A Special Gift from Hanoi

17-04-2019

Hanoi, the thousand-year-old cultural capital of Vietnam, is the center of culture and politics of the country with preferential natural landscapes as well as the historical monuments, the intangible cultural heritage, such as One Pillar Pagoda, Sword Lake, or Ngoc Son Temple. Hanoi also makes tourists unforgettable because of the sophistication in the cuisine of Trang An people.

About Hanoi special food, there are two famous types: West Lake Lotus Tea and Vong village’s Green Rice that elevate the food to art by elaborating processing and enjoyment. West Lake Lotus Tea is marinated by hand in lotus to bring essence and sweet fragrance of lotus, bringing the quintessence in the tea leaves that any tea flavors cannot compare.

Lotus is chosen at early stage of blooming with big shape and light pink color flower, which is sponge, light because this is the most fragrant type. In order to have a kilogram of aromatic tea (premium tea), there should have 1000 - 1200 lotus flowers, which must be the right kind of lotus in Dong Tri, Thuy Su lake in Quang Ba village, West Lake because the lotus here is bigger and more fragrant than other places. Lotus must be picked before dawn to marinate with tea leaves. The process of marinating tea takes a lot of time and need high attention.

Lotus tea must be enjoyed with a small set of cups, effused with a clear yellow green color. This elegant drink is not for busy people. Taking a small sip, enjoy the light, pure scent of the lotus flower, which is mixed in shallow, sweet tea, on a fresh and quiet morning.

Usually a lotus tea bud is brewed with a teapot for four persons to drink. If there are few guests or poisonous moisture, mix half of tea. To use tea tray for a long time, the user should put it in the freezer of the refrigerator.