Can Tho makes 3-meter pancakes to treat guests for free at the Southern Folk Cake Festival

Banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancake) was introduced by the organizers at the press conference - Photo: CHI QUOC

On the morning of April 2nd, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Can Tho City held a press conference to provide information about the 11th Southern Traditional Cake Festival in 2024, scheduled to be held at Binh Thuy District Square from April 17th to 21st (corresponding to the 9th to 13th day of the third lunar month).

This year's festival will feature approximately 200 to 250 stalls divided into three groups: traditional cakes, food , and OCOP products and regional specialties. The traditional cake section alone is expected to attract around 100 artisans, showcasing and introducing approximately 100 types of cakes.

Many new points

Ms. Dao Thi Thanh Thuy, deputy director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Can Tho City, said that there are many new features in this year's traditional cake festival.

1. The space will be arranged in a way that avoids covering the entire festival area with tents, leaving open spaces to create ventilation.

2. Recreating Thuan Hung rice paper village (Thot Not district, Can Tho city), arranging space for artisans to display and demonstrate the rice paper making craft, and having an area for drying rice paper for visitors to take photos and check in.

3. Most notably, there will be an event where a giant Vietnamese pancake (Banh Xeo) with a diameter of 3 meters will be made by 14 chefs (scheduled for April 18th), after which the pancake will be cut and served free of charge to tourists visiting at that time.

Artist Hong Dung shares about the "biggest" banh xeo ever at the press conference - Photo: CHI QUOC

The biggest pancake

Speaking at the press conference, artisan Hong Dung shared that this is a truly authentic Western-style Vietnamese pancake. She has participated in many culinary events before, but this is the largest pancake she has ever seen.

According to Ms. Dung, because the scale of the banh xeo is so large, if calculated in a circle, it can reach 12 to 14 meters.

"The artisans don't promise to make a perfect pancake, but they promise a crispy edge and a generous amount of batter at the bottom for a satisfying meal. A truly authentic Western-style Vietnamese pancake," Ms. Dung said.

According to Ms. Dung, Can Tho is the birthplace of the Western-style banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancake). About 10 years ago, Ms. Muoi Xiem made her banh xeo famous when she entered a competition in the US and won an award.

This time, the organizers of the Traditional Cake Festival hope to use the event to remind, preserve, and promote the image of the Western Vietnamese savory pancake (banh xeo).

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/can-tho-lam-banh-xeo-3-met-dai-khach-mien-phi-tai-le-hoi-banh-dan-gian-nam-bo-20240402094847762.htm