Giay Bat Xat people keep the spirit of Mid-Autumn Festival
Every Mid-Autumn Festival, the scent of new moon cakes rises in the houses of the Giay people in Tan Hong village, Bat Xat commune. Amidst the modern pace of life, people here still preserve the traditional way of making moon cakes on charcoal stoves - a cultural beauty passed down through generations, contributing to preserving the flavor of the homeland.
Báo Lào Cai•05/10/2025
Every year, when the eighth lunar month comes, the kitchens of the Giay people in Ban Ven village (now Tan Hong hamlet, Bat Xat commune) are red-hot, giving off the fragrant aroma of baked moon cakes. The batches of golden cakes coming out of the oven are not only a gift of the full moon season, but also a way for the Giay people here to preserve the traditional spirit in the midst of modern life. In the middle of the rustic kitchen, Giay women gather together to make moon cakes. The person who makes the dough. benefactor The ingredients for making the cakes are prepared by Giay women themselves early, taking advantage of available products such as green beans, peanuts, sesame, molasses, etc., creating the unique flavor of the Mid-Autumn Festival in the highlands.
According to Ms. Ho Thi Bich (blue shirt, left), the craft of making moon cakes of the Giay people in Tan Hong has existed for a long time. Over time, this traditional craft has been preserved and spread through many generations. The Giay woman skillfully spreads a layer of egg yolk on the surface of the cake before baking – a step that requires meticulousness so that when the cake comes out of the oven, it has an even golden color, fragrant aroma, and a characteristic sweet and fatty taste. The cakes are gently placed in a cast iron pot by the Giay woman to bake. The Giay people use corn cobs covered with hot coals to bake their cakes – a manual method that helps the cakes cook evenly, preserving their natural flavor.
No need for an electric oven, the Giay people bake the cake right on the fire, watching every minute so that the cake is evenly cooked, fragrant and golden brown. The Giay people's batch of moon cakes is just ripe, golden brown and has a characteristic aroma. Freshly baked cakes are carefully arranged on bamboo trays to cool naturally. The aroma of the cake blends with the smoke from the kitchen to create a rustic, delicious flavor, typical of Giay people's moon cakes. Amidst the modern pace of life, the Giay people still preserve the traditional beauty of Mid-Autumn Festival.
Each cake is the crystallization of craftsmanship, imbued with traditional Mid-Autumn flavor.
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