IN KASA AND KIN, a Philippine restaurant in London, a violet glaze gleams(闪烁，发光) atop a wobbling "ube tsunami cheesecake". The sweet-toothed(嗜甜的) can also nibble(小口吃，轻咬) ube brownies, ube ice cream and ube macarons, or sip ube margaritas. The eatery used to serve mostly Filipinos, hungry for a taste of home.(这家餐馆过去主要服务渴望家乡味道的菲律宾人。) Now others pour in(涌入) too; sometimes just to photograph purple pastries.
在伦敦的菲律宾餐厅 IN KASA AND KIN，一款颤巍巍的“紫薯海啸芝士蛋糕”上闪烁着紫色光泽。嗜甜者还可以品尝紫薯布朗尼、紫薯冰淇淋、紫薯马卡龙，或者啜饮紫薯玛格丽特。这家餐馆过去主要服务渴望家乡味道的菲律宾人。如今其他顾客也蜂拥而至；有时只是为了拍摄紫色的糕点。
Lately, ube, a yam commonly used in Philippine desserts, has exploded(爆发，急剧增长) on Western menus. In the past year Starbucks, Costa Coffee and Pret A Manger have all rolled out(推出（新产品）) ube-infused drinks across America and Europe. Its mild, earthy(土腥味的，朴实的), nutty flavour is appealing. But it is the photogenic purple that has made the humble yam an internet sensation.(但正是那上镜的紫色让这种不起眼的薯类成为了网络热点。)
最近，紫薯——一种常用于菲律宾甜点的薯类——在西方菜单上大爆发。过去一年里，星巴克、Costa 咖啡和 Pret A Manger 都在美国和欧洲推出了紫薯风味饮品。它温和、土香、坚果般的味道很吸引人。但正是那上镜的紫色让这种不起眼的薯类成为了网络热点。
Ube (scientifically, Dioscorea alata) owes its hue(色调，颜色) to anthocyanins(花青素), antioxidants that have helped its reputation as a superfood (overlooking the sugar and alcohol it is often drenched in(浸透在…中)). Ige Ramos, a food scholar in Manila, explains that ube was a source of carbohydrates for Filipinos long before rice became a staple. After colonisation by Spain in the 16th century, ube became a dessert, halaya, from the Spanish jalea, or jelly; after the Americans took over in the late 1800s the jam was enriched with condensed milk. Halaya remains popular, and rather than the mild root itself, its sweet, creamy taste is what most Filipinos recognise as ube.(Halaya 至今仍受欢迎，对大多数菲律宾人来说，紫薯的味道不是那种温和的根茎本身，而是它甜腻的奶油味。)
紫薯（学名：Dioscorea alata）的紫色来自花青素——一种抗氧化剂，这帮助它赢得了超级食物的声誉（尽管它常常浸泡在糖和酒精中）。马尼拉美食学者 Ige Ramos 解释说，早在水稻成为主食之前，紫薯就是菲律宾人的碳水化合物来源。16世纪西班牙殖民后，紫薯变成了一种甜点 halaya，源自西班牙语 jalea（果冻）；19世纪末美国人接管后，这种果酱又加入了炼乳。Halaya 至今仍受欢迎，对大多数菲律宾人来说，紫薯的味道不是那种温和的根茎本身，而是它甜腻的奶油味。