Keep the taste of home

Mrs. Tran Thi Thoi with her simple Phu Chiem noodle shop. Photo: XH

Mrs. Luong Thi Thi, often called Mrs. Tam Thi by the villagers, has probably been associated with the Phu Chiem noodle stall for more than 50 years. In culinary gatherings, from the village or further afield in other lands, with Quang Nam culinary stalls, Mrs. Tam Thi sometimes appears.

Although she is over 70 years old, she still does all the steps to make the famous bowl of Phu Chiem noodles with her hands. From making noodles, cutting noodles, making fillings..., every step under her hands is like creating a work of art.

Right in Triem Nam village - the village associated with the name Phu Chiem noodle village, it seems that all the women in the village do jobs related to bowls of noodles.

We still have the same feeling from the first Quang Noodle Festival held in this village last year. The smoky noodle stalls passed through the village streets. Although we know the organizers are only recreating the journey of Quang Noodles in this land, everyone can feel the emotion.

In this noodle festival, Mrs. Tran Thi Thoi was honored as the best noodle cook. I thought the mothers and sisters would feel sad, but who would have thought they would all agree that Mrs. Thoi's noodles were really delicious.

Delicious because of the taste of the elderly, the taste of noodles from the time the women were children. They acknowledge it as if they are proud of the taste their mothers taught them.

Mrs. Thoi is the daughter of a famous noodle cook in the old Phu Chiem. This “noodle seller’s legacy” does not stop at the visible. It has a fragrant aroma through each generation, each land change through each period, to become a delicious dish from the subconscious stepping out into life.

I have always believed that in the footsteps of the women of Phu Chiem village carrying noodles through the long miles of each region, there is probably also pride in the delicious dishes of the land.

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Ky - Chairman of the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association said that in 2024, the project "Digital Map of Vietnamese Culinary Culture" promises many attractive experiences with typical features: introducing and directly nominating delicious dishes on the "Digital Map of Vietnamese Culinary Culture" based on a large-scale database of nominated artisans and chefs; culinary dishes; ingredients, processing, and nutritional value.

The association also held a ceremony to honor and award the Golden Board of Honor to 8 artisans, 7 researchers and certificates of merit to 7 local culinary culture associations and 3 research projects contributing to the development of Vietnamese cuisine.

Delicious dishes through the years

Culinary artist Phan Ton Tinh Hai - a woman from Hue , deep and gentle, shares the story of Quang cuisine. She said, Central cuisine favors strong flavors, in which Quang cuisine has its own color.

Phu Chiem noodle stall at the first Quang Noodle Festival in 2023. Photo: LTK

Not too fussy in preparation but must be refined in taste. This quintessence comes from the kitchen owners. They must put care and filial piety into it to have it.

A friend of mine said that Quang dishes are rustic and rich, and Quang people are simple and loyal.

“They love and protect the quintessence of taste that lasts over time. Because they love this region’s cuisine so much, are so grateful for its spiciness, saltiness, fullness and durability, they don’t want to change it, don’t want to affect it, don’t want to touch it. The beauty of Central cuisine is its taste, and it’s this taste that creates the difficult situation in the migration of cuisine,” my friend said.

The online map of Vietnamese cuisine - a platform to provide information about Vietnamese cuisine and local specialties to tourists has officially launched. Quang region is represented with Quang noodles, Cao Lau, and rice paper with fish sauce. The delicious dishes have been identified by the simple women of Quang region.

From the Quang kitchen, more broadly, is the Vietnamese kitchen, always warm from the hands of the fire keeper.

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