Highland cuisine is introduced to tourists during the Ke Pagoda Festival (Muong Hoa commune).
To escape the scorching June heat, we chose Van Son commune, a highland area, as our weekend getaway. During these days, Van Son is quite crowded with tourists. In Van Son, visitors can enjoy refreshing swims at Thung Waterfall, camping at Bai Pang beach, or cloud hunting on Mam Xoi Hill. And especially, they can savor the rich, distinctive cuisine of the Muong ethnic people in this highland region. Proudly introducing the highland cuisine of Van Son, Mr. Bui Van Tho, from Bac Thung hamlet, Van Son commune, said: "Currently, my family runs a food service business at Bai Pang with a capacity of 150 guests. In Van Son, visitors can enjoy simple yet delicious and appealing dishes." The dishes here are popular choices among tourists, including steamed, grilled, or stewed free-range chicken with sour bamboo shoots, steamed green-necked duck, mountain snails, buffalo skin soup with bon fruit, grilled meat wrapped in pomelo leaves, steamed vegetables, and five-colored sticky rice... The key to the deliciousness of these dishes lies in the fresh ingredients sourced from local villagers who raise and cultivate their own produce in a clean and safe manner, without using industrial feed.
Phu Tho is not only famous for its picturesque and majestic natural landscapes, but also attracts tourists with its distinctive dishes, bearing the strong imprint of the mountainous region. From Van Son to Mai Ha, Mai Chau, Pa Co, Muong Hoa, Da Bac, Cao Son... the ethnic cuisine of the highlands is an important highlight that makes community tourism here attractive.
Traditional cuisine, deeply rooted in the indigenous culture of ethnic communities such as the Muong, Thai, Tay, Mong, and Dao, not only reflects their lives and customs but also showcases the sophistication and skill in preparing and combining natural ingredients. Each season brings its own bounty, with dishes always fresh, flavorful, and rich in taste, featuring wild vegetables, stream fish, black pork, and free-range chicken.
Typical dishes of Van Son highland cuisine.
The cuisine of the ethnic minorities in the highland communes of Phu Tho province is captivating not only because it's delicious but also because it's unique, authentic, and always accompanied by a story. From ingredients sourced directly from the mountains and forests to cooking methods adapted to the climate and lifestyle, each dish reflects the community's life experiences over generations. Highland cuisine is the clearest "touchpoint" on the local culture. Through a meal, visitors not only taste the flavors but also witness daily life, feel the community's character, and experience the rhythm of life in the entire region.
Cuisine is one of the important factors contributing to the positioning of a tourism brand and reflecting the cultural identity of the local community. Therefore, building a strategy to promote highland cuisine to attract tourists from near and far is essential for Phu Tho today.
To make highland cuisine known to a wider audience of tourists, local authorities have focused on introducing and promoting it through festivals, markets, and more recently, using social media platforms to spread the appeal of highland cuisine further.
Tourist Nguyen Thi Hong Van (Hanoi) said: “One of the unmissable experiences when visiting the highland tourist destinations of Phu Tho is exploring and enjoying the local cuisine. We especially love the traditional leaf-wrapped feast with natural ingredients from the mountains, forests, and home gardens. The simple, rustic preparation method results in a delicious, authentic flavor that perfectly suits the taste of tourists. Truly, one of the most attractive aspects of tourism in the highlands of Phu Tho is its cuisine.”
In reality, the cuisine of the highlands has proven to be a significant advantage for tourism in Phu Tho province. When the food is preserved with its authentic essence and quality, tourists will stay longer, spend more, and want to return. This provides local people with additional income, jobs, and motivation to maintain their culinary traditions, preserve their indigenous knowledge, and nurture their cultural identity as a living asset of the community.
While beautiful scenery draws tourists to the highlands, the food is one of the things that keeps them staying longer and encourages them to return. In a tourism landscape increasingly prioritizing authentic experiences and uniqueness, cuisine has become a crucial element, contributing to defining the identity of each destination.
Willow
Source: https://baophutho.vn/hap-dan-am-thuc-vung-cao-257383.htm
