"Come... Stay" with sponge cake

Southern Vietnamese sponge cake is simple yet sophisticated. Photo: DO TINH

“Miss Hai, the orchid has yellow pistil and white petals, and the sponge cake has yellow pistil and yellow petals. But whenever I am away, I feel sad. Maybe someday I will come back and stay here forever”… When talking about cakes from my hometown, people from the South know by heart the vọng cổ verse of the work “Bánh Bông Lan” (author: Quế Chi). The heartfelt lyrics seem to touch the source of memories of many children of the South.

Amidst the changing pace of life, the sponge cake remains the rustic and enduring taste of home. It is like a bridge connecting memories and affections, making anyone who goes far away want to return to “stay… here”, living in a home with honesty and warmth.

Sponge cakes in the South are famous for their simplicity and sophistication. The ingredients are easy to find: flour, eggs, sugar; sometimes add a little vanilla, some places add coconut milk to increase the richness and aroma. But the trick lies in knowing how to “make”, how to beat the eggs until fluffy, mix the flour well, and watch the charcoal fire evenly.

In the past, the countryside did not have electric ovens, so the aluminum molds were placed on the charcoal stove, covered with a lid of burning rice husks. The adults watched the fire, listening to the crackling sound of the coals, while the children sat waiting, their eyes eager, inhaling the sweet aroma that spread throughout the neighborhood. When the cake was done, the surface was golden, the inside was soft and spongy, and when broken, it emitted a sweet aroma - a scent that was enough to soothe the hardships of a hard-working life.

Not just a snack, sponge cake also encapsulates the friendly lifestyle of the Southern region. After coming home from the market, Mom often stops by to buy a few to share with the children in the house, or gives a plate of cake to the neighbors to "eat for charity". Sometimes, on rainy days, when the neighbors come over, Mom pours a cup of hot tea, puts out a plate of sponge cake to invite them, eats and chats, and the neighborhood bond becomes even closer.

On full moon days and Tet holidays, the cake plate is placed solemnly on the altar of ancestors. It is not only a dish, but also a word of gratitude, a continuation of the family tradition. The sweet, soft cake symbolizes the wish for warmth, prosperity, and the morality of loving and sharing. From then on, the small cake carries within it the gentle and kind philosophy of life of the Southern people.

Nowadays, in the countryside or city markets, sponge cakes have many variations: round sponge cakes, rolled sponge cakes, cheese sponge cakes, salted egg sponge cakes... Each type has its own characteristics, pleasing diners of all ages. But no matter how they change, the essence remains the same: sweet taste, egg aroma, soft sponge, the "golden pistil" of the countryside.

Inside the cake, one can still see the image of a hard-working, industrious Southern woman. Her mother's and her sister's hands skillfully stir the dough, light the fire, and watch each batch of cake. The profits, though not much, contribute to a simple family meal and a new pair of sandals for the children to go to school. The love and effort in each cake is therefore warm and deep, not just flour and eggs.

And when the traditional song resounds again: “The sponge cake has yellow pistils and yellow petals…”, people see not only the yellow color of the cake, but also the yellow color of the warm and affectionate Southern people. The sponge cake, therefore, is not simply a dish; it is also a memory, a way of life, a gentle and lasting pride. So that whoever goes far away, suddenly smells the scent of baked cake, will feel full of heart, wanting to return “to stay forever… here”, to return to the homeland, to the sweet affection like a piece of sponge cake.

BLUE

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/ve-o-luon-voi-banh-bong-lan-post812924.html