In recent years, ube has become something of a food trend abroad — and the Philippine’s famed purple yam received its much-deserved spotlight in Germany recently as the Philippine Consulate in Frankfurt held the country’s first “Ube Fiesta” and released a short film about the root crop.
“Hopefully this film [can] help bring more awareness of this next-trend Filipino purple root crop in Germany which could benefit local farmers, Aeta indigenous communities, PH tourism, SMEs, social enterprises, and even online sellers. For the Filipinos, ube is not just a trend, it is part of the Filipino soul,” the Philippine Consulate in Frankfurt wrote on Facebook.
While it’s already a staple ingredient in some of the Philippines’ most decadent desserts, the efforts to promote ube in Germany are apparently part of the government’s bid to turn it into Deutschland’s next big food trend there after ube caused a sensation on Instagram a few years back in other countries such as the United States.
“[With] interest in superfoods and ancient grains, among others, ube has the potential to be introduced as the next trendy food element that is not only healthy and sustainable but also novel and impressive enough to tickle the senses,” the Ube Fiesta Germany website read.
Noted for its creamy and nutty flavor and its deep purple color, the hue of ube is indicative of the crop being rich in antioxidants, food historian Felice Prudente Sta. Maria said.
Some 500 Filipinos from Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium attended the event on June 6.
