What to eat in Cao Bang

Come to Cao Bang and try out the amazing cuisines of the North like TrùngKhánh Chestnut, grilled pork bacon or some other peculiar dishes like hanged-on-the-ceiling beef jerky or Sour Phở. Regardless of what you choose, these experiences will stick to the mind and the tongues of and travellers and food lovers.

Cao Bang’s breath-taking scenery

That’s why visiting Cao Bang and trying its specialties are things that you can never miss while taking wonderful tours to Vietnam.

1. Dishes made from bumblebees

Bumblebee is a venomous insect and notoriously ferocious, but in Cao Bang, the bee is one of the most famous cuisines here, reflected the wildness and simplicity of the people here.

A dish made from bumblebees

The bee larvae after being separated from the hive are usually fat and white. The best way to cook is to fry with sour asparagus, which is fat and sour and crunchy from the bees and the asparagus. The next best is to make porridge with bees. Autumn is the best time of the year to catch the bees. They usually bring back the hive, the big ones are used to soak in wine, and the smaller ones are to eat.

2. Sour Phở of Cao Bang

The sour Phở of Cao Bang is definitely held the limelight spot of Cao Bang culinary. One of the best dishes in Vietnam, Cao Bang Phở is a cool, flavorfully abundant and it is suitable to eat during autumn or summer. Used to be served in special events, the sour phở is now served as breakfast.

Sour Phở of Cao Bang

Cao Bang phở is special thanks to its rice vermicelli’s softness, the fleshy of the livers, the fat of bacon, roasted duck, the spicy of chili, the extra fat of peanut, and the aroma of the pork’s intestine. In the summer time, it is good to have the sour of the sauce. The first time, you may find it peculiar, but the next time, it is nothing but delicious.

3. Seven Flavors of roasted ducks of Cao Bang

Cao Bang has the notorious roasted ducks that many have to come and try out no matter what. The Seven flavors roasted duck using seven ingredients to marinate has become the icon of Cao Bang delight culinary culture.

Seven Flavors of roasted ducks of Cao Bang

The duck, chopped into smaller, bite-size pieces with the skin is yellow like honey, is crunchy and tasty like the best dish in the world. The meat is tough, solid, and requires some serious slow chewing to not to miss any flavors. The sweet of the honey mixed with the fat of the oil, the fleshy of the solid meat. Every bite will make you closer to heaven.

Deepen inside every piece of duck, there are the flavors of the raw leaves, bitter, yet make the meat is even more flavorful. The secret to the success of the dish is seven flavors sauce which is marinated the duck. Many try to find out what are those seven flavors are, but there are countless types of herbs out there. Some try to mimic the dish, but none has success of doing so. Only the Cao Bang people do.

4. Trung Khanh Chestnut

Talking about the most precious things in Cao Bang, everybody will remember about the TrungKhanh chestnuts, the best quality nuts which can only be found in Cao Bang. Tourists will remember the chestnut with its fleshy flavor, and it is easy to make. You can boil, fry, stew with pork, chicken, and the chestnut’s flavor will remain the same.

Trung Khanh Chestnut

The chestnut has tough shell, and it is hairy. When boiling or grill, you will easily detect the wonderful smell of the chestnuts. Sweet and fleshy, the chestnuts only appear in the end of autumn. Eating the hot chestnut in a cold day, you will know more about the forest, about the people in this land.

5. Hanged-on-the-ceiling Beef jerky

Cao Bang has a lot of cow especially in Ha Quang, Bao Lac, Bao Lam districts. Coming to the highlands of the North, you should definitely try out the famous Hanged-on-the-ceiling Beef jerky of the people here. The beef is marinated with salt, ginger sauce, and white wine. After marinating, the cook will hang the beef on top of the kitchen ceiling.

Hanged-on-the-ceiling Beef jerky

The Tay and Nung people kitchens always have warm fire regardless days or nights. The fire, the smoke will gradually dry the meat. After half a month, the jerky is ready. Before eat, they will soak the beef in warm water, clean and slice the meat. Putting the meat in the hot frying pan with a bit of oil, garlic, the cook will wait until the meat is solid again, take it out, and braise it with water. The meat is red and brownish, dry but soft, and the more you chew, the sweeter it gets. The sweet of the beef combines with the spicy of ginger is perfect. A glass of wine will make you over the moon.

Coming here to eat the beef jerky, you should not forget to bring back some bags of beef jerky as gift for friends and family so that they can also share with you the experience.

6. Grilled pork bacon

This is served only in wedding or any special events in Cao Bang. The dish is made of bacon and taro, which are sweet and fat.

Grilled pork bacon

The dish requires an expert hand, and eating the dish requires art to do it. Always eat this dish hot, and when eating, you will want to eat the entire piece with taro and herbs together. Many maybe afraid of the giant piece of meat, but all you want is more.

Besides the amazing diversified culinaryculture, Cao Bang is also a perfect place to discover and experience. So, if you don’t know where to visit in this province, you can always look for the beautiful destinations HERE, at my previous article.