The taste of traditional Vietnamese cakes

Ms. Quách Thị Liền (on the left) sells cakes to customers. Photo: TIỂU ĐIỀN

There are over 100 types of traditional Vietnamese cakes, diverse in preparation methods, savory and sweet flavors, shapes, and colors. These cakes are enjoyed when feeling peckish, as a snack between meals, as a substitute for breakfast, or to treat guests at parties. Traditional cakes always hold a special place in the hearts of those who enjoy them. In everyone's memory, the fragrant treats of grandmothers and mothers are always accompanied by traditional cakes. As we grow up and move away, we carry with us the longing for our homeland, and the taste of these cakes. The green, white, purple, and yellow cakes, with their fragrant coconut milk and pandan leaf aroma, are captivating and pleasing to both children and adults. These simple cakes evoke feelings of affection and nostalgia because of their familiar, sweet, and fragrant flavors. Therefore, whenever people hear about a market selling traditional cakes, they eagerly seek them out to enjoy them.

Simple in ingredients, just rice flour, glutinous rice flour, sugar, coconut milk, pandan leaves… through the skillful hands of mothers and grandmothers, these ingredients are mixed together according to different recipes to create various types of traditional cakes. Making these traditional cakes requires many steps, with bakers carefully measuring each ingredient. Each type of cake has its own recipe and secret. For skilled bakers, sometimes just a glance is enough to know if the batter is ready to ensure the cake is fluffy and airy when steamed. Thanks to these skilled bakers, traditional cakes retain their rich, authentic flavors. Each steamed rice cake, glutinous rice cake, wet rice cake, cassava cake, banana cake… is shaped, fragrant, and full of flavor. These simple yet sweet cakes preserve the essence of rural produce and the care of the bakers.

Many families still rely on making traditional cakes to make a living and maintain a stable life. The family of Ms. Quách Thị Liền, residing in Rạch Giá ward, has a long-standing tradition of making cakes. Every day, around 2 AM, while everyone else is still asleep, Ms. Liền's kitchen is bustling with activity, preparing for a new day of work. She busily steams cakes to deliver to customers and sell at the morning market. Her small kitchen produces more than a dozen types of hot, fragrant traditional cakes each day. Some batches are sold wholesale, while others fulfill orders from customers for family meals or parties.

These traditional cakes are fragrant, rich, and sweet. Photo: TIEU DIEN

At 30 years old, Ms. Lien has been involved in the traditional Vietnamese cake-making craft for over 10 years. She shared: “The cake-making craft has been passed down through three generations in my family. My grandmother passed it to my mother, and then to my sisters and me. Almost all the steps in this craft are done manually, requiring time and effort, and the profit comes mainly from the labor. This profession provides a decent income, helping my family maintain a stable life. Not only is it a means of livelihood, but all members of my family are happy to preserve our family's traditional craft and contribute to spreading the flavor of our traditional cakes to customers near and far.”

For many years, Ms. Lien's family has maintained the traditional recipe for making cakes, without using artificial coloring. Ms. Lien is meticulous from the selection of ingredients to the processing steps. The coconut is carefully simmered to make the filling for the steamed rice cakes, while the mung beans, sugar, and coconut milk must be mixed according to the correct recipe to produce the fragrant, soft, and rich mung bean rice cakes and pork skin cakes. The cakes made by Ms. Lien's family are favored by many customers because they retain the traditional flavor, thanks to the entirely handcrafted processing method.

Every morning, Ms. Lien is at Tac Rang market in Rach Gia ward to sell her traditional cakes. Her colorful tray of cakes sits in a corner of the market, attracting the attention of passersby. Every day, her loyal customers eagerly await Ms. Lien's simple, traditional cakes to buy and enjoy. “Each cake costs 4,000 dong, a very affordable price, so they sell out quickly! Every day, I sell several hundred cakes of various kinds. Many regular customers buy them every day. Some buy them as a snack, others as a breakfast substitute, so setting up early means they sell out quickly. Near Tet (Lunar New Year), customers order more cakes. These past few days, many customers have ordered cakes to offer to their ancestors and to treat guests during Tet,” Ms. Lien happily shared.

Nowadays, there are many other delicious types of cakes, but traditional cakes are still a popular choice for holidays, festivals, parties, and everyday occasions. Occasionally, competitions, fairs, and stalls selling traditional cakes appear, attracting passersby to enjoy these simple, sweet cakes imbued with the flavors of the countryside…

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Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/huong-vi-banh-que-a474158.html