1. For many, Tet (Vietnamese New Year) evokes memories of early mornings spent following their mothers to the market, and fathers meticulously splitting young bamboo stalks into soft, pliable strands (commonly called "lats") to wrap green sticky rice cakes. In that characteristic mild chill, my sisters and I would gather on the porch, watching our mother prepare the beans and sticky rice, while excitedly shaping our own tiny sticky rice cakes from the leftover rice at the bottom of the basket. These small joys have woven together a sparkling memory, a deep bond that makes the word "family" more sacred than ever.
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| The Tet feast, a beautiful aspect of Vietnamese culinary culture - Photo: Nh.V |
On the night of the 30th, every household busily lit fires to cook the green sticky rice cakes. By the crackling fire, time seemed to stand still as stories were told. We listened intently as Grandma recounted the mischievous antics of my father in his childhood, and as Mom spoke of past Tet holidays filled with cherished memories. In the air, thick with the smell of burning wood and the crackling of embers, the whole family gathered together, waiting for the moment the New Year arrived.
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| Wrapping green banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cake), a beautiful cultural tradition of Tet - Photo: MH |
For me, Tet (Vietnamese New Year) is always associated with the image of my mother bustling about in the kitchen, where the pungent smell of burning straw and hay wafted up and then dissipated into the air. The kitchen back then was surprisingly simple, just three red bricks placed together as a stand; above, my father built a bamboo rack to dry the firewood. Around the kitchen, my mother carefully hung bags of dried seeds, waiting for the new planting season. The "smell of Tet" at that time was the scent of charcoal smoke, spicy ginger, and molasses, all blended together in a cramped space filled with laughter. That familiar little place wove the flavors of my childhood, and no matter where I go, I still yearn for the smell of my hometown smoke, crave the rich taste of my mother's braised pork, and feel compassion for the tears that rolled down my mother's tanned face because of the pungent kitchen smoke.
2. As time passed, many people's kitchens gradually took on a new look. Shiny stainless steel cookware replaced cast iron pots, induction cooktops replaced wood-burning stoves, and range hoods chased away the pungent smoke of the past.
Nowadays, preparing the Tet feast has become much easier. The rise of online shopping has freed women from the worries of busy kitchen chores. With just a few taps on their phones, the entire Tet atmosphere, from imported delicacies to elaborate feasts, is delivered right to their door. Modern life has brought us leisure time to enjoy the spring, but it has also given rise to a vague fear. The worry that the "speed" and "convenience" of the modern era will inadvertently diminish the unique cultural essence of Tet. Will material abundance make the warmth of family reunions less frequent? And will the downside of convenience cool down the values that have been cultivated through hard work?…
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| The Tet feast, a beautiful aspect of Vietnamese culinary culture - Photo: Nh.V |
I still vividly remember attending my mother's New Year's Eve party at my sister's house. Amidst the modern setting, the sight of the hastily arranged offerings of fried chicken, roasted pork, bubble tea, and a few packets of chocolate on disposable plates filled my mother's heart with an indescribable sadness. Throughout the party, she kept looking out the window, her gaze distant, as if searching for the memories of days gone by, of flickering fires and fragrant kitchen smoke.
For my mother, the Tet feast was not just food, but a heartfelt expression of love, distilled from meticulous selection and the tireless efforts of her hands. Before leaving, she held my younger sibling's hand tightly, her eyes affectionate yet serious. She gently reminded them, "When you see the family traditions in the kitchen, remember them, my child." That simple statement from my mother was a profound reminder that the kitchen is not merely a place for cooking, but a place that preserves family traditions, a flame that warms family bonds and nurtures the most essential values of a family.
3. I have a friend who is the director of a business. Despite his busy schedule, he has a special love for cooking. Every New Year's Eve, he always treats us to many delicious dishes, from braised fish with pepper, pickled onions, sticky rice cakes, and pickled onions... to beef in red wine sauce or elaborate chrysanthemum bread. My friend believes that preserving "family traditions" is about finding a subtle balance between the old and the new.
The essence of technology is to free up labor, so the Tet kitchen in the 4.0 era shouldn't be a cold, sterile kitchen filled with ready-made meals delivered to the door, but rather a place that connects generations through understanding. When each member makes time to share, cooking becomes a joyful experience for the whole family instead of a burden solely on the woman's shoulders. Preserving old values doesn't mean rejecting the new.
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| The feast table - an indispensable part of Tet (Lunar New Year) - Photo: Nh.V |
A truly complete Tet kitchen is one where we know how to use modern conveniences to preserve the beautiful values of tradition. No matter how busy they are, each family member still personally prepares the plate of five fruits, respectfully lights incense sticks to invite their ancestors to partake in the last evening meal of the year.
Looking at my friend's New Year's feast, I noticed a subtle blend of traditions: The same green sticky rice cake, but made with brown rice instead of glutinous rice; the same hearty meal with traditional flavors, but punctuated by a few modern dishes that children love. This skillful combination breathes new life into cultural traditions amidst contemporary influences. After all, the kitchen is where the flame of happiness is kept.
After so many ups and downs, just stepping into the kitchen and inhaling the familiar aroma of food, I know I've truly come home. There, the value of the Tet meal doesn't lie in the elaborate spices, but in the heartfelt reverence offered to ancestors and gratitude for one's roots.
Nh. V
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/van-hoa/202602/bep-tet-thoi-40-2331083/
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