Growing up from the fields, steeped in rustic flavors of the countryside - “salty fermented vegetables, sour white eggplant”, yet it was not until my late forties that I first heard of mut ca phao (white eggplant preserves) from Hue. The humble eggplant, so familiar on simple family meals, appears here in an entirely unfamiliar form - a delicately beautiful preserves for the Lunar New Year.

I remember the first time I tried this dish was at the Thuy Bieu Thanh Tra Festival in 2022. Walking amidst the shimmering green and golden-yellow stalls of this special local fruit, I picked up a small bag of candied thanh tra peel before heading home. To this day, the flavor of that simple yet rustic treat lingers in my memory.

Many renowned dishes representing various regions have been recognized as National Intangible Cultural Heritage, such as Quảng noodles of Quang Nam province and the craft of making phở of Nam Dinh province. In light of this information, diners are asking where bún bò Hue (beef noodle soup) stands on the culinary map and why it has not been recognized yet.