Each ethnic group in the Southern region of Vietnam has dozens of types of traditional cakes, which have been an indispensable part of their culinary life over centuries. For example, the Chinese Vietnamese have dumplings, shallot, quảy (radish cakes); the Khmer people have Ọm Chiết (pineapple cake), Katum (palm leaf cake); the Cham people have ha nam can (cotton cake), din pa gon (sticky rice cake in bamboo), paicarah (turmeric cake); the Kinh people have banana cake, bánh ú (small pyramidal glutinous rice cake), bánh bò (sponge cake).
“These rustic and plain dishes are skillfully made from rice, potatoes, maniocs and imprinted in the memories of villagers, especially those living far from the country,” said Nham Hung, a writer and a Southwest culture researcher.
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Traditional cakes with creative shapes displayed at the Southern Traditional Cake Festival 2022 |
Following his family’s cake-making tradition, Pham Van Phuc in Thanh Hoa commune (Phung Hiep district, Hau Giang province) has the passion for discovering the beauty, preserving and promoting the cultural and culinary values of his hometown. “As a child, I learned to make cakes from my grandmother, but I did not expect to pursue this career until now. I feel proud and always try to preserve the traditional recipes while combining available and easy-to-find ingredients to make new cakes, contributing to the richness of Southern traditional cakes,” he said.
A group of youngsters at AZ Bakery in Can Tho city demonstrated their passion for traditional cakes by creatively “modifying” more than 20 types of traditional cakes with powder topping. 28-year-old Ly Thi Bich Ha, cofounder of AZ Bakery, shared, “Every cake is eye-catching. Some are made in small sizes with vivid colors and decorated like real fruits. Some are mixed together to make new flavors. The cakes’ colors come from natural ingredients such as butterfly pea flower, sweet gourd, and gardenia fruit, so the cakes retain their original flavors and lively colors.”
Can Tho city has hosted the annual Southern Traditional Cake Festival since 2012 with the spirit of maintaining and developing the value of traditional cakes. Attracting hundreds of visitors nationwide to visit and enjoy its vibrant atmosphere, the theme of the festival in 2022 is “Preserving and developing the value of Southern traditional cakes.” The ninth festival this year was held in a square in Binh Thuy district, containing 200 stalls with 97 types of traditional cakes, made by more than 170 artisans from 31 units of provinces and cities across the country. The images of the traditional cakes made by skillful hands of artisans have won the heart of domestic and international tourists.
Translated by Tra My - Thu Ha - Khanh Linh - Thuy Mai