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For many, the image of a red cardboard box filled with various kinds of candied fruits in each Tet gift package remains both familiar and heartwarming. Traditional candied fruits usually consist of only a few types: coconut jam, ginger jam, lotus seed jam, apple jam, pumpkin jam, carrot jam, and bird's egg candy, all handcrafted from the selection and processing of fruits and vegetables to the sugar-coating. The tray of colorful candied fruits is a treat loved by both adults and children. No matter how many years pass, the simple, sweet aroma of Tet candied fruits remains deeply ingrained in the consciousness of every Vietnamese person as a quintessential gift passed down from their ancestors.
Photo: Culturemagazine.
Over the years, jams and preserves have become increasingly diverse in flavor and variety. Nevertheless, traditional jams and preserves still hold their own, never going out of style, and contributing to the unique flavor of the traditional Tet holiday.
Ginger jam
Photo: Cooky
Dried ginger slices coated in a thin layer of sugar retain their warm, slightly spicy flavor. Not only are they delicious to eat, but a cup of hot water with a few slices of candied ginger is also a warming drink in chilly weather. Kim Long ward in Hue City is considered the most famous traditional candied ginger village in Vietnam. Every year in December, Kim Long ward goes into operation, producing batches of delicious candied ginger using traditional methods to create thin, naturally golden slices that are sweet and spicy and very crispy.
Coconut jam
Photo: Hoidaubep
Coconut jam is the most popular type of jam, with its sweet, nutty, and crunchy texture, perfect for enjoying with a cup of fragrant jasmine tea while gathering with family. Making coconut jam isn't too complicated, and many people still maintain the habit of making it themselves to give as gifts and keep for their families during Tet (Lunar New Year).
Pumpkin jam
Photo: Jolischef
Winter melon is a nutritious food with many health benefits according to traditional folk remedies. When processed into jam, the winter melon is beautifully translucent, crispy, and sweet. The process of making winter melon jam is more elaborate than many other types, requiring soaking in lime water for many hours to naturally whiten the melon without the need for chemicals. It is also an essential ingredient in the fillings of mooncakes and pia cakes.
Carrot jam
Photo: mongonmoingay
Carrot jam has an attractive orange-yellow color, adding a special touch to gift trays. Carrots are a vitamin-rich root vegetable with beauty benefits. The aroma of sugar combined with the delicate sweetness of carrots makes New Year's gatherings even warmer and more enjoyable.
Apple jam
Photo: YouTube
The apple jam is soft, fragrant, golden yellow, with many grooves on the outside of the apple, and the apple flesh is thick, chewy, and sweet. Vi Village in Hung Yen City is famous for its traditional Tet jam production, especially apple jam. The apple jam here is produced manually, carefully and meticulously from the selection of ingredients to the processing of the apple and the sugar coating.
Lotus jam
Photo: beemartblog
Lotus seed jam is a rather "luxurious" treat, not only because of its high price but also because of its high nutritional value. It's also an elaborately prepared jam, a refined snack to offer guests during Tet (Vietnamese New Year). Pairing it with tea is a perfect combination, both fragrant and sweet, with a subtle, pleasant aroma that evokes feelings of peace and longing. During Tet, savoring each piece of lotus seed jam with a warm cup of tea is a favorite pastime for many families.
Bird's egg candy
Photo: lanvaobep
They are called bird's egg candies because each candy is made from a peanut or groundnut, coated in a hard layer of flour and sugar, resembling small bird's eggs.
Through the skillful hands of Vietnamese people, vegetables are delicately processed and transformed into gifts imbued with the meaning and flavors of nature. They not only offer a sweet and warm taste during the chilly spring season but also preserve the traditional Tet (Lunar New Year) flavor in the memories of every Vietnamese person.
Ngoc Anh
