The bustling season of Tet sweets.

These days, the atmosphere at the jam-making family of Ms. Nguyen Thi My Dung in Ward 5, Phuoc Hoi Commune, La Gi Town is much more bustling and lively. Everyone has a different task, from grating and simmering the jam to drying it... everyone is busy to produce batches of delicious jam to meet the market demand for Tet (Lunar New Year ).

Having been involved in making traditional jams and preserves for over 20 years, Ms. Dung shared: “Every year, my family makes all kinds of jams and preserves to serve the market during the Lunar New Year, such as coconut jam, ginger jam, tamarind jam, pomelo peel jam, custard apple jam… However, among all the jams, coconut jam is the most popular. Especially young coconut jam.”

Making Tet jam isn't difficult, but it requires skill and meticulousness at each step. Depending on the ingredients, taste, and preferences of each person and family, the marinating and processing methods vary. In the traditional process of making coconut jam, the simmering stage is the most strenuous and requires the most finesse. In this stage, the person simmering the jam must be skilled and have great stamina. Using two large cooking chopsticks, they must stir the jam evenly in the pan, continuously for many hours.

Ms. Dung and her husband are busy making coconut jam.

Ms. Dung further shared: "The jam I make for sale is the same as the jam I make for myself and my family to eat, so I don't use preservatives or artificial coloring. For coconut jam, I usually use natural colors such as: the color of gac fruit, red dragon fruit, butterfly pea flowers, pandan leaves... to make the jam more visually appealing, while still ensuring food safety and hygiene."

Coconut jam – An indispensable treat during the traditional Lunar New Year celebration.

Besides coconut jam, ginger jam is also quite popular with customers. In the chilly weather of early spring, enjoying a slice of ginger jam with a hot cup of tea is truly delightful. Ginger jam symbolizes a wish for a warm and happy new year for all families. The slightly sweet flavor surrounding the spicy warmth of ginger provides a pleasant sensation for the consumer. In addition, ginger jam also has detoxifying effects, warms the body, and stimulates digestion, especially during the Tet holiday when food intake is often irregular.

Candied ginger symbolizes the wish for a warm and happy new year for all families.

The Lunar New Year is a time for family and friends to gather, exchange New Year greetings, share tea, and enjoy traditional cakes and candies while reminiscing about the past year. Therefore , candied fruits are an indispensable part of every Vietnamese family's life. The sweetness of the caramelized sugar combined with fresh ingredients creates a sweet, nutty, sour, and spicy flavor that anyone who has tasted it will never forget!

Tet jam - An indispensable dish in every Vietnamese family during the Lunar New Year .

With skillful hands and a passion for crafting, those who make Tet jam have added a sweet flavor to many families during the traditional Tet holiday . And they always strive to " keep the flame alive , " " preserve the flavor of Tet ," and " preserve the soul " of Vietnamese Tet for present and future generations.

Source: https://baobinhthuan.com.vn/la-gi-ron-ra-mua-mut-tet-116364.html