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Tourists enjoy banh beo (steamed rice cakes) at the Southern Traditional Cake Festival (Bac Lieu ward). Photo: TRIEU CHAU
Visiting and enjoying the traditional cakes at the Southern Vietnam Traditional Cake Festival, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Kieu, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, commented that the traditional cakes in Ca Mau are quite diverse but mostly similar to those in many other Southern provinces, such as: banh bo (rice cake), banh da lon (pig skin cake), banh u (sticky rice cake), banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancake), or banh duc (rice cake)...
"But what tourists want is not just to enjoy the food, but also to see firsthand how it's prepared, hear the story, and understand the cultural significance behind each type of cake," Mr. Kieu shared.
Ca Mau cuisine features a diverse range of traditional cakes and pastries, reflecting the unique identity of the Southern region. Photo: TRIEU CHAU
The feedback shared by the aforementioned tourists also offers valuable insights for organizing future food festivals.
In fact, in many countries with developed tourism such as Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and China, food festivals are not just places to sell food, but also create a space for cultural experiences through cooking demonstrations, images, videos, and stories introducing the origins of the dishes.
This is something Ca Mau can absolutely do, because many of its traditional cakes already carry their own unique cultural stories.
The tower of steamed buns shaped like peaches symbolizes the aspiration for longevity and family reunion. Photo: Chaozhou
For example, the "an tho cui" (peach-shaped steamed bun) of the Chinese community in Ca Mau symbolizes the aspiration for longevity and togetherness, while also representing family and community bonds through the image of interconnected towers of buns. These buns are often featured in birthday celebrations, religious ceremonies, and the birth of deities.
Ginger cake (called Num Khnhây), a Khmer delicacy, is made from glutinous rice flour and eggs, shaped like a multi-branched ginger root, then deep-fried until golden brown and coated with sugar. The image of the ginger root symbolizes fertility, happiness, and the aspiration for abundance. The spicy yet sweet and fragrant taste of ginger also conveys the meaning of sharing and togetherness in life, as expressed in the saying, "Ginger is spicy, salt is salty, let's not forget each other."
Tourists learn about and enjoy the gingerbread of the Khmer people at Chua Giua Pagoda (Hung Hoi commune). Photo: TRIEU CHAU
In addition, many dishes reflect the cultural exchange between the Kinh, Khmer, and Chinese communities in the Southern region of Vietnam.
For example, Ngan Dua rice noodle dish (Hong Dan Commune), with its soft white noodles, is a dish of the Khmer people, combined with Chinese-style shumai and roasted pork, and the rich sweet and sour fish sauce of the Kinh people, creating a harmonious dish in terms of color, aroma, and taste.
The flower-shaped cakes of the Chinese community in Ca Mau reflect their distinctive culinary culture. Photo: TRIEU CHAU
It's clear that a dish becomes more appealing when tourists not only enjoy the taste but also appreciate the cultural values behind the traditional cake. While traditional cakes from various regions of Southern Vietnam share many similarities, it is the unique identity that creates the distinct appeal of Ca Mau's traditional cakes.
Therefore, creating spaces where tourists can directly observe the food preparation process and listen to folk tales and customs associated with the dishes will be a necessary direction to enhance the value and competitiveness of local culinary tourism.
Lam Hy
Source: https://baocamau.vn/banh-dan-gian-can-them-cau-chuyen-van-hoa--a128398.html
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