Rich in the flavor of traditional Vietnamese cakes.

In recent times, many female members in Phong Dien district have been thriving in the traditional folk cake-making profession, contributing to preserving the flavors of their homeland's products.

The Women's Union branches at all levels in Phong Dien district regularly pay attention to and create conditions to help members and women promote traditional folk cakes.

Every day, as soon as the roosters crow at dawn, Ms. Tran Thi Thu, residing in Tan Long B hamlet, Tan Thoi commune, Phong Dien district, lights her oven to make traditional Vietnamese cakes. Ms. Thu is the second generation to preserve her family's traditional cake-making craft. She shared: “My family has three sisters, and two of us have continued our mother's legacy, maintaining and developing the craft for over a decade. Initially, when I started, I only made small batches of cakes to fulfill orders. Gradually, the number of customers increased, with some ordering large quantities for parties and business purposes.” Currently, Ms. Thu makes many types of traditional Vietnamese cakes, such as savory rice cakes, steamed rice cakes, pork skin cakes, tapioca cakes, and sticky rice cakes, using the traditional steaming method. Ms. Thu shared: “Making traditional cakes isn't difficult, but it requires a secret recipe, and you have to learn from experience as you go. For example, when making pork skin cake, my mother mainly uses rice flour, while I add more wheat flour to make the cake chewier. An indispensable ingredient is coconut milk, which contributes to the cake's rich, traditional flavor, making it creamy and fragrant. In addition, the colors of the cakes are entirely made from natural ingredients such as gac fruit, pandan leaves, and purple yam leaves... The cakes don't use preservatives to ensure the health and safety of consumers.” On average, Ms. Thu steams and sells about 500-600 steamed rice cakes, 30-40 kg of pork skin cake, and several tens of kilograms of other types of cakes every day; after deducting expenses, she earns about 400,000 VND in profit. During holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year), neighbors come to her to order large quantities of cakes, bringing a stable income to her family.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Duom, residing in Truong Tay hamlet, Tan Thoi commune, Phong Dien district, has also maintained the traditional craft of making folk cakes for many years. Ms. Duom recounts: “My main business is providing catering services for parties and roasting pigs. Despite being busy, I still maintain the traditional craft of making folk cakes, which provides income and preserves the traditional skill passed down from my mother. Currently, I accept orders for cakes, mainly banh tet and banh it.” According to Ms. Duom, for banh tet and banh it to be delicious, the first standard is choosing good quality glutinous rice, and other ingredients must be of high quality, with plenty of coconut to achieve the desired richness. Besides traditional banh tet with banana and mung bean fillings, she also creates giant spiral-shaped banh tet weighing over 2kg; banh tet shaped like letters, and multi-colored banh tet… which are popular with many customers. On average, she earns about 3 million VND per month from selling folk cakes.

Not only Ms. Thu and Ms. Duom, but the traditional cake-making profession has become a stable source of income for many female members in Phong Dien district. According to Ms. Bui Thi Uyen, President of the Phong Dien District Women's Union, the Women's Union at all levels is currently maintaining the effective "Five-Colored Sticky Rice Cake" model in Nhon Nghia commune; the traditional cake-making cooperative in Truong Long commune; and the traditional cake-making cooperative in Tan Thoi commune. These models attract many skilled female members to participate. To help female members conduct business smoothly and contribute to the development of traditional crafts in the locality, the Phong Dien District Women's Union at all levels always pays attention to and supports members in accessing preferential loan sources; assists in designing product models and building brands; and creates favorable conditions for them to participate in workshops and fairs to display and promote traditional cakes to customers near and far...

Text and photos: Kien Quoc

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/dam-da-huong-vi-banh-dan-gian-a186314.html