Town cuisine

If there is only one day to experience the cuisine of Phu Tho town, many people will probably choose to visit Me market, this is an old market and also the most favorite "culinary coordinate" of the town. Right in the middle of the main market, it is not difficult to see rows of stalls next to each other, selling all kinds of local gifts. That whole culinary world is filled with the memories of those who have stayed here. Every morning, after each market trip, mothers and grandmothers do not forget to stop by to buy a couple of dishes as breakfast for their children and grandchildren.

When it comes to the cuisine of this place, it is impossible not to mention Banh Tai, a typical breakfast dish that has been associated with the people of the town for generations. The cake is made from rice, with pork filling inside. The cake is shaped like an ear, so it is called Banh Tai. It looks simple, but to have a soft, fragrant cake, it requires meticulousness in every step of processing, from choosing rice, soaking, grinding, to kneading dough and steaming the cake. Banh Tai is best eaten right after the seller takes it out of the steamer, the cake is steaming, dipped in fish sauce seasoned with sour, spicy, salty, sweet spices, giving the enjoyer an unforgettable feeling of sticky, fragrant, fatty taste.

Ms. Dinh Thi Hoan - who specializes in making ear cakes and sells them at Me market shared: "I have been making ear cakes for nearly 22 years now. Every day I wake up at 3am to make the cakes. The process of making the cakes requires many steps, such as soaking the rice the day before, grinding it, filtering the flour until smooth, and then kneading it... The cake looks simple, but to keep its old flavor, it must be made very carefully and meticulously, otherwise the batch of cakes will be ruined immediately. That's why many regular customers, some of whom have been away for decades, come to Ms. Hoan to ask for ear cakes when they return to town."

While talking to us, Ms. Hoan's hands were still deftly wrapping and delivering the cakes to customers. Her hands were so used to the job that they didn't even need to look. Most people who came to Ms. Hoan's restaurant bought more to take home after eating. It was almost 8am and her batch of several hundred cakes had already sold out.

Through research, it is known that in the past, the most famous banh tai was Mrs. Gian Dinh's shop in Gieng Thanh, Bach Dang street, Au Co ward. After that, the profession was passed on to her children and grandchildren. Currently, banh tai is produced in some famous places such as Chien Lap shop in Phong Chau ward, banh tai co Hoan in Me market... Over the years, banh tai thi thuy still quietly "keeps" diners with its rustic flavor like the people in the city.

Not only stopping at banh tai, every morning, in every small alley or along the main streets, there are small but always crowded breakfast shops. Among them, banh cuon is a familiar dish that is loved by many diners.

The most famous is Ms. Tam's restaurant - located modestly behind Sa Dec Secondary School, Hung Vuong Ward. No signboard, no loud advertising, but anyone who has been there will never forget the taste of Ms. Tam's rice rolls. Her rice rolls are made on the spot, customers eat as they eat. The filling includes minced meat, wood ear mushrooms, rolled to fit the hand, the white, transparent, soft and thin rice paper. When eating, it is accompanied by grilled sausage on charcoal, dipping sauce made from fish sauce, a few slices of fresh red chili, and pickled vegetables, creating a unique, well-rounded feeling.

Another familiar address that cannot be missed is the small banh cuon stall of Ms. Vu Thi Tien, which has been around for over 30 years, at Me market. Ms. Tien's shop is located modestly in the middle of a bustling food court, with no sign, just a few plastic tables and wooden chairs, but it is always bustling with people coming and going. The prices are extremely affordable, from only 10,000 to 25,000 VND per serving, suitable for all classes of diners.

In particular, the town also has a traditional profession that has lasted nearly a hundred years, which is making moon cakes. Since 1930, Mr. Hoang Quy - a native of Noi Am village, Hanoi - brought the confectionery profession to Phu Tho town, opening the Quang Hung Long shop. Over many generations, his descendants have developed the profession into well-known brands such as Hoang Van, Ta Quyet, Thu Thuy, Tuan Anh, Luan Sang... Moon cakes have two main types: baked cakes and sticky rice cakes. The ingredients seem simple, but the family secret in mixing flour, cooking sugar water, choosing fillings, scenting grapefruit flowers... has created the difference. Baked cakes are soft but not dry, fatty but not greasy, sticky rice cakes are sweet and moderately chewy. In particular, the price is suitable for many people, so every Mid-Autumn Festival, cakes from the town are sought after by people everywhere as meaningful gifts.

In addition, when coming to the town, people also get to know other delicious snacks such as papaya salad, mixed sweet soup, fried cakes, banh te, banh giay, banh gio, boiled snails...

Ninh Giang – Ha Trang

Source: https://baophutho.vn/am-thuc-thi-xa-232825.htm