Excursion half day a.m: The story of tofu (visit to Xuân Canh village, Đông Anh) – waiting list
May 31 @ 7:00 AM - 11:00 AM
THIS EVENT IS NOW FULL. PLEASE RSVP FOR THE WAITING LIST
This event is run on 2 days as we can only take 5 pax per session, so when RSVPing please state which date: 31 May OR 1 June. Thanks
Some scholars believe tofu arrived in Vietnam during the 10th and 11th centuries. It spread to other parts of Southeast Asia as well. This probably coincided with the spread of Buddhism as it is an important source of protein in the vegetarian diet of East Asian Buddhism. Today, many Vietnamese families continue to make tofu and maintain their professions. Typically, we hear about well-known tofu villages like Làng Mơ and Làng Chài Võng La, but it is one of the most versatile ingredients in Vietnamese cuisine, and many families in other villages now still keep their traditional job.
Our local guide and friend, Ngọc, lives in Xuân Canh village (Đông Anh, Hà Nội on the other side of the Đuống River), which is also home to a charming couple and the only place in her hometown where the traditional method of making tofu is still strictly followed step by step.
Around 4:00 a.m, this husband and wife team begins working long hours, producing tofu for the morning market at 6:00 a.m. We are delighted to pay them a visit, observe their day-to-day tofu making process, and participate in their second tofu round at 8:00 a.m, when they make tofu for the afternoon market. A chance to chat with them about their lives and about tofu in more detail.
We start early to catch the ferry to make a short crossing over the Đuống River between Long Bien and Đông Anh) -tofu making is an early morning trade and we need to arrive in time for 8 a.m for the 2nd tofu making session.
We travel together to the village, meeting at the ferry point in Hanoi (full details will be in the welcome email); everyone is free to make one’s own way back to Hanoi as the location is not far and there is a variety of ways to return, or you may want to stay longer in Đông Anh)
Timing: arrive 7:15 a.m very latest time at the ferry point in Long Bien, ready to catch the 7.30 a.m crossing. The activity ends about 10.30am/11am; make own way back to Hanoi or stay exploring around Đông Anh.
Language: ENG with VN interpretation
Numbers: max 5 pax on each morning session (31 May and 1 June). Attendance is restricted to a small group size to ensure enough time for quality experience and making process, plus there is not enough space for more
RSVP: via this google form (to Ly) https://forms.gle/RicSKBfScHSQH6e77 by 29 May deadline. Please email fvh.excursion@gmail.com if you have any questions related to the form or the excursion.
Price. 300,000 VND pp (same price for everyone) includes one generous piece of tofu to bring home, ferry fee (1 way) and a light (vegetarian) lunch with tofu and bún at Ngọc’s house. Excludes: return transport to Hanoi depending on preference, additional tofu and/or soya milk you may want to buy from the tofu-making couple (this is so delicious you may be very tempted – 5,000 VND per chunk of tofu), hire of bikes (VND 50,000 bike hire) or xe om fee
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING RE TRANSPORT
(1) The aim is for everyone coming to travel together on the local ferry departng 7.30am to the other side of the river. Its a cute short little ferry trip (which is taken by the local people)
(2) You are welcome to bring your own motorbikes or cycles on board the ferry (NB however if you want to skip the ferry then please make your way stright to the village to arrive by 8 a.m – details will be in the welcome email)
(3) Those coming on foot without own transport – on the other side of the river we can hire bikes if you want to cycle or we can call xe om to bring us to the village (bike hire/xe om is an additonal charge to be paid for at the time)
(4) Return back to Hanoi – by own motorbike or cycle by road, or by grab, taxi, xe om, public bus if you came on foot. There may be a chance to take the ferry crossing back to Hanoi but this is an additonal cost (to be paid for at the time VND 50,000)
