E-magazine Preserving traditional baking in the "king's land"

(GLO)- In the "land of kings" Tay Son (Gia Lai province), the traditional craft of making cakes has been preserved by the people for many generations. The rustic cakes are not only present in festivals, but are also the livelihood and pride of the women here.

The old craftsmen often say that the land of Tay Son, once associated with the cloth-clothed hero Quang Trung-Nguyen Hue, always seems to have a special connection with the cake-making profession. Here, cakes are not only for sale, but also for offerings and commemorations.

On every holiday or Tet, people carefully prepare the most refined traditional cakes, expressing their respect to their ancestors and heroes.

Phu Phong Market (Tay Son Commune) is the place that most clearly preserves the imprint of the baking profession. Ms. Diep Thi Bich Lien's stall always attracts customers with trays of cakes printed with jam, green bean cakes, jam cakes... in many eye-catching colors.

On holidays and Tet, especially the death anniversary of King Quang Trung, she personally prepared cakes to offer to the king, an act that is both traditional and shows respect.

Ms. Diep Thi Bich Lien at her traditional confectionery stall. Photo: Thao Khuy

“Not only me but also other people “The people of Tay Son all carry in their hearts the pride and gratitude of the hero of their homeland. Having the opportunity to personally prepare the cake to offer the king, I tried my best to be meticulous, as a way to send my heart to those who came before me,” Ms. Lien shared.

According to her, in recent years, traditional cakes and jams have had a special place in the hearts of consumers. While in the past, many families preferred industrial cakes, now they seek out the old flavors for their feasts and offerings. Thanks to this, the people who make cakes in the countryside can also make a living from their profession.

“To retain customers, in addition to the taste, I absolutely do not use preservatives. Cakes that can be kept for a long time such as banh in and banh canh are made in advance; green bean cakes, black bean green rice cakes or pink cakes must all be made on the same day to keep their freshness,” said Ms. Lien.

Also a merchant at Phu Phong market, Ms. Lam Phuoc Nha inherited the profession from her mother and has now brought Tay Son cakes and jams to many provinces and cities across the country.

Ms. Nha said: “Making cakes requires meticulousness and patience. My mother is now nearly 80 years old. In addition to teaching me the recipe, she also told me to be diligent and careful with every detail. I am very proud to continue the profession and contribute to preserving the culinary culture of my homeland.”

On big holidays, Ms. Nha told her daughter to prepare a tray of cakes to offer to the king as a way to show gratitude and pray for peace for the family.

Ms. Lam Phuoc Nha at the traditional cake stall. Photo: Thao Khuy

In another corner of the market, the stall of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Son (known as Mrs. Bon Tan) has long been a familiar address for customers from near and far. The beautifully hand-wrapped banh chung, banh tet, and banh it are wrapped right at the market.

With over 40 years of experience, Mrs. Bon Tan's hands have become "precise scales", wrapping continuously but the cakes are still even.

Mrs. Bon Tan wraps banh it la gai right at the market. Photo: Thao Khuy

She said: Many families in Tay Son make a living from baking, gradually forming their own brand. "A good fragrance comes naturally", her cakes continue to follow customers to the North and South. But this job is quite hard, so few young people are willing to follow in her footsteps. She is lucky to have a daughter who follows her mother's footsteps, now also opening a cake stall in Pleiku.

Not only in Phu Phong market, coming to Binh An commune - where Hoang Dong gai leaf cake factory is located, the atmosphere of making cakes is also bustling all year round. This 3-star OCOP standard specialty since 2019 has followed tourists and traders to all regions.

Hoang Dong gai leaf cake is present at the OCOP product display area within the framework of the Festival of the Great Forest Quintessence - Blue Sea Convergence to celebrate the 80th anniversary of National Day September 2. Photo: Thao Khuy

In recent years, Hoang Dong has focused on promoting its products on social networks. Therefore, Banh it la gai has become increasingly familiar to consumers, loved by young people and widely shared on Tiktok.

Videos recording scenes of wrapping cakes, stirring fillings, opening leaves, etc. attract tens of thousands of views, helping the rustic cake become more familiar to consumers across the country.

From a rustic gift, Hoang Dong banh it is gradually spreading beyond the bamboo fences of the village, bringing the flavor of "king's land" to many regions.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/giu-gin-nghe-lam-banh-truyen-thong-tren-dat-vua-post570663.html