(AG Provincial E-Portal) - In Long Xuyen City on August 5, the Trade and Investment Promotion Center of An Giang province collaborated with the Southeast Asian Institute for Research and Development of Culture and Art Conservation to arrange a competition featuring 100 jaggery-based folk cakes and establish a Vietnamese record.
The contest is being participated in by ten teams of professional artisans and chefs from the following cities: An Giang, Kien Giang, Can Tho, Hau Giang, Tien Giang, Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, and Ba Ria Vung Tau. Two members of each team are involved in the processing process.
In accordance with the contest's regulations, each team is required to prepare ten cakes using jaggery-derived ingredients, including jaggery leaves, peels, rice, juice, and sugar. The contest features a wide range of products, including sophisticated cakes such as “bánh đúc hoàng kim”, “bánh ướt tứ vị”, “bánh quý phi”, “bánh gan”, as well as popular rustic cakes like “bánh bò nướng”, “bánh tằm khoai mì”, “bánh da lợn”.
The jury evaluates the cakes of culinary experts from the Southeast Asian Institute for Research and Development for the Conservation of Culture and Art, the Vietnam Cake Association, and the Chefs' Associations of provinces and cities. After the processing and judging period, the Jury awarded the First Prize to the Ba Ria - Vung Tau team, the Second Prize to the Tri Ton team (An Giang) and the Dong Nai team, and the Third Prize went to the teams of Ho Chi Minh City, Kien Giang and Cho Moi (An Giang).
On this occasion, the Vietnam Record Organization has officially announced its intention to establish a Vietnamese record for the An Giang Provincial Trade and Investment Promotion Center. The record will be titled "The event of processing and performing folk cakes made from An Giang jaggery specialties with the largest number (100 dishes)."
According to Mr. Le Trung Hieu, Director of the An Giang Trade and Investment Promotion Center, jaggery is tied to Khmer culture in An Giang. Products derived from jaggery, particularly jaggery, contribute to the growth of income, the establishment of employment opportunities, and the introduction of their own influence on local cuisine. This contest is a culturally significant event that also serves to preserve and promote the distinctive traditional values of the Seven Mountains region.
The Southern Folk Cake Festival - An Giang in 2024, in conjunction with the OCOP Tourism, Trade, and Product Promotion Fair, will feature a competition to establish a record for the number of folk cakes created from jaggery - 100. The event, which was held from August 3 to 11 in the Golden City Urban Area, My Hoa Ward, Long Xuyen City, was organized by the An Giang Trade and Investment Promotion Center in partnership with the People's Committee of Long Xuyen City and Xuan Chinh Co., Ltd.
The Folk Cake Festival is a celebration of the 136th anniversary of the birth of President Ton Duc Thang (20/8/1888 - 20/8/2024) and a promotion of the specialties of An Giang and the Southern region. It provides visitors and residents of the province with the opportunity to experience the province's rich culinary culture and high-quality specialties. The event encompasses nearly 400 exhibits, including a folk cake area, a tourism promotion area, a commercial product area, and OCOP products.
Author: Yen Luong
Translator: Kim Thuan