Traditional Vietnamese cake makers in Quang Tri busy ahead of Tet

With the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday just around the corner, makers of “banh tet” (a cylindrical sticky rice cake) in Dai An Khe village, Hai Lang district, in central Quang Tri province, are working day and night to complete orders from near and far. For the people of Quang Tri, the renowned traditional cake is an indispensable part of a Tet banquet.

“Banh chung” (a square glutinous rice cake) and “banh tet” (a cylindrical sticky rice cake) from Dai An Khe village are wrapped and cooked in a special way and have unique colours and flavours. Delicious and distinct, the village’s brand of “banh chung” and “banh tet” hold a special position in the hearts of people near and far. Local cake makers have stopped taking orders since the beginning of the 12th lunar month as supply can’t keep up with demand.  

The “banh tet” cake making group in Dai An Khe was set up in 2019 and has 23 member households so far. On average, 600 “banh tet” and “banh chung” cakes from each household are sold daily. During Tet, the number of orders the group receive is very high, at about 100,000 cakes of all kinds.

“Banh tet” and “banh chung” not only bear the cultural symbols of the country, but also make each Vietnamese person proud to treasure the sacred dishes on the Tet holiday. Today, the profession of cake making not only contributes to preserving old customs but also helps local people boost their incomes and generate jobs./.

VNA