The businesswoman put purple flowers into national cakes commemorating the Dien Bien Phu Victory

Ms. Trinh Hong Giang, Managing Director of Gia Trinh Bakery chain, is the third generation to inherit and develop traditional cakes in Hanoi and a number of culinary specialties in Vietnam. She shares about her journey of researching and bringing traditional cake products made from banh flowers to conquer consumers.

– What was the inspiration for you to launch the Purple Hoa Ban product set?

Since childhood, I have always heard stories about my grandmother. She sacrificed and worked hard to raise her children. Doing all sorts of jobs, from teaching to baking, she still immerses herself in the flow of the nation, producing, working and enthusiastically supporting the front lines.

The Dien Bien Phu campaign broke out when my father was 4 years old and his sister was 7 years old. My grandmother (Mrs. Vinh, founder of Gia Trinh Bakery - Vinh's teacher at that time) sent her child back to her father to go fight. school. She used a bicycle to carry more than 1,4 quintals of medicine to Dien Bien to "pay off her debt to the country and take revenge on her family". Together with more than 200 thousand civil servants and young volunteers at that time, she overcame the rain of bombs and storms of bullets, contributing a small part to the historic victory of Dien Bien Phu "resplendent in five continents, shaking the earth". . 

Grandma told this story as if sharing a small funny story for herself and her grandchildren to listen to with happiness and pride in her eyes. In 2004, when she visited Dien Bien - the old battlefield, she also took photos with the iconic bicycle that she, like many young volunteers and militiamen, used to transport food, medicine, and medicine. yeast…

In 2009, when the family built a farm to grow many precious ingredients and medicines to make cakes, my father respectfully planted 2 purple banyan trees. Flowers bloom brightly almost all year round to remember grandmother and celebrate this time.

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory, the National Tourism Year and Hoa Ban Festival 2024, right from the last days of February, I and the staff of Gia Trinh Bakery have cherished and planned intends to research and launch meaningful products and gift sets to both commemorate the small but great grandmother and join the proud atmosphere of the whole nation towards Dien Bien.

– With so many touching stories, what is unique about this collection?

Initially, the "Purple Hoa Ban" collection was only inspired by the special warm purple color of Hoa Ban - the flower associated with the victory of Dien Bien Phu, combined with typical products and ingredients of the region. Northwest like upland sticky rice, Shan Tuyet Tua Chua tea, purple potatoes on donuts, Gia Trinh ethnic cakes have been popular for a long time. 

After about 2 weeks of implementation, through researching many Oriental medicine documents and the reality of Northwest cuisine, my father suggested trying to use Hoa Ban in production. Hoa Ban in Oriental medicine is recorded to be able to cure coughs, sore throats or gastrointestinal diseases such as dysentery, flatulence, diarrhea... 

I tried applying it to baking and the results were better than expected. Dried flowers, ground into purple powder, have a very mild acrid and bitter taste, have a faint smell of the mountains and forests, and blend extremely well with the ingredients of rice and coconut milk that Gia Trinh is used to using in cakes, drinks... create special flavors. Once again, the brand's products maintain the values ​​of "good medicine, compassion" that 3 generations have cherished and developed.

– You decided to bring ban flowers into your cuisine, was that a risk?

Because of the urgent time, when coming up with ideas, the production team had to concentrate highly on research. When I received information about the new product, I was very happy because the workers started working very excitedly because this is a set of products that has great meaning not only for Gia Trinh but also contributes to Dien Bien, Northwest cuisine and cuisine. Vietnamese food in general.

The most exciting part is the process of harvesting, drying and making powder from Hoa ban flowers. Anxiety and stress are relieved when the finished product is produced. Everyone, from myself and all the brothers and sisters involved in researching and making the products, were overwhelmed with emotions because the shape of the cakes and teas was correct from the first time, with only a small amount of adjustment needed to get the product. The product was almost as expected.

Through the collection, my family as well as all the product makers send a little heart towards Dien Bien and show love and pride for the Vietnamese people. We also hope that when young people eat and enjoy the products in this collection, because they like it and find it delicious, they will also learn more about the Dien Bien Phu victory and Northwest cuisine. 

– How has the product been received?

Luckily, the products have received a lot of positive support from customers and young people. There are also customers who come because of the word "Hoa Ban". What do they want to experience eating Hoa ban flowers? Anything's special? There are also curious guests but there are also guests who are really interested in the nation's great ceremony.

At first, we were not confident in using Hoa Ban in products and the word Hoa Ban also basically created the inspiration to develop many products with this characteristic purple color. But one early morning, when an elderly customer learned about the product line "Purple Hoa Ban" came to just eat "Hoa Ban" once and regretted not being able to buy it when he learned that the new product was being tested. It was this difficult but enthusiastic and loving guest who motivated the research team to find products made from Hoa Ban, not only the purple color of Hoa Ban but also the ingredients from Hoa Ban: Delicious and meaningful!

– Thank you for sharing!