Can wine ( Rượu cần) - A famous wine in the Tay Nguyen region

Rượu cần (Can wine) is typically drunk for special celebrations or ceremonies such as weddings, festivals, or harvest feasts. It is often drunk by in a nhà rông, a fire, or community house. People often dance and play music (in Tay Nguyen region) after drinking. 

Can Wine (also called tube wine) is a fermented rice wine produced in Vietnam, in particular in mountainous areas like Tay Nguyen area.

How to make the wine?
It is made of cooked glutinous rice (nếp) mixed with some kinds of herbs in the local forests. The types and amount of herbs added differs according to ethnic group and area. This mixture is then put into a large earthenware jug, and allowed to ferment for at least one month. Can wine's strength is typically 15 to 25 percent alcohol by volume.
Simple available local materials are altogether fermented by wild herb in a pottery jar for day. Its taste is total different from rice alcohol or any kind of wine - so bitter or strong that may lead you dizziness. Its sweet taste would make you drunk  without any predictable consciousness.

When ís the wine served?
Can Wine (rượu cần) is typically drunk for special celebrations or ceremonies such as weddings, festivals, or harvest feasts. It is often drunk by in a nhà rông, a fire, or community house. People oftens dance and play music (in Tay Nguyen) after drinking. When you are invited to drink rượu cần by the locals, it means that you are seen as distinguished guest.

Source: vietnam-beauty.com

Have you ever drunk beer in Vietnam?

When you have a chance to visit Vietnam, you don't miss out onbeer gas ( Vietnamese: bia hơi). It's available in all regions of Vietnam, mostly from small bars on street corners. 

Bia hoi bars will give you the opportunity to relax drinking in a typical Vietnamese bar surrounded by the hustle and bustle of everyday life, especially in summer, lots of Vietnamese men like sitting in Beer bars with their friends after a long working day. Every traveler can easily find these bars to experience what the locals are enjoying.
Some most popular beer brands among the Vietnamese are Bia Saigon Special, Hanoi,Tiger, 333. One of those, Bia Saigon is also available as little stronger export version. Bière Larue is also good, and tourists can find local brands in every larger city.
Several famous places for beer, besides those around the Old Quarter, Lan Chin and Hai Xom Restaurant chain in Hanoi or Pham Ngu Lao area in HCM City. It might be fun to join in with the locals but beware that waiters at these restaurants do not know English to communicate with foreigners. However, they will know if you want a beer,
The beer at bia hoi corner is from a small local brewery, and varies in quality by the batch. At VND 5,000 (roughly 35 cents) a pint, it is really cheap (cheaper than water). If you're ready to try Bia Hoi, be prepared and drinking with the pros is not for the meek!

Translated by HT
Source: vietnamtourism.org.vn

"Chè Khúc Bạch"- A new and strange sweet gruel in Hanoi

"Chè khúc bạch" is A mix of cheese jelly, almond and longan/lychee.

Chè khúc bạch" has become very popular in early summer. Many coffee shops, fast food restaurants have updated this sweet gruel for their menu.

“Chè khúc bạch” is very familiar to people in Southern Vietnam but it has been young people’s favourite dish in Hanoi since this summer. it also has another name that is “chè đậu hũ hạnh nhân”.

“Khúc bạch” is made from gelatin, fresh milk and almond oil. “Chè” is cooked from sugar, sliced almond, fresh coconut, longan or litchi.

The first restaurant having sold this dish for a year ago lies in Tay Son street, Dong Da district, Hanoi. Its owner said that when his restaurant sold this sweet gruel one year ago, not many people know it. Until this summer, it is beloved by a lot of young people in Hanoi. Therefore, in order to attracts customers, many coffee shops and restaurants have updated this dish for their menu.  It has been really a trend.

The price for a cup of “chè khúc bạch” is around 15,000-25,000 VND.

Some people have variations to make the gruel more delicious so now we have many kinds of “chè khúc bạch” such as: “chè khúc bạch” with fruits, with tofu, with cheese, with cocoa, with green tea or chocolate, etc.

A owner of a shop on Hang Tre street said that her shop opens at 2 pm everyday and it is always crowded. It is really overcrowded after 7 pm.

Miss Hong Linh, a student of Hanoi Open University, said she read some advertising information on the internet about “chè khúc bạch” so she and her friends decided to go for it. Many people like its fresh flavor. It is not too sweet and especially it is really cool.

Instead of going to a restaurant to buy the sweet gruel, now you can call online shops, they will take it to you

Travel.org.vn

Rainbow Drink (che ba mau)

The rainbow drink is fun and filling, so much so that it can make a perfect afternoon snack on a hot summer’s day. Che ba mau is always colourful, with textures ranging from crunchy agar jelly sticks (available in Asian markets) to starchy beans and creamy coconut milk.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup skinless split mung beans, soaked for 3 hours and drained
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup red azuki beans, soaked for 4 hours and drained
• 1 ½ cups coconut milk
• ¼ cup tapioca pearls
• 1 can longan, drained