After being "introduced" at the Da Nang Cultural Heritage Festival 2023, the Fish Sauce Coffee variation by Mr. Bui Thanh Phu (owner of the Huong Lang Co fish sauce production facility, Nam O craft village, Lien Chieu district, Da Nang city) is attracting the attention of locals, tourists and young people who specialize in "catching trends".
Foreign visitors excitedly enjoy fish sauce coffee at Da Nang Cultural Heritage Festival 2023
Talking to Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. Phu said that in early 2022, starting from the fish sauce ice cream idea of some chefs, he and his colleagues began researching how to mix these two ingredients.
"Similar to the way of making grilled fish sauce or braised fish sauce, traditional fish sauce is condensed by high temperature, creating a layer of fish sauce powder. This layer of powder is sprinkled in just the right amount on the coffee, along with a layer of cream to create a rich, slightly bitter taste and the aroma of coffee," Mr. Phu shared.
In particular, the fish sauce used to make fish sauce coffee must be pure traditional fish sauce with high protein content (about 30 degrees). According to Mr. Phu, because the current industrial fish sauces and fish sauces have many additives and preservatives, the group only uses Nam O fish sauce to cook, in order to create a fragrant, delicious and hygienic fish sauce powder.
Traditional fish sauce is condensed into fish sauce powder, then sprinkled on coffee and cream to create the salty, fatty and slightly bitter taste of coffee.
Mr. Bui Thanh Phu said that fish sauce coffee is one of the variations that helps bring traditional fish sauce closer to the younger generation and tourists.
"Not just a dipping sauce or spice, fish sauce is also a medicine, with the function of an appetizer to aid digestion. Concentrated fish sauce into fish sauce powder mixed with rice, or mixed with white porridge is very good for people with diarrhea, bloating, indigestion, etc. So mixing fish sauce with coffee will not cause indigestion or stomachache as many people think," Mr. Phu affirmed.
The first time she enjoyed fish sauce coffee, Jessica (an American tourist) said that the fragrant smell of fish sauce powder surprised her. "I could smell the fish sauce from the fish sauce powder sprinkled on the coffee. However, the fish sauce smell and salty taste combined very well with the coffee, creating a very harmonious flavor," said Jessica.
Meanwhile, Mr. Doan Xuan Son (residing in Cam Le district, Da Nang city) said that like salt coffee, egg coffee, etc., fish sauce coffee is a very unique variation.
"Fish sauce coffee is not only unique but also delicious. This is also a way to bring traditional fish sauce closer to young people and tourists," said Mr. Son.
Da Nang City leaders enjoy Nam O fish sauce coffee
In the near future, Mr. Phu said he will continue to research the balance of flavors of Fish Sauce Coffee. After registering the copyright and completing the production licenses, he will try to open a fish sauce coffee shop, or produce fish sauce powder in packets, for users to mix into coffee if needed.
"I hope Nam O fish sauce powder or fish sauce coffee will become a familiar drink to everyone. I also plan to add fish sauce powder to souvenir baskets to give to locals and tourists when they visit Nam O fish sauce village. This is a typical product, also a bit of affection from the people of this area," Mr. Phu expressed.
According to research, fish sauce coffee is not really strange. Fish sauce used to appear in the way Hanoians made coffee in the past. At that time, there was a shop that used the tip of a bamboo chopstick, dipped it in a bottle of fish sauce and then stirred the chopstick into the cup of coffee brought to the customer.
This gives the coffee a salty taste with a light aroma. This brewing method has been around for decades, but is rarely used today.
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