Ingredient Notes – Vol. 04 Saigon – Cho Lon
Dalat Tomato
Origin : Dalat City
Province : Lam Dong
Tasting Note:
Sweet, Plump, Fresh with slightly hints of black cherry
Descriptions:
This tomato is home-grown in Dalat by Vietnamese Farmers. Does not contain any preservatives, growth hormones or any other chemicals. The farming method is 100% organic.
Da Lat – Lam Dong, endowed with a temperate, year-round cool climate, and fertile land has created a largest vegetable-growing region throughout the country and is named the land of vegetables and flowers.
Dried Shrimps
Origin : Nam Can Town
Province : Ca Mau
Tasting Note:
Unami, Sweet, Taste of the sea.
Descriptions:
Recently, the Vietnam Record Association recognized Ca Mau dried shrimp as one of the top 100 Vietnamese specialties.
To get the perfect dried shrimp dish, farmers in Ca Mau province choose fresh and large-sized shrimps that add salt and spices during the boiling process. After the shrimp are cooked, sun-dried for about 2 days, then put them in bags and pound to remove the shell.
Termite Mushrooms
Origin : Ben Tre Town
Province : Ben Tre
Tasting Note:
The Mushroom are chewy, sweet with a unique bitter-fat feeling.
Descriptions:
It used to be found growing from termitaria in grassy fields, hills, and or forest borders in China and Vietnam. It only grows in wild nature and people cannot grow it in gardens.
Now, Termite mushrooms usually bloom in about 2-3 months a year, at the beginning of the rainy season, from May to August of lunar calendar in the Southeastern provinces such as Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Vung Tau and Ben Tre
Dried Anchovy & Squid
Origin : Phu Quoc
Province : Kien Giang
Tasting Note:
Savory, deep rich umami and bitter notes as well as the “taste” of the sea
Descriptions:
Kien Giang Province has long been famous for its signature fish sauce, with the anchovy caught off the island being the main raw material.
Anchovies are usually boiled with salt at midnight or early morning. Each boiling batch consists of 10 net trays and gets brought out to the sun on that same morning, to become sun dried anchovies
Ly Son Garlic
Origin : Ly Son
Province : Quang Ngai
Tasting Note:
Potent garlic heat, a peppery flavor with slight grassy notes.
Descriptions:
Ly Son Island, once known as Cu Lao Re (Re Island), was first home to Re plants (ginger family). Around 400 years ago, our ancestors brought onions and garlic to grow on the island, forever changing the island’s agricultural identity.
Particularly, the garlic on Ly Son Island is considered the “king” of garlic and called a beautiful name “Toi Ngọc” (pearl garlic) because the garlic pieces are as white as the color of a pearl.
Black Forest Pepper
Origin : Forest
Province : Central Vietnam
Tasting Note:
Sweet, zesty, oily with Lemongrass aroma
Descriptions:
Harvesting season for the black forest pepper is from July to October. This is handpicked from tall prickly ash trees by the local people who live in the forests. It is then roasted in large metal pans over wood fires.
Its flavors is similar to Szechuan peppercorns although not as potent and much less mouth-numbing note and a lot more citrus notes as well as hints of lemongrass flavors.
Fish Sauce
Origin : Phu Quoc
Province : Kien Giang
Tasting Note:
Salty, fishy, natural fatty fish oil lingering and an earthy sweet after taste
Descriptions:
With a history of more than 200 years of development, Phu Quoc traditional fish sauce is the cultural heritage of the people in Phu Quoc and Vietnam.
It’s made with wild-caught anchovies that have been slowly fermented and seasoned with sea salt, giving it an intense flavor. This sauce adds strong umami notes.
ST25 Rice
Origin : Soc Trang City
Province : Soc Trang
Tasting Note:
Very soft, sweet, and pineapple flavor
Descriptions:
The ST25 fragrant rice variety of Viet Nam has won the World’s Best Rice 2023 award.
It is the latest generation of the famous fragrant rice line with many qualities considered “premium”. From seed selection to planting, all comply with the strict principles of the organic rice production process.
Honey
Origin : U Minh Thượng
Province : Kien Giang
Tasting Note:
Sweet in a pleasant way, with hints of floral and nutty finish.
Descriptions:
U Minh Thuong has been famous for wild animals and honey since ancient times with a vast cajeput forest, home to thousands of honeybee colonies.
Strawberries
Origin : Dalat City
Province : Lam Dong
Tasting Note:
Plump, juicy, and more enticing with a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness.
Descriptions:
Da Lat’s temperate is suitable to produce a uniquely aromatic strawberry with special fragrance and taste.
Dalat Tomato
Origin : Dalat City
Province : Lam Dong
Tasting Note:
Sweet, Plump, Fresh with slightly hints of black cherry
Descriptions:
This tomato is home-grown in Dalat by Vietnamese Farmers. Does not contain any preservatives, growth hormones or any other chemicals. The farming method is 100% organic.
Da Lat – Lam Dong, endowed with a temperate, year-round cool climate, and fertile land has created a largest vegetable-growing region throughout the country and is named the land of vegetables and flowers.
Dried Shrimps
Origin : Nam Can Town
Province : Ca Mau
Tasting Note:
Unami, Sweet, Taste of the sea.
Descriptions:
Recently, the Vietnam Record Association recognized Ca Mau dried shrimp as one of the top 100 Vietnamese specialties.
To get the perfect dried shrimp dish, farmers in Ca Mau province choose fresh and large-sized shrimps that add salt and spices during the boiling process. After the shrimp are cooked, sun-dried for about 2 days, then put them in bags and pound to remove the shell.
Termite Mushrooms
Origin : Ben Tre Town
Province : Ben Tre
Tasting Note:
The Mushroom are chewy, sweet with a unique bitter-fat feeling.
Descriptions:
It used to be found growing from termitaria in grassy fields, hills, and or forest borders in China and Vietnam. It only grows in wild nature and people cannot grow it in gardens.
Now, Termite mushrooms usually bloom in about 2-3 months a year, at the beginning of the rainy season, from May to August of lunar calendar in the Southeastern provinces such as Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Vung Tau and Ben Tre
Dried Anchovy & Squid
Origin : Phu Quoc
Province : Kien Giang
Tasting Note:
Savory, deep rich umami and bitter notes as well as the “taste” of the sea
Descriptions:
Kien Giang Province has long been famous for its signature fish sauce, with the anchovy caught off the island being the main raw material.
Anchovies are usually boiled with salt at midnight or early morning. Each boiling batch consists of 10 net trays and gets brought out to the sun on that same morning, to become sun dried anchovies
Ly Son Garlic
Origin : Ly Son
Province : Quang Ngai
Tasting Note:
Potent garlic heat, a peppery flavor with slight grassy notes.
Descriptions:
Ly Son Island, once known as Cu Lao Re (Re Island), was first home to Re plants (ginger family). Around 400 years ago, our ancestors brought onions and garlic to grow on the island, forever changing the island’s agricultural identity.
Particularly, the garlic on Ly Son Island is considered the “king” of garlic and called a beautiful name “Toi Ngọc” (pearl garlic) because the garlic pieces are as white as the color of a pearl.
Black Forest Pepper
Origin : Forest
Province : Central Vietnam
Tasting Note:
Sweet, zesty, oily with Lemongrass aroma
Descriptions:
Harvesting season for the black forest pepper is from July to October. This is handpicked from tall prickly ash trees by the local people who live in the forests. It is then roasted in large metal pans over wood fires.
Its flavors is similar to Szechuan peppercorns although not as potent and much less mouth-numbing note and a lot more citrus notes as well as hints of lemongrass flavors.
Fish Sauce
Origin : Phu Quoc
Province : Kien Giang
Tasting Note:
Salty, fishy, natural fatty fish oil lingering and an earthy sweet after taste
Descriptions:
With a history of more than 200 years of development, Phu Quoc traditional fish sauce is the cultural heritage of the people in Phu Quoc and Vietnam.
It’s made with wild-caught anchovies that have been slowly fermented and seasoned with sea salt, giving it an intense flavor. This sauce adds strong umami notes.
ST25 Rice
Origin : Soc Trang City
Province : Soc Trang
Tasting Note:
Very soft, sweet, and pineapple flavor
Descriptions:
The ST25 fragrant rice variety of Viet Nam has won the World’s Best Rice 2023 award.
It is the latest generation of the famous fragrant rice line with many qualities considered “premium”. From seed selection to planting, all comply with the strict principles of the organic rice production process.
Honey
Origin : U Minh Thượng
Province : Kien Giang
Tasting Note:
Sweet in a pleasant way, with hints of floral and nutty finish.
Descriptions:
U Minh Thuong has been famous for wild animals and honey since ancient times with a vast cajeput forest, home to thousands of honeybee colonies.
Strawberries
Origin : Dalat City
Province : Lam Dong
Tasting Note:
Plump, juicy, and more enticing with a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness.
Descriptions:
Da Lat’s temperate is suitable to produce a uniquely aromatic strawberry with special fragrance and taste.