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Infused with the essence of Northern Vietnam, Thổ Hà Village (Việt Yên, Bắc Giang) is renowned far and wide for its aromatic traditional bánh đa.
Thổ Hà Village
Located about 50km from Hanoi, Thổ Hà Village has long been known for its traditional bánh making craft. Though situated in a riverine plain where rice cannot be grown due to the soil’s nature, the people of Thổ Hà have sustained their livelihood through handicrafts. Initially, pottery was the primary trade, but over time, the pottery industry faded, giving way to the bánh đa craft.
The ancient charm of Thổ Hà is reflected in its moss-covered village gate, the communal house, the pagoda, and the old houses. Traces of the pottery craft still linger in the walls of houses built entirely from broken pottery shards. “The pottery village is firing up/ Smoke from grass and de leaves wafts across the village/ Heavy boats loaded with pottery are leaving the dock/ Thanh Nghệ goes downstream, Tuyên Thái sails across” (poem by Vũ Quần Phương), a scene that no longer exists.
Thổ Hà Village has a secret to making delicious bánh đa. The bánh is made from rice, involving many steps, with the drying process playing a crucial role in its quality. If it rains, the bánh can become moldy, while too much sun or dry weather can cause them to crack. On dry days, just two hours of drying is enough to remove the bánh from the drying racks (phên). On cool or rainy days, the bánh must be dried with a machine and then air-dried under a fan to maintain its soft and chewy texture. Once dry, the villagers remove the bánh from the racks to cut them.
The delicious aroma of Thổ Hà bánh đa
The bánh is divided into equal sections to fit the cutting machine. For large racks, the bánh is cut into 7 sections, and for smaller racks, it is cut into 9 sections. The bánh is then bundled into dozens or hundreds depending on the order. Today, the bánh rolling process has shifted to machines, freeing up labor while ensuring more consistent quality and maintaining food safety standards.
Thổ Hà bánh đa is pure white with a subtle aroma, soft, chewy, and delicious. The bánh is famous both in the local market and abroad, with exports to Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and other countries. The busiest season for bánh making here lasts from September to February. In addition, Thổ Hà’s coconut bánh đa is a local specialty, crispy and aromatic with fresh rice, peanuts, sesame, and the sweet taste of coconut and rock sugar.
To reach Thổ Hà Village, most people, including tourists, must travel by river. From Hanoi, you can head to Yên Phong, Bắc Ninh, then take a boat across to the other bank. Boats run continuously from morning to evening, and the crossing only takes a few minutes. Right by the dock, there is a large, shady tree, a gathering place for the local market and communal activities. This all contributes to a picturesque and nostalgic rural village scene.
According to Mytour.vn
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Source: Travel Guide Mytour.vn
Mytour.vnAugust 9, 2024
