Banh tet la cam, Tra Cuon continuously 'imports' from the West to Ho Chi Minh City; shippers run continuously

Bringing Western flavors to Saigon Tet

Near Tet, the Can Tho specialty banh tet la cam (rice cake) shop of Mr. Nguyen Tri Thuc (29 years old) in an alley on Cach Mang Thang Tam Street (District 10, Ho Chi Minh City) is bustling with orders. Banh tet is sold all year round in Ho Chi Minh City, but the owner said that only Tet makes him and his employees unable to breathe, especially after the 23rd of December.

Originally a construction student who had just come to Ho Chi Minh City to study, but because of his love for the traditional banh tet that had been in his family for more than 50 years since his grandmother's time, in 2014 he decided to start a business selling banh tet from his hometown. Up to now, it has been almost 8 years.

Mr. Thuc has been selling Can Tho purple sticky rice cake for more than 8 years in Ho Chi Minh City.

NVCC

After many changes, Mr. Thuc's shop now only sells the family's specialty banh tet la cam (black rice cake) in Cai Rang District (Can Tho). The cakes are regularly shipped from the countryside depending on the customers' needs, so when customers come here, the cakes are always available to serve.

Usually during Tet, the number of customers coming to buy cakes at Mr. Thuc's shop increases 3-4 times compared to normal days. Accordingly, instead of only 2-3 employees like normal days, during the peak of Tet, the number of employees preparing goods for wholesale and retail delivery, shippers is nearly 35-40 people, unable to handle the workload.

On weekdays, the prices of banh tet here range from 110,000 to 135,000 VND depending on the type. For example, 1 kg of purple banana leaf banh tet costs 110,000 VND, while the salty purple leaf banh tet is more expensive, 135,000 VND/1 kg. During Tet, because of the increase in input materials, the price also increases, but not much, only 5,000 - 10,000 VND/loaf.

During Tet, his orders increased many times.

nvcc

The owner also added that this year, the bakery in the countryside is ready to serve customers. It just needs to wait for customers to place orders so it can serve continuously.

“My happiness over the years has been to bring the flavor of my hometown’s specialty cakes to Saigon, contributing a little bit of the Western flavor to the Tet holiday here. Banh tet la cam is delicious, the sticky rice is rich when cooked, coated with coconut milk before wrapping. The color of the cake is not monotonous but bright and fresh, so it is chosen by many people during Tet,” the owner proudly said.

"Tra Cuon sticky rice cake season"

Last Tet, after the day of sending the Kitchen Gods to heaven, the Tra Cuon banh tet shop of Ms. Kim Thu (36 years old) located on Le Quang Sung Street (District 6) at its peak sold 1,000 loaves of banh tet/day. While on normal days, the shop sells only about 20 loaves. For her, this is the "banh tet season".

Tra Cuon sticky rice cake has been sold by Ms. Thu from her hometown for 5 years now.

high security border

Three-color banh tet at Ms. Thu's shop is loved by customers and bought a lot during Tet.

high security border

Originally from Tra Vinh , I came to Ho Chi Minh City to live and work, only opened a shop, imported banh tet from a relative's bakery in Tra Cuon to sell every day. Yet I have been attached to this cake for more than 5 years.

“I am from Tra Vinh, I don’t wrap or make cakes, but I think it’s good to bring cakes to sell to people in Saigon, it both helps me make money and promotes local cuisine . Tra Cuon banh tet is famous far and wide, it is the pride of my hometown,” she excitedly introduced.

Ms. Thu introduced that in her shop, there are many different types of Tra Cuon cakes, from mixed fillings, salted eggs and green beans... If it is green banh tet, the price is about 90,000 VND/1kg. If it is the type of cake with 3 colors, it is a bit more expensive, about 100,000 VND.

Last year during Tet, the price increased a lot, from 20,000 VND to 30,000 VND due to high market demand. She said that partly because Tra Cuon banh tet has a delicious taste, different from other cakes, and partly because the cake has a fresh, unique color, suitable for giving, giving, and using during Tet.

It is not difficult to find and buy Tra Cuon banh tet in Ho Chi Minh City.

CAO AN BIEN

Normally, the owner said that this type of cake can only be kept for 5-7 days, so people rush to buy it close to Tet. To keep the cake longer, when the oven sends the cake "hot", she also vacuum-seales it. Ms. Thu hopes that this year's Tet will sell as well as last year.

At noon, Ms. Do Thi Thanh (56 years old, living in District 6) also stopped by Ms. Thu's shop to buy cakes. She said that because she is from the West and lives nearby, she often stops by to buy banh tet. "Every time I eat it, I remember my homeland in the West. I have lived in Saigon for 30 years, but I still cannot give up Tra Cuon banh tet and purple leaf banh tet. During Tet, I ask my relatives in my hometown to send it up, every year is the same," the customer said with a smile.

Poll TNO

What kind of banh tet do you like?

Source link