The Taste of Vietnamese Tết

Tết begins with familiar sounds, with vibrant colors, with the warm scent of incense… and then lingers long on the tip of the tongue as a flavor difficult to name. That flavor is the very essence of Vietnamese Tết—carefully preserved, blended, and passed down through a thousand years of civilization, since the legendary days of the Dragon and Fairy descendants on this S-shaped land.

Tết in the countryside is a celebration of joy, of reunion, of embraces that are hard to let go after days and months apart. The phrase “ăn Tết” (literally “to eat Tết”) is rooted in Vietnam’s agrarian past—when Tết was the rare occasion for farmers to rest and fully enjoy the fruits of a year’s hard labor. Hence the old saying: “Hungry all year, full for three days of Tết.”

Today’s younger generation, living in a modern rhythm of life, has gradually transformed Tết into something simpler, more convenient, and more contemporary. Yet in doing so, part of the old flavor of Tết has inevitably faded. For generations in the Vietnamese countryside, however, “ăn Tết” remains inseparable from life itself—a cherished way of living handed down through the ages.

When speaking of Tết, Vietnamese people immediately think of Tết Nguyên Đán—the Lunar New Year, our traditional and sacred celebration. The word “ăn” (to eat) in “ăn Tết” goes far beyond food. It embodies memory, personal milestones, and shared experiences accumulated over generations. Some say that modern Tết is “cleaner” and “more convenient,” yet it seems to lack the flavor of memory—the memories of childhood, of family, of homeland.

Tết is a time when people busily prepare for abundance. On the thirtieth day of the lunar year, there must be a piece of hanging pork in the house, for as the saying goes, “Wisdom is known at the court gate; wealth is known on New Year’s Eve.” Tết is also when everyone longs to return—“to return to Mother, to a place of peace.” Here, “Mother” is the homeland, the country, the place where we were born and raised.

The year-end reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve has become a cherished tradition in many Vietnamese families—a sacred principle of togetherness after a year of hard work. It is the most complete family gathering of the year, when everyone sits together, sharing old and new stories. For the elders, it is a moment to “review the old and understand the new,” to remind children and grandchildren of their roots and family traditions.

On the year-end feast tray, every dish carries its own cultural meaning. The round slice of silky white pork sausage symbolizes completeness and fulfillment. The bowl of pork knuckle stewed with dried bamboo shoots, rich with the fragrance of the mountains, evokes abundance and prosperity. Lightly pickled shallots, gently sour and spicy, prepared early by mothers, balance the richness of head cheese—like a quiet reminder of harmony in life. Tết is not merely about eating; it is about warmth, sharing, and the bonds that unite siblings and generations within a family.

Today, bánh chưng and bánh tét can be easily purchased with just a phone call. Yet time cannot erase the memory of receiving a tiny square bánh chưng from one’s mother, blowing on it to cool the steaming bite that burned tender lips—a simple memory never forgotten. During Tết, the familiar flavors of food always come with the warmth of love. The whole family gathers around the fire, watching over the pot of bánh chưng, recounting the stories of the passing year amid the crackling sound of firewood on a chilly year-end night.

When the cakes are lifted from the pot, father always selects the most perfectly square and beautiful one to place on the ancestral altar, lighting incense to pray for blessings and peace. Then the family shares the still-warm green cake, exchanging smiles and words of praise—not just for its taste, but for the sweetness of reunion and affection.

Thus, in “ăn Tết,” the word “ăn” is only a small part. The flavor of Tết also lies in its spiritual beauty, its sacred meanings, its beliefs, and the depth of cultural tradition. Tết is a sacred moment deeply embedded in the Vietnamese soul. It belongs to no single person—it is Tết of every home, every village, every ancestor.

Modern Tết may offer more delicacies and lavish dishes, yet it seems to lack that sense of anticipation—the longing to savor a rustic countryside Tết, rich with love and heartfelt warmth.

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Source: Báo Đại đoàn kết