Buzz
Đình Bảng, Bắc Ninh, celebrated for its deep cultural traditions and the worship of eight Lý Dynasty kings, also boasts the famous Husband and Wife cake, indispensable in celebrations across the Kinh Bắc region.
The Esteemed Husband and Wife Cake from Đình Bảng – A Quan họ Countryside's Pride
In the Quan họ lands, the arrival of Tet sparks the joyous preparation of the fragrant Husband and Wife cakes by every household, symbolizing wishes for a prosperous and happy new year.
The art of creating Đình Bảng's Husband and Wife cake has been preserved for centuries, dating back to the Lý Dynasty. Initially, these cakes were crafted for the Lunar New Year and Đền Đô festival as offerings and gifts.
Today, the tradition of baking these cakes has rapidly evolved, with the Đình Bảng community making them throughout the year. Nearly 1,000 families there produce and sell these cakes, securing a stable livelihood.
Legend says the Husband and Wife cake was first made by Queen Lý Anh Tông for her husband at war. Its delightful taste led him to name it after their profound love.
Another story recounts a merchant's wife baking the cake filled with her sweet sentiments before his journey, embodying her love despite the distance.
There's also a tale of King Lý Thánh Tông and his queen receiving this unique cake at the Đền Đô festival, naming it 'Husband and Wife' to symbolize loyalty.
Each family in Đình Bảng possesses their secret recipe for the cake, ensuring its unique flavor. Careful attention to each step is vital to maintain the quality of the batch.
The cake combines an outer layer and filling harmoniously, using finely ground glutinous rice, mixed with white sugar, shredded green papaya, and aromatic extracts, filled with mung bean paste.
Due to its diverse ingredients, meticulous care is necessary at every stage. After preparation, the dough is thinly spread over a mold, with the filling placed at one end, then covered with the remaining dough.
The Husband and Wife cake is wrapped in dong leaves, carefully cleaned and softened. The inner layer is lined with boiled, dried banana leaves, and a layer of fat is applied to prevent sticking. After wrapping, the cakes are boiled and tied in pairs with a pink string.
A perfect Husband and Wife cake presents a translucent yellow hue, with visible shredded papaya strands through the outer layer, offering a blend of fragrant, chewy glutinous rice, crispy papaya, creamy mung bean and coconut, and sweetness from sugar.
Due to its distinctive flavor, everyone visiting Bắc Ninh wishes to try and purchase these cakes as gifts. Therefore, Đình Bảng's residents produce them throughout the year, with production ramping up from the twelfth lunar month to meet the Tet holiday demand.
Source: Mytour
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Reference: Mytour Travel Guide
MytourDecember 1, 2022
