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Thứ Tư, 13 tháng 3, 2019
Thứ Năm, 19 tháng 10, 2017
Banh Chung - the soul of Vietnamese New Year!
"Banh Chung" (Chung cake) is a traditional and irreplaceable cake of Vietnamese people in the Tet Holidays and King Hung’s anniversary (10th March Lunar). For the Vietnamese, making "Banh Chung" is the ideal way to express gratitude to their ancestors and homeland.
The legend of " Banh Chung"
Chung cake was invented by the 18th
Prince of Hung Emperor in the contest of looking for new Emperor.
According to the legend, 3,000-4,000 years ago, Prince Lang Lieu, made
round and square cakes, the round Day cake symbolizing the sky and the
square Chung cake symbolizing the Earth (under the ancient Vietnamese
perception), to be offered on the occasion of Spring.
In the ancient conception, the Earth is
square, hence Chung cake's shape is square, too, to reflect the Earth
shape. Since the cakes he offered were of special meaning and delicious
taste, Lang Lieu was selected to be the next Emperor. Since then, in
honor of this 18th Prince, Vietnamese people always make and have Chung
cake in the Lunar New Year. Up to now, Chung cake has become the most
famous and irreplaceable traditional Vietnamese food in Tet Holiday.
This legend aims to remind the next generations of the ancient tradition
as well as the primary of Chung cake. Besides, it emphasizes the
important role of rice and nature in water rice culture.
How to make a "Banh Chung"?
In contrast to the fast food in modern
life, the process of making Chung cake is time-consuming and requires
the contribution of several people. Main ingredients are glutinous rice,
pork meat, and green beans wrapped in a square of bamboo leaves that
will give the rice a green color after boiling. The sticky rice must be
very good and was soaked in water in the previous day. Rice cake is
wrapped in square shape, and the wrapping power must be neither tight
nor loose. Then the cake will be boiled in about 12 hours by wood. The
Green Chung Cake has nutrition with an original tasty flavor and may be
kept for a long time. Eating Chung cake with vegetable pickles will
bring you unforgettable taste!
In the traditional conception
of Vietnamese people, the process of making Chung cake is the
opportunity for family to come together. Sitting around the warm fire,
all members in the family tell one another the past stories and are
ready for a New Year with wishes of best things. Nowadays, in some big
cities, the business lifestyle of modern society prevent people from
preparing the cake, however, the habit of worship ancestors with Chung
cake never changes. It is the evidence of the Vietnamese loyalty and
deep gratitude to ancestors.
Chủ Nhật, 15 tháng 10, 2017
One cup of tea, please!
...
is what you often here when walking along Hanoi streets, near a lamp
post, under the shade of a tree, or next to a door where there is a low
table with glass pots containing different kinds of candies, roasted
ground nuts, and sugar coated cakes. This is a complete description of a
make-shift tea shop, which is a very popular part of Vietnamese street
life.
The
owner skillfully lifts the cap of the tea cozy, takes out the tea pot,
and then pours the hot tea into a small cup. The owner then hands the
cup of steaming tea to the customer. Unlike northerners, who prefer hot
steamy tea, people in the south would like to add ice cubes to their tea
cups/glasses due to weather difference.
Tea drinking - an indispensable habit.
Vietnamese people have a nice habit of drinking tea. They drink it everywhere and at any time: at home, at workplaces, even in tea shops on their way to work, or at
formal meetings, weddings or funerals. They also place it on altars as
an offering to their ancestors on worshipping occasions. Whenever
the locals feel thirsty, they are likely to look for this drink, in both
summer and winter. A cup of iced tea in a hot day in summer not only
refreshes your mind but also detoxicate your body. On the contrary, in
winter, a sip of hot tea makes you feel warm inside and better able to
cope with the outside cold temperatures.
Yet, tea drinking is not a recent trend in Viet Nam but attached to an ancient history as follows;
Tea drinking - from history to daily life...
Viet Nam is one of the largest and
oldest tea-producing countries in the world. The Vietnamese have been
growing tea for over 2,000 years. As early as in the 11th century, tea
was used as a symbol to convey the essence of Buddhism. During the
period of the Tran Dynasty from the 13th to early 15th century, tea
assumed a philosophical value for the Vietnamese. In the 15th century,
the Vietnamese polymath Nguyen Trai (1380-1442) lived as a hermit,
renouncing the outside world for a life of "tea, poetry and the moon".
While tea has a special philosophical
value for scholars and a long tradition in Vietnamese history, it has
its own place today in the life of ordinary people living both in the
cities and in the countryside. In the past, peasants could not afford
expensive tea, so they grew tea on their own. Nowadays, tea is used to
bind people together, for example, the peasant often invites his
neighbor around for a chat over a cup of tea. They drink tea
initially to thank the host for his hospitality, then throughout several
tea sips, they open heart more, to share their feelings, to speak
about the family, the company and finally to feel the nature savor of
the cup of tea.
Besides a normal thirst-quenching
beverage, tea is also considered a delicate and meaningful one. In the
past, it used to be the leverage for poets’ inspiration. Up to now, the
habit of leisure tea-drinking has helped refresh and polish the
drinkers’ minds. Moreover, a person's character can be assessed by his
or her tea drinking ways. Vietnamese people consider those who drink
concentrated tea to be finely-mannered; and those who can pour tea into
bowls arranged in a circle using a coconut scoop without spilling a drop
will certainly enjoy the admiration of their tea-drinking peers.
Kinds of tea
Viet Nam has grown many and various
types of tea such as che Tuyet, che Moc cau, che man, che chi … Each one
is combined with a particular kind of flower: che man with
chrysanthemum; che bup with hoa soi flowers; high quality che man and
che bup with lotus, narcissus or jasmine. Some connoisseurs go so far as
to row out to the middle of a pond to place small amounts of tea inside
lotus buds in order to perfume it. An example is cum tea, grown by the
Tay ethnic minority. Cum tea plants are allowed to grow until the buds
are mature, then they are picked, and roasted in a pan until they are
dry and the buds begin to curl up. The tea is then wrapped up in palm
leaves to keep it fragrant.
The Vietnamese like to mix tea with
flowers to make it more aromatic. Tea with lotus is very precious for
Vietnamese people. This kind of tea was formerly reserved to the Kings.
According to the predecessors, when the lotus blossoms in the afternoon,
they put a sachet of tea in the pistil and then, they tighten it with
the sheets of lotus. In the next morning, they take dew remained on the
sheets and in mixture with the sachet of tea in the pistil. After having
poured into the cup, the soft and fresh odor of lotus dominates the
whole room.
The tea culture has sticked to the life
and the heart of Vietnamese people for generations. And when they drink
tea at a small mouthful, the tea savor makes them more off-hand and
closer to one another. This has formed the culture of the vicinity and
the affection between neighbors.
Egg coffee – an unique culture of Hanoi
If you have chance to visit Ha Noi
one day, remember to enjoy its egg coffee. Why so? You may hear a lot
about egg coffee, and this kind of coffee may be found in other parts of
Vietnam, and even in some parts around the world, but Hanoi is the
place where it was born.
How this kind of coffee was born?
Egg coffee was born in late 1940s when
condensed milk was not as abundant as today. It was originally made by
Mr. Nguyen Giang who used to be a bartender at the 5-star Sofitel Legend
Metropole hotel under French domination.
How egg coffee is prepared and served?
An egg coffee is traditionally prepared
with egg yolks, sugar, condensed milk and Robusta coffee. The drink is
made by beating egg yolks with sugar and coffee, then extracting the
coffee into the half of the cup, followed by a similar amount of egg
cream, which is prepared by heating and beating the yolks. The cup is
served inside a bowl of hot water to retain its temperature. The
marriage of the egg’s rich taste and aromatic coffee wafting through the
air makes up specific flavor.
To drink egg coffee, people should
slowly stir bobbed froth of whipped egg with the coffee below. Sweet and
tasty of egg and milk are in harmony with bitterness of coffee and
leaves behind the mesmerizing scent.
Where to find the best place for a cup of egg coffee?
Giang Café (39 Nguyen Huu Huan)
This is the place where egg coffee was
born. Giang Café is humbly hidden on a small lane on Nguyen Huu Huan
Street in the city’s old quarter. It may be difficult to find for
visitors, but it is well worth the effort. It continues to be hugely
popular among Hanoi’s coffee addicts with its special ca phe trung, or
egg coffee.
Dinh Café (13 Đinh Tiên Hoàng)
Packed in a small space but offering a
look over Hoan Kiem Lake, this is also a favorite place for egg coffee.
It was founded by Ms. Bich, daugher of Mr. Quang – the father of egg
coffee.
Tips: Hanoi has
so many things to offer regarding food and drink in addition to egg
coffee. However, before packing your things to Vietnam, remember to
check your Vietnam Visa to make sure your entry will not be refused.
Source: http://lucotravel.com/vietnamese-drink/egg-coffee-an-unique-culture-of-hanoi.html
Source: http://lucotravel.com/vietnamese-drink/egg-coffee-an-unique-culture-of-hanoi.html
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"Banh Chung" (Chung cake) is a traditional and irreplaceable cake of Vietnamese people in the Tet Holidays and King Hung’s ...
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It is not accidental when you are often invited to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea when you visit offices or traditional restaurants in Vietn...