Sausage, a dish that evokes memories for those far from home.

As Tet approaches, amidst the hustle and bustle of city life, my heart yearns for my homeland and its simple, familiar things, which are always present during Tet through a special dish: fresh sausage.

Sausages swaying in the sun - Photo: TRAN DUY

When I was a child, Tet in my hometown was always bustling with laughter and the fragrant aroma of grilled meat and red-hot sausages . Back then, sausages were only made during Tet, as they were considered a special dish in the Mekong Delta, symbolizing "Spring Blessings," representing abundance and prosperity.

Over time, this dish has not only remained in family kitchens but has also become a cultural symbol of the region. Today, Cai Lay ( Tien Giang ) is considered the "capital of fresh sausage," with more than 100 large and small production facilities, supplying tens of tons of sausage daily to the nationwide market.

Despite large-scale production, the facilities here still maintain traditional processing methods, using rice wine to marinate the meat and sun-drying naturally to give the sausages a rich red color, resulting in an unmistakable flavor.

A business owner in Cai Lay shared: "We have machinery to assist us, but important steps such as seasoning and selecting ingredients are still done entirely by hand."

Fresh lean pork is finely ground and marinated thoroughly with rice wine, garlic, sugar, and whole peppercorns to preserve its rich flavor.

Pork fat must be diced into even cubes, then marinated in sugar and sun-dried for about two hours until translucent before being mixed with the meat.

Every step is carefully attended to so that the sausage retains its natural sweet and fatty flavor, with a subtle hint of the characteristic rice wine aroma, truly embodying the essence of Cai Lay sausage."

For me, sausage is not just a dish, but also a connecting thread between generations in my family . I remember the days when I was little, the whole family would gather to prepare the meat, stuff the sausages, and hang each sausage on a rack to dry in the sun.

Our grandparents would tell stories about Tet in the old days, our parents taught us how to season our food, and we children eagerly counted down the days until Tet so we could enjoy our favorite dishes.

Today, even though sausages are commercially produced, I believe this dish still retains its cultural value.

Tet is not only a time for family reunions but also an opportunity for generations to reflect, share, and preserve traditional values.

An elderly woman in Cai Lay confided: "The kids are busy these days, but every time they see the pan of fragrant fried sausages, they sit down with me to eat. This dish seems to bring the whole family closer together."

In a changing society, it's not easy for a traditional dish like Chinese sausage to maintain its place in the market. However, the success of these establishments is proof that tradition can integrate without losing its identity.

The establishments here have adopted technology to increase productivity, but still maintain traditional flavors by selecting natural ingredients and preserving core processing steps.

From traditional homes where sausages were handcrafted with heartfelt dedication, to the present day, this product has grown into a major brand, supplying the entire country. But what makes me most proud is that, despite modernization, the sausage still retains its authentic rural essence .

For me, every Lunar New Year wouldn't be complete without the taste of fresh sausage. It's a flavor that reminds me of childhood memories, of days when the whole family gathered around the fireplace, and of the deep love for my homeland embodied in every dish.

Even though I'm far from home, every time I bite into a piece of that rich, fatty sausage, I feel the sunshine, the wind, and the heartfelt spirit of my homeland embodied in this dish.