Every autumn, Hanoians flock to Bao Phuong Mooncake Shop on Thuy Khue Street to buy traditional mooncakes and baked cakes. Starting from the 15th day of the 7th lunar month until the 8th lunar month, a section of Thuy Khue Street is often congested, with people lining up to buy mooncakes.
This mooncake shop opened in 1954, founded by Pham Vi Bao. In 1948, when he was just 18 years old, he worked at a small cake shop in Hai Phong. Every day after making the cakes, he would put them in baskets and deliver them all over the city.
After a period of hard work to make a living, the young man Vi Bao, at the age of 23, opened his own brand with a love for making moon cakes. Initially, the shop owner intended to name it Bao Huong, expressing the desire to preserve the traditional flavor of moon cakes.
Then, Mr. Bao decided that the brand should be Bao Phuong, with the word "Bao" in his name and "Phuong" in the direction he chose.
Bao Phuong cake box is red, highlighted with a golden pattern reminiscent of the color of the national flag. After 7 decades, the brand packaging has not changed at all. The image of a green bamboo fence, a full moon on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, and a pot of strong tea, the whole family sits together to enjoy tea and cake while watching the moonlight.
The flavor of Bao Phuong mooncakes has been deeply imprinted in the minds of Hanoians, especially the elderly. The cakes have a strong traditional flavor with fillings of various types: lotus seeds, mixed fruits, green beans wrapped in a beautiful, plump and fragrant golden baked crust.
The shop’s best-selling cake is the ancient mixed-filling baked cake. All ingredients including lard, lemon leaves, lotus jam, Chinese sausage, melon seeds, etc. are carefully selected and ensure food safety.
The ingredients are mixed well, then when shaping the cake, lotus seeds and Chinese sausage are placed in the middle and then the filling is shaped. With skillful hands, the craftsman skillfully uses a thin layer of dough to wrap the filling, roll it into a ball and put it into the molding machine to shape it.
In particular, the cakes here do not contain preservatives. The sticky rice cakes are best eaten about a week after the production date, while the baked cakes are best eaten 7-10 days after.
At an advanced age, Mr. Bao passed on his baking skills to his children and grandchildren. His children and grandchildren opened a second location at 201A Thuy Khue Street. However, the first location at 183 Thuy Khue Street is where the longest line of customers line up to buy cakes.
Mr. Pham Van Dinh, Mr. Bao's second son, and his youngest brother Pham Hung Duc own the first establishment. Mr. Dinh shared with reporters: "Every Mid-Autumn Festival, my family mobilizes all employees to make cakes to serve the people. All cakes are handmade, and the cakes made every day are sold out that day, with no leftovers."
On average, on the 15th or 1st of the lunar month, the store sells about 500 to 600 pieces. Near the 15th of the 8th lunar month, the store sells up to 2,000 pieces a day.
“Although there are many new moon cake brands on the market and fewer cakes are sold, we are still loyal to traditional cakes that carry the ancient characteristics of the Vietnamese people,” Mr. Dinh confided.
Regarding the traditional flavor of Bao Phuong mooncakes, diners still have many controversial opinions. Many opinions say that the cake is quite picky because of its sharp sweetness and hard, dry crust, which is very different from modern mooncakes.
However, many diners, especially the middle-aged generation, praise the traditional cake for its authentic taste. The sweet cake has the fragrant smell of grapefruit-flavored sugar, lemon leaves, and tangerine peel, which is very unique.
