yam. You'll know that it is ube or purple yam by the looks of it. Unlike sweet potato, purple yam are so huge in size and the skin is very distinctive, it almost looks and feels like a tree bark because of the rough skin and tiny hair-like roots sprouting from the skin.

[@xris03]

The real base for ube is what we call "ube halaya" . And the standard of a traditional philippine ube halaya is "Good Shephered" are made by nuns in the mountainous city of baguio.

[@nnayam4144]

i always love ube purple yam here in the ph its oneof my fave.

[@victorianeastender]

Tancha or tantsa, is "to roughly estimate" We just add ingredients in and wait for our ancestors to whisper in our ears "enough, child" 😆

[@rainierdy2808]

Ube has its own distinct flavor, it has a nutty vanilla taste. Yes it's a Yam but it's not a Taro or is it a sweet Potato, it belongs to Dioscoro Alata a spicies of Yam commonly called as Purple Yam, Violet Yam or Water Yam.🤓

[@gameniacplay9108]

Its like comparing real orange to powder orange

[@AdrianJumaquio]

the real taste of ube is earthy, sweet, with a bit of bitterness to it. That's how I remember it. We used to cook it during new year.The process of making ube halaya using real ube is such a pain, it can take up to 4 hours mixing it non-stop and it gets heavier as it thickens. Also you have to grind it as fine as possible to get that smooth texture, all by hand and common home kitchen tools. so yeah, that turon is not original ube they just mixed ube essence to eggs I bet it does not taste like ube at all. Nothing beats the real deal, matched with buko salad. I didn't see any real ube here, probably because it will be expensive having to import it from PH. Ube Halaya recipe Ube Evaporated milk Condensed Milk Sugar Margarine Ube coloring (optional) and lots of love and patience

[@loveroadtrips9037]

new subs from PH ❤

[@TiffanyTanaka]

Yesssss Jen! Wanderlust Ube ice cream is a winner

[@jaycasman1754]

I hate that it’s called a “craze” we’ve been on it , yall just late to the game and Companies like Trader Joe’s profiting from it.

[@vickygarcia4835]

I love to eat Ube Halaya,Filipino Dessert

[@dodzb7362]

UBE has different varieties. One species for taste, one for volume, one for color. Some food makers mix those varieties is what you are eating right now (PROBABLY) One of true UBE variety is from Bohol, it has unique taste, and color.

[@RJGuitz]

Cooking ube for 3-4 hours on top of a wood fire during the holiday season is not fun. 😂.

[@suite225]

That’s how it’s done, not these extracts and food coloring artificial stuff. If you can’t describe how it taste, you should not be endorsing it or it to others. These “ube”are not the same as the real thing.

[@aliasmarg8ta127]

4:24. I remember asking my Mom for a recipe and it ended up loking like “a little bit if this, ad if you want, a little bit of this to taste”. That is the Filipio “tantya”. Ube Halaya is the dessert we all grew up with.

[@maddog6397]

christian esteban is a contestant in reality tv show in philippines called star struck.

[@fran7414]

I don’t get why people are putting in their 2 cents about ube. Everyone has their own interpretation of what ube is. Take a step back and look at the bigger picture. UBE AND FILIPINOS ARE FINALLY GETTING A SEAT AT THE TABLE. It’s a big moment where we are getting the recognition of how beautiful and amazing our food and culture is. That’s it. Stop dragging people through the mud and saying who’s right or wrong. Let’s just take a moment and spotlight all the Filipinos working hard to get us where we should be.

[@SkyDREAMssssss]

We have a lot of ube here in my granpa and granma backyard 😊 theu had a lot of things here veggies / balinghoy/ ube amplaya/ kalabasa/ e6c 😅

[@joshvalencia6947]

Ube is earthy and it has a hint of vanilla

[@avelinofigueroa8636]

My Favourite Ube 🤤🤤🤤

[@itsmetinag5617]

Chaaste ❤ every filipino from Pasadena's go to

[@Truth_prevailsify]

The lady Borlongan must be my relative, there are only a few Borlongan's left in the Philippines.

[@dlpro619]

The easiest way to do R&D for ube flavor is to go to the Philippines so you don’t have to ask your elders.

[@Lhyrej]

I wondered what happened to Christian after Starstruck (a tv reality show in the Philippines). Good to see him doing great after all these years🙂

[@joyprudente1986]

Ube(purple yam) is a seasonal harvest and not very abundant unlike the regular white yam. That it why iy is only served in special occasions. That is why we have it preserved in jars(ube jam and ube halaya) which are the very popular ube product here in the Philippines.

[@blxcklab]

Ube ice cream is delicious

[@franciscatalan]

I don’t think the color-grading on this video is highlighting the beauty of the ube, it’s coming off weird on-screen.

[@God-ec8ni]

its the new vietnamese crop star in the making on the culinary world

[@chryssesandchaos]

Ube Ice cream is amazing, in the Philippines, not sure if they were able to capture the taste of Ube in Western Ice cream. Other Ube flavored deserts, is too sweet for my taste.

[@PD-yh2ss]

I pity these people who have never tasted a real ube cause it’s just magnificent.

[@luckysloth26]

that one girl with the ice cream needs to taste good sheperd made in cordillera this is the most filipino tasting ube ever.

[@polperoch]

Seems like the American palate was introduced with a different kind of "ube". As what's shown here are the artificial 'ube', which is quite different from the real one

[@xdtrobowen3881]

ube is not taro! ube is ube and taro is not ube. 😂😂😂

[@courtnanquil355]

U should’ve went to Manila first and tried ube halaya to taste its real flavor

[@OceanicNASA]

Taro and Ube are two different things. Also a lot of “ube” products have food coloring. Companies and those small businesses are definitely scamming the consumers.

[@leylorenzo1]

Is that christian esteban? He was a celebrity in the Philippines in early 2000s. It was nice seeing him

[@thepinoychoppingboard1012]

Yup that's him.

[@gardeniagirl1374]

It took me awhile to like the ube ice cream from Trader Joe's, but I don't like any of its other ube products @ all. They are commercialized and much too sweet. I don't mind ppl experimenting w/ food to add their own flair, and I appreciate the effort, but Trader Joe's isn't even close. They just serve food w/ purple food coloring and sugar. I know the tuber when I see / taste it.

[@SuperJK-Man]

Is purple yam the same as Ube? I heard real Ube is harder to grow and is more expensive. Can someone explain?!

[@jjtzlofttv2390]

Ube is only in philippines native to the philippinese not all over southeast asia

[@TaLeng2023]

Ube (purple yam) ≠ Gabi (taro) ≠ purple sweet potato

[@alrodriguez2279]

Christian Esteban from GMA’s Starstruck Season 1. 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱

[@rrbr1477]

Sadly this "ube" did not show the addition of the rootcrop itself. That is a shame unable to showcase ube at its best.

[@iagreewithyou3478]

Where do you even get real ube? Are you sure what you're using is even real ube? Coz even in the Philippines you don't aways see the root crop in a huge amount. There's not many ube farms.

[@jeremyisjeremymartin]

Ube is endemic to the Philippines. It is not all over south east asia

[@ferdiremo]

The only best way to experience the true taste of ube is halaya

[@bluegray8428]

I wonder if what they're consuming is the real deal 😅

[@chubear9704]

I think people need to tell the difference between endemic and native. Endemic to only the Philippines: No It is, however, endemic to southeast asia Native to the Philippines: yes And i think credit of popularizing the crop should be given to the ph too bc we developed so many desserts w/ it that it has been ingrained into the Filo culture Also, people should start to learn the difference between eddo, taro, purple sweet potato, white yam and ube/purple yam. U cant blame the fils for being sensitive bc u've basically taken part of their culture while transforming it into an entirely different and unrecognizable thing. At the end of the day, the ones who profit the most from this trend are the rich okinawan sweet potato growers and not the poor ube farmers from the philippines. At that to the history of novel and exclusively PH products being overtaken by other countries in terms of prodn and fame: Ex: calamansi juice, nata de coco/coconut jelly, macapuno, and sweetened kaong There's social context in this so the reactions are valid.

[@serranomatcha9479]

Taro is gabi, ube is ube, hmmmmmmmmm?

[@ndwolfwood09]

We know Ube isn't exactly Taro, they're both tuber roots, but at least it's finally being popularized by non-Asian's standards! Just like Boba/Bubble tea, Siracha or Pho! Wonder what the next craze is?

[@MahaMondo]

Forget the Ube; if she makes Corn Ice Cream 👌

[@mogerus]

$10 for a Halo-Halo?!

[@tntn-bg2ye]

it is best used in pastry. it tastes like honey vanilla.

[@J3unG]

Nah...it's PURPLE YAM.

[@Kariktan214]

​@@J3unGUbe is used in the Philipines in pastry for a long period of time.