Do it ten times harder, and customers flock in.

Bustle

Just before Tet (Lunar New Year), we visited the bakery of Ms. Huynh Ngoc Chinh (39 years old), a family business with nearly 40 years of experience in the Cholon area, located at 106 Xom Dat (District 11, Ho Chi Minh City). Every morning, the bakery is bustling, with a constant stream of customers coming in to inquire about and buy all kinds of traditional cakes…

Willow leaf-wrapped cakes are in high demand during Tet (Lunar New Year).

Ms. Chinh said that her bakery is famous year-round for its steamed buns, willow leaf buns, radish buns, and fortune buns… During Tet (Lunar New Year), customer demand for willow leaf buns, also known as longevity buns or peach blossom buns, increases significantly, as these are famous offerings of the Teochew people in Cholon, and are very popular during major festivals and holidays throughout the year.

The owner said that this cake symbolizes longevity and prosperity, making it an indispensable offering on the ancestral altar, alongside the traditional rice cake. That's also why, this Tet holiday, Ms. Chinh said her bakery produced ten times more willow-shaped cakes than usual, with nearly ten family members working from 6 am to 1 am the next day to meet demand.

Ms. Trinh's family bakery sells a variety of traditional Chinese pastries.

Regarding prices, the bakery is maintaining the same price at 16,000 VND per willow leaf-wrapped cake. She said the bakery will be open throughout Tet, only closing on the morning of the first day. During Tet, the price might increase by 1,000-2,000 VND, but not drastically.

"My family's cakes have a unique flavor that other places don't have; the important thing is the way we prepare and season them. Having sold them for decades, the bakery has a stable base of regular customers. This year, due to the difficult economic situation, sales aren't as high as last year, but it's still the peak season," Ms. Chinh expressed.

Maintain your home oven.

Mr. Chi (63 years old, residing in District 11) said he has been a regular customer here for decades. Being of Chinese descent, he always comes here to buy rice cakes, willow leaf cakes, steamed buns, etc., for offerings and to offer to guests during important holidays and festivals.

"The cakes here are good quality and reasonably priced, not expensive at all, so I just buy them. My house is also nearby. In general, I'm used to buying from here; I don't like the cakes from other places. Near Tet, I come back to buy willow leaf cakes for offerings," the customer expressed.

As customer demand increased, willow leaf-wrapped rice cakes were continuously replenished.

Chinh's family worked overtime making cakes.

At the age of eight, Chinh helped her parents sell cakes. Nearly 40 years ago, her parents opened this bakery. Initially, they only made cakes on a small scale, delivering them to a few acquaintances in Cholon because of their delicious cakes. Gradually, the number of customers increased, and they developed it into the bakery it is today.

"I dropped out of school after 10th grade to help my parents sell cakes, and now I've inherited the business. My grandparents are getting old, but they still work tirelessly in the oven every day, selling cakes to customers. The bakery is the culmination of my parents' efforts in raising four siblings, and it represents my entire childhood and youth," Chinh added.

Customers regularly visit this bakery in the days leading up to Tet (Vietnamese New Year).

As Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) approaches, Chinh's family bakery continues to produce cakes filled with passion, showcasing the culinary beauty and traditional culture of the Chinese community in the heart of a modern city.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/lo-banh-truong-tho-nuc-tieng-cho-lon-dip-tet-lam-gap-10-lan-khach-nuom-nuop-185240131130836419.htm