Aunt Lieu’s Thach Xoa shop was originally just a pair of light burdens placed on the side of Thach Han Street, near Bui Thi Xuan School (Hue City). 7 years ago, the shop was moved to sell in the alley on the same street, but the attraction of the cool jelly cups still holds many diners to eat.
On the hottest days, Aunt Lieu’s small shop (61 years old) is very crowded, most customers who visit the restaurant have to eat 2 or more cups to “have their cravings”.
Every morning at 8 o’clock, not too late, not early, my aunt started cleaning the shop right in front of the porch (13/91 Thach Han Street, Thuan Hoa Ward, Hue City). In front of the gate hangs a small sign, looking inside will see Aunt Lieu sitting in a corner, in front of the display of ingredients for sale, in the yard there are also 7-10 small chairs for guests to sit and eat. Usually, the shop sells until 6pm, but sometimes it’s sold out by 5pm.
Thach Xoa shop is “loving” of many generations of students
Aunt Lieu’s regular customers are mainly people living in the same area, students and students studying at Hue University. Every time a guest comes in to eat, her aunt’s hands are quick and nimble to cut each large smooth and “flashy” jelly into small squares to eat. A perfect glass of jelly consists of a little jelly, granulated sugar, well-mixed sugar water, coconut milk and whipped green tea, add a little ice, stir well when eating.
All blended together into an extremely attractive jelly, just looking at it, just want to enjoy it right away.
The price of a glass of jelly of Aunt Lieu is very cheap, only 5,000 VND / cup, in the midst of the price increase, but she still tries not to increase the price. According to Aunt Lieu, ” I don’t increase prices because I want to retain regular customers, I sell cheaply for a small profit, but when there are many customers, I sell in quantity, everything I do myself, not buy outside, so I save money.” , consider taking the job as a word “.
” The business of carrying and selling makes it easy to look at, but when it comes to trading, sometimes the weather is hot, I am sometimes tired myself, encountering difficult customers, sometimes they frown or say a few unpleasant sentences, auntie. I was also annoyed. However, after the blink of an eye, I calmed down to have fun selling. That way, new customers often stop by and gradually become regular customers “. Auntie Lieu said.
With just a simple glass of coconut milk jelly, easy to eat and addictive, this jelly tea shop is a familiar place for the people of the ancient capital, especially as this is also a favorite place for many students away from home. Attended Hue University. The attraction of Aunt Lieu’s jelly is not simply because of its famously delicious taste but also, with just a few thousand on hand, it is possible to “refresh” immediately.
Breaking into a restaurant to eat a few cups of jelly has become a habit of many people.
Ms. Pham Ngoc (former student of Bui Thi Xuan school) shared, ” I have eaten auntie Lieu’s jelly since the cup cost only 500 VND, before going to Japan, I stopped by the restaurant for 5 cups once “.
Keeping the traditional lithograph in the middle of the modern
Thach Xoa (known in other regions as xuxa, dew sa), this is a type of tea that includes: jelly, thick coconut milk, whipped green bean tea, a little sugary juice, which is finely matched with the color of cockroach wings.
Besides the rich, greasy, thick and substance coconut milk, not diluted with fat milk or fresh milk… green beans are cooked sweetly, the secret to the jelly cup of aunt Lieu “keeps her style” despite the experience. After nearly 30 years, this is a type of jelly made from natural seaweed.
Aunt Lieu shared: ” Every day, she uses a few dozen pounds of dried seaweed to cook”.
“Natural seaweed cooked into jelly is not as colorful and chewy as other jelly powders, but in return is very cool, clears heat and is very healthy .” Auntie Lieu added.
All ingredients are handmade by Aunt Lieu. My aunt always wakes up early the day before to prepare everything to open the shop at 8 o’clock to serve everyone.
To cook the jelly, you must first wash the seaweed thoroughly, remove the dirt, soil and sand stuck to the seaweed and then soak it in cold water for about 4-6 hours. After soaking, continue to wash the seaweed with clean water 1-2 more times.
Everything here is original, not “modern” and changed like modern jelly teas with all kinds of toppings of vibrant colors, suppleness and many different flavors. Traditional jelly is simply with pieces of opaque yellow jelly, “subtle sea”, eating will feel soft, crispy, slightly chewy, the sweet taste of sugar water mixed with coconut milk will “pamper” the taste of the most demanding diners.
Today, from the new creations and taste of each person, many modern refreshments have appeared. These dishes are novel, sophisticated and cooked from available jelly powders, combined with fatty powders, fresh milk, fruits… to form brightly colored, extremely beautiful jelly cups. , attractive and inviting.
However, the cup of jelly made from natural seaweed is still a childhood snack of the 8x, 9x generation… reminiscent of the hot summer days, the children came to the street vendors of the aunts. , the lady to eat 2-3 cups of jelly for “thirsty”.
Aunt Lieu sells jelly all year round, in both the rainy and sunny seasons, you will find her little shop on the front porch. In the summer, it sells more and runs better, in the cold rainy season, I will work less and close the shop a little earlier. Thus, students can visit during any season.
Aunt Lieu’s simple jelly shop is cooked with the same original recipe and handmade method. If talking about “name”, it can’t be compared to traditional tea or Hue royal tea, but talking about seniority with modern jelly shops, aunt is also in the form of “old man”.
Photo:Internet