Com Vong Village – The Distinctive Flavor of Hanoi’s Autumn
Hanoi in Autumn: Gentle Sun, Cool Breeze, and the Delights of Com Vong
Hanoi in autumn is characterized by gentle sunlight, cool breezes, and pleasant weather. Autumn is also the season for Com Vong, a special delicacy tied to the culture and cuisine of the capital. Com Vong offers a subtle, delicate flavor and is a simple yet enchanting gift from the countryside.
Com Vong – The Essence of Nature
Vong Village, located in Dich Vong Hau Ward, Cau Giay District, Hanoi, is renowned for its long-standing tradition of making delicious com.
Com Vong is made from young glutinous rice, harvested only when the rice grains are still green and tender. After harvesting, the rice is cleaned to remove unripe grains, dirt, and sand, ensuring each grain is of high quality. The rice is then roasted in a cast-iron pan and pounded into com. Com Vong has an emerald green color, a chewy, fragrant texture, and a sweet, subtle flavor that captures the essence of young glutinous rice.
Once pounded, the com is wrapped in two layers of leaves. The inner layer consists of arrowroot leaves or lotus leaves to keep the com moist and preserve its green color. The outer layer is made of lotus leaves, which impart a faint, pleasant aroma. The combination of fresh com and lotus leaves creates a perfect gift from nature.
Com Vong has a long history, linked to a tale from centuries ago. During that autumn, when the glutinous rice in Vong Village fields was nearing its milky stage, heavy rains and strong winds persisted day after day. After enduring the storms, the flood barriers finally broke, submerging all the fields eagerly awaiting the harvest.
Disheartened by their lost efforts, the people of ancient Vong Village braved the harsh weather to wade through the water and harvest the tender rice, hoping to roast it for consumption. To their surprise, the roasted young rice revealed a chewy, fragrant taste with a hint of milk, creating a unique and captivating flavor previously unknown.
Since then, the people of Vong Village have turned com into a rustic dish enjoyed each autumn. With accumulated experience passed down through generations, the com has become greener, more aromatic, and chewier. Com Vong has become an essential delicacy every autumn in Hanoi.
Com Vong – A Gift of Autumn
From Vong Village, com has traveled beyond the village and geographic boundaries, carried by street vendors to enthusiasts and becoming a renowned specialty, despite being a simple “snack” for
Hanoians.
For those who cherish Hanoi’s autumn, this famous delicacy is a must-try. Just hearing its name evokes images, flavors, and settings for enjoying it. Thus, for visitors to Hanoi in autumn, tasting Com Vong is always on the list of “must-dos.”
Com Vong is harvested twice a year: the “chiem” crop in April and the main crop starting from the 7th lunar month and lasting about three months. The chiem crop is less desirable, as the weather is still warm, making it less enjoyable. To truly savor the best com, one must wait for the main crop, when autumn brings the ideal weather to enjoy this delicacy with tea and cakes in the crisp, late autumn air, allowing its sweet, subtle flavor to linger.
In Vong Village during late autumn, the village entrance is usually bustling with people buying com. This seemingly “simple” food is, in fact, a refined gift of Hanoi’s autumn. People buy it not to fill up but to enjoy the essence of the season. Sometimes people buy com not out of hunger but because it’s autumn, and they must have com! Com Vong has become embedded in the consciousness of many.
And when chatting with the people of Vong Village, holding a carefully wrapped package of com, one truly appreciates the craftsmanship and flavor of the com. A gentle, pleasant, and refreshing taste, with a lingering hint of young rice on each grain.
Not only in Vong Village but throughout Hanoi in autumn, many streets and markets have vendors selling com, serving not only the needs of Hanoi residents but also providing convenience for visitors who may not have time to reach Vong Village.
In addition to buying and enjoying the autumn flavor, Com Vong is also a cherished gift that visitors often choose when visiting Hanoi during the romantic autumn days, to give to loved ones. Even if they – the visitors from afar – have not yet fallen in love with com, if they love Hanoi’s autumn, they will surely fall for Com Vong.
A small tip for travel enthusiasts: Google Maps is almost indispensable on every journey. However, if you search for “Vong Village” or “Com Vong” on Google Maps, you might not find the exact location where tourists usually go to try Com Vong. So be sure to search for “Com Vong Village Gate,” located right on Tran Thai Tong Street, which will save you considerable time.
Hanoi’s Com – The Flavor of the Capital
In Vietnam, com is not a rare food nor limited to one region or province. Depending on the region, each area or ethnic group makes com differently and with various names.
In Hanoi, besides Vong Village, other places like Me Tri, My Dinh, Mai Dich, and Phu Dien also produce com. Each area’s com has its unique flavor and characteristics, but connoisseurs can distinguish the taste and color of Com Vong. While many regions make chewy, fragrant com, few achieve the renowned status of Com Vong.
Com Vong attracts customers with its tender, fatty green grains. To truly appreciate the flavor, writer Thach Lam wrote: “Com is not for those in a hurry; eating com should be slow, savoring each bit thoughtfully. Only then do you see autumn in its flavor, the fragrant new rice, wildflowers by the shore: in the green of com, the freshness of young leaves, and in the sweet, delicate taste of com, the gentle essence of herbs. Add the slight aroma of aged lotus leaves, preserving each grain of com, retaining the warmth of summer days by the lake.”
However, like many traditional crafts, the com-making profession in Vong Village is facing the pressures of urbanization and economic challenges and is gradually diminishing. In Vong Village, people still make and sell com, but only a few seasoned artisans remain. Despite the difficulties in maintaining the craft, the people of Vong Village are striving to preserve the trade that has made their village famous in various ways.
Com Vong is a simple dish but carries the rich flavor of Hanoi’s autumn. If you have the chance to visit Hanoi in autumn, don’t forget to try this special com to experience the beauty of the capital and the culinary culture of its people.
