The foods permeated with love for Hanoi, in ‘Hanoi’s 36 streets’- a book of Thach Lam

Thach Lam, a famous writer, wrote about the foods and the connection between cuisine and the cultural-social life of Hanoians in his essay “Hanoi’s 36 streets”, which is also the first essay about Hanoi with a culinary topic.

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The taste of an antique Hanoi

In Thach Lam’s essay, the food in every street of Hanoi seems realistic and delicious in front of the readers, though it just appears through the words. They are Bun Suon (vermicelli with ribs) and Canh Bun (rice noodle soup), Bun Cha (rice noodles with barbecued pork), Khao cake, and peanut candy, etc. Each dish  is skillfully designed by the author to bring a clear picture of the taste of Hanoi people.

“Despite the same Bun Cha and the same vegetables, Bun Cha in Hanoi is more delicious and tasty than anywhere else. Bun Cha of Hanoi is good to the last drop of sauce.”

“In summer, it’s popular for Xoi (steamed glutinous rice) and Chao (porridge) attracting me with the fragrance of rice. Sticky rice can be steamed with other ingredients such as mung bean, peanut, sesame, or coconut. Well, Xoi Vung (sticky rice with the sesame and grease) brings the taste of grease and nutty in each bite. Xoi is not expensive at all! One or two cents is enough to buy it. Also, in winter, the hot sticky rice is steaming like a mist. It warms and makes the eaters full.”

“Not everywhere in Hanoi can people make good Pho. The broth is clear and aromatic; the flat rice noodle is soft but not over-done; the brisket is not chewy; Pho also needs lemon, chili, and onions to finish tastily. Nothing better than such a bowl of Pho. After eating the first bowl of Pho, I crave for the second one…Pho is a special gift of Hanoi. It is served everywhere over Vietnam, but Hanoi is the only place where foodies can enjoy Pho of full and authentic taste.”

The distinctive and unique characteristic of Hanoians

Thach Lam describes not only Hanoi culinary but the lifestyles and habits of Hanoians as well. Hanoi people are so orderly, simple, and specific.

Vietnamese thinking is so different –  they like to sell the food with low prices to win the hearts of customers; they don’t care much about the food quality. Therefore, the bowl of vermicelli contains lost of garnishes such as herbs, char siu, or pieces of hog’s pudding, and one-eighth of a duck egg.

 Women (the female shoppers or the vegetable sellers, etc.) who want the foods are good in price and quantity, and delicious.They are meticulous, gourmet, and very punctilious. And they do buy the rice-balls at the stall. The rice-balls are in  their two heavy baskets.

The street food is a gift of all everyday for all kinds of people, especially civil servants and boatmen. People eat pho for breakfast, for lunch, for dinner… Pho at the street hawkers has a unique flavor that is different from the one of Pho at the store. The streets with famous Pho stores in Hanoi are named to remembered: Ga Street, Hang Cot Street, O Quan Chuong street, Cua Bac street …

Deeply in love with Hanoi

Not only revolves around the culinary theme, in “Hanoi’s 36 streets,” Thach Lam also expresses the love for Hanoi through the concern about the change of this land.  It seems to be losing its antique values. Although he is not very satisfied with that change, his tone was still full of emotion.

“Those beautiful customs are now fading away.  Have the gastronomy and the enjoyment of people for food been less delicate?”

He realized the street foods in Hanoi gradually change. They are the new trends of  “ice creams of “Vietnam” or “Hai Phong” or “Shanghai”  and hundreds of things that are both pale and sickly..”.

And Thach Lam felt “more forgiving for them than ‘sesame candy, sugar candy’ (because they do not bring the same feel and taste of Hanoi  as they used to). In the past, although these kinds of candies were not satisfying, at least it conveyed the soul of Hanoi with long and sad street-cries of children hawking along the streets.”

As Thach Lam revealed, Hanoi is beautiful because its people are astonishing with a unique characteristic.  A small but delicate picture contains so much art spirit which is created by not only the talent but also the sincere love. Thach Lam gives love to the little things of little lives, that is, love Hanoi, because these little ones mean all Hanoi.

With a gentle and elegant style of writing, Thach Lam has immortalized the ordinary ones and touched the hearts of Hanoi lovers. After “Hanoi’s 36 streets” of Thach Lam, a series of works with similar themes were composed by famous writers such as Nguyen Tuan, Vu Bang, and Mai Thao.  It can be said that Thach Lam is a talented and creative pioneer for the genre of writing about Hanoi through the aspect of cuisine.

                                                                                                          By An Biên