{"id":10441,"date":"2022-03-08T15:49:31","date_gmt":"2022-03-08T07:49:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/?p=10441"},"modified":"2022-03-29T09:11:52","modified_gmt":"2022-03-29T01:11:52","slug":"vietnamese-coffee-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/vietnamese-coffee-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Facts About Vietnamese Coffee Culture: What Makes It Special Beyond C\u00e0 Ph\u00ea S\u1eefa \u0110\u00e1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Facts about Vietnamese coffee culture<\/h2>\n
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Vietnam is the second-largest exporter of coffee in the world, just after Brazil. According to the book <\/span>Coffee Obsession <\/span><\/i>published by DK, the country provides 14% of the world’s coffee, so it\u2019s likely that you may have tasted the strong and pungently bitter flavour of this iconic drink.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, here are some interesting <\/span>facts about Vietnamese coffee culture<\/b> that you may not know,<\/span> and that proves why the culture of Vietnamese coffee is far more interesting than just the super-strong <\/span>c\u00e0 ph\u00ea s\u1eefa \u0111\u00e1<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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1. Coffee has been in Vietnam for around 200 years<\/h3>\n
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\"Farmers
\nVietnamese farmers harvest coffee beans in the Central Highlands.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>Tu\u1ed5i Tr\u1ebb<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

You may be surprised that the staple drink of Vietnam is actually not native to Vietnam. In fact, it was French Jesuit priests who introduced coffee to the country in 1857.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The first coffee plantation was established in H\u00e0 Nam, northern Vietnam in around the 1800s. <\/span>Since then, coffee production in Vietnam developed quickly in the 1900s.<\/span> In other words, coffee has just existed in our country for around 200 years, compared to the thousand-year history of tea in Vietnam as recorded in ancient history and legends. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Indochinese
\nThe Arabica coffee plants <\/span>cultivated<\/span> in 1922 Indochina<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>The Gutenberg Project<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The western origin of this drink is somehow reflected in the way Vietnamese refer to this drink. The name \u201cc\u00e0 ph\u00ea\u201d is also a <\/span>loanword<\/span> from the French word <\/span>caf\u00e9<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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2. Vietnamese robusta coffee is dark, thick, and strong<\/h3>\n
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\"trung
\nTrung Nguyen coffee, a popular brand<\/em>
\nImage credit: Ubuy.vn<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Vietnamese coffee is woodier and more caffeinated<\/strong> because it is mostly robusta <\/b>(also known as canephora or <\/span>c\u00e0 ph\u00ea v\u1ed1i<\/span><\/i> as the Vietnamese call it). As the name suggests, this variety of coffee is robust, less acidic, and more aromatic than the arabica one. It is also cheaper than milder arabica (<\/span>c\u00e0 ph\u00ea ch\u00e8<\/span><\/i>).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Arabica
\nRobusta beans commonly grown in Vietnam have a rounder shape than their Arabica ones.<\/span><\/i>
\n<\/span><\/i>Image credit: <\/span><\/i>HatA Cafe<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s likely that the Vietnamese grow mostly robusta coffee because it is easier. For one, robusta coffee trees resist diseases, fungi, and insects better than arabica trees, and also thrive better in Vietnam\u2019s altitude and w<\/span>eather conditions. Robusta, after all, grows best at from 0 to 900m above sea level.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On the other hand, arabica coffee plants require higher altitudes from 900 to 2000m above sea level and frequent heavy rainfalls. It\u2019s still grown in Vietnam, but not as commonly.<\/span><\/p>\n

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3. You can find the less popular liberica coffee in Vietnam<\/h3>\n
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\"Liberica
\nLiberica coffee beans are asymmetrical, which distinguishes them from other varieties.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>HaztechGuy\/Wikimedia Commons<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Apart from these common types of coffee, Vietnam also has a small area that grows a lesser-known variety as <\/span>liberica<\/b>, formerly known as <\/span>excelsa<\/span>, or <\/span>c\u00e0 ph\u00ea m\u00edt<\/span><\/i> in Vietnamese.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This variety is quite distinctive from the others. In fact, the shape of liberica beans is not oval or round like those of arabica and robusta respectively but asymmetrical like a hook. Their flavour is also more acidic compared to the typical Vietnamese coffee.<\/span><\/p>\n

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4. Vietnam also has specialty Arabica coffee<\/h3>\n
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\"coffee
\nCoffee plants in Vietnam’s Central Highlands<\/em>
\nImage credit: DXLINH\/Wikimedia Commons<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

You can enjoy high-quality Arabica coffee when visiting three main areas of production of this variety in Vietnam: the Central Highlands, Northwestern Highlands, and Northern Central Vietnam. In particular, you can head for some specialty coffee in C\u1ea7u \u0110\u1ea5t, Khe Sanh, or \u0110i\u1ec7n Bi\u00ean.<\/p>\n

If you visit the Central Highlands, especially Dalat, you can explore the whole process of making coffee at C\u1ea7u \u0110\u1ea5t Farm. Located about 1,600m above sea level with a mild climate, C\u1ea7u \u0110\u1ea5t offers some of the more top-notch arabica coffee beans in Vietnam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Coffee
\nA museum dedicated to coffee has also been established in \u0110\u1eafk L\u1eafk, another Central Highlands province famous for this drink.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>Ng\u01b0\u1eddi \u0110\u1eafk L\u1eafk<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Similarly, the production of arabica coffee is also developing rapidly in northern central Vietnam, including the provinces of Th\u1eeba Thi\u00ean – Hu\u1ebf, Ngh\u1ec7 An, Thanh H\u00f3a, and Qu\u1ea3ng Tr\u1ecb. The most notable specialty coffee of this region is grown at Khe Sanh, Qu\u1ea3ng Tr\u1ecb. Because this region is walled by the Annamite Range and receives lots of monsoon wind, it is quite favourable for arabica to grow there.<\/span><\/p>\n

Going northward, you will find tasty arabica coffee in mountainous northwestern Vietnam. Together with the year-round cool climate, this makes the northern provinces of S\u01a1n La and \u0110i\u1ec7n Bi\u00ean ideal places to produce high-quality Arabica beans.<\/span><\/p>\n

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5. Hu\u1ebf’s salt coffee is a uniquely Vietnamese recipe seldom found elsewhere<\/h3>\n
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\"vietnamese
\nUnlike<\/span><\/em> c\u00e0 ph\u00ea tr\u1ee9ng <\/span>(egg coffee) in Hanoi and <\/span><\/em>c\u00e0 ph\u00ea<\/span> v\u1ee3t <\/span>(net coffee) <\/span>in Saigon, <\/span><\/em>c\u00e0 ph\u00ea mu\u1ed1i<\/span> was only invented in the 2010s.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>@laura.chira<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

When visiting Central Vietnam, don\u2019t forget to try some <\/span>c\u00e0 ph\u00ea mu\u1ed1i, <\/i><\/strong>or salt coffee<\/strong>, a staple drink in Hu\u1ebf. Actually, this drink has been around for almost a decade. It first appeared in a cafe on Nguy\u1ec5n L\u01b0\u01a1ng B\u1eb1ng Street, Hu\u1ebf. Little else is known about its origin.<\/span><\/p>\n

What makes this drink stand out is the salty foam. To make it, add some salt and condensed milk into some non-dairy creamer. Whip the mixture until it becomes like foamy whipped cream. Then put this mixture on top of layers of condensed milk and black coffee.<\/span><\/p>\n

The coffee shop where this drink was invented is still open, waiting for you to come and enjoy the authentic salt coffee.<\/span><\/p>\n

C\u00e0 Ph\u00ea Mu\u1ed1i<\/b><\/p>\n

Address:<\/strong><\/b><\/span>\u00a010 Nguy\u1ec5n L\u01b0\u01a1ng B\u1eb1ng Str., Hu\u1ebf City
\n<\/span>Opening hours:<\/b><\/span> 6.30AM-11AM & 3PM-10PM, Daily
\n<\/span>Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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6. Net coffee – an original coffee brewing method of the Chinese Vietnamese<\/h3>\n
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\"Net
\nNet coffee is usually brewed with a great amount of coffee in a big pot. This process is very aromatic.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>An Khang Nguy\u1ec5n<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

If you are a caffeine buff, you should try <\/span>c\u00e0 ph\u00ea v\u1ee3t<\/i><\/b> or net coffee<\/b> from the Chinese-Vietnamese community here. It is also known as <\/span>c\u00e0 ph\u00ea kho<\/span><\/i> or <\/span>c\u00e0 ph\u00ea v\u1edb<\/span><\/i>, or stewed coffee and sock coffee respectively.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Though other versions can be found in most Chinatowns around the world, Cholon\u2019s net coffee is a subtle combination between Vietnamese coffee and the Chinese traditional brewing method.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once the brewer has ground the beans carefully, they\u2019ll put the coffee powder inside a net,<\/span> then dip it into a ceramic pot of boiling water.<\/span> The result is a thick, smooth, aromatic, and woody coffee. The net coffee is usually milder than that brewed by <\/span>phin<\/span><\/i>, the typical Vietnamese drip filter made of stainless steel.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Net
\nSteps of making net coffee as shown in Cheo Leo Cafe.<\/em>
\nImage credit: Jia Ming Kwa<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The net coffee shops in Saigon range from 60 to 100 years old, passed down through two or three generations. Hence, visiting these cafes and talking to the shopowners will also be a great way to know more about the neighbourhood\u2019s past.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, these coffee shops are usually near the marketplaces, so they may be crowded and quite noisy. However, it is a worthy experience to enjoy net coffee while watching the local life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cheo Leo Cafe (since 1938)<\/b><\/p>\n

Address:<\/b><\/span> 109 \u2013 36 Nguy\u1ec5n Thi\u1ec7n Thu\u1eadt Street, Ward 2, District 3, H\u1ed3 Ch\u00ed Minh City
\n<\/span>Opening hours:<\/b><\/span> 6AM-18PM (Closed on the 1st and the 15th of each month)
\n<\/span>Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

C\u00e0 ph\u00ea v\u1ee3t Phan \u0110\u00ecnh Ph\u00f9ng (since the 1950s)
\n<\/b>Address:<\/b><\/span> 330\/2 Phan \u0110\u00ecnh Ph\u00f9ng Street, Ward 1, Ph\u00fa Nhu\u1eadn District, H\u1ed3 Ch\u00ed Minh City
\n<\/span>Opening hours:<\/b><\/span> All day (ideal for takeaways)
\n<\/span>Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

C\u00e0 ph\u00ea Ba L\u00f9 (since 1953)
\n<\/b>Address:<\/b><\/span> 103\/5, Nguy\u1ec5n Ti\u1ec3u La Street, Ward 5, District 10, H\u1ed3 Ch\u00ed Minh City
\n<\/span>Opening hours:<\/b><\/span> All day (ideal for takeaways)<\/span><\/p>\n

Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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7. Coffee is often paired with tea in southern Vietnam<\/h3>\n
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\"Coffee
\nIn southern Vietnam, after drinking all of the iced coffee in a glass, people habitually refill it with tea.<\/span><\/i>
\n<\/span><\/i>Image credit: <\/span><\/i>VnExpress<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Whenever you order a <\/span>c\u00e0 ph\u00ea \u0111\u00e1<\/span><\/i> (iced coffee) or <\/span>c\u00e0 ph\u00ea s\u1eefa \u0111\u00e1 <\/span><\/i>(iced milk coffee) in southern Vietnam, Saigon for example, the waiter will bring you a small pot of tea. This pot of tea is for refilling the cup after you have drunk all of your coffee and shows how<\/span> coffee and tea are a favourite pairing<\/b> in the south.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In Saigon, sidewalk cafes are socialising places for everyone. People gather there in the morning to have breakfast, enjoy coffee, and most importantly, to talk. Sometimes, the conversations may last hours. It\u2019s the teapot that helps them prolong the talk after they have finished the original drink. Even when running out of tea, they can ask for another pot of tea. Guess what? The tea is free.<\/span><\/p>\n

Southerners also sometimes mix tea and black coffee to make a new drink called tr\u00e0 lai <\/em>(hybrid tea). This drink combines the harshness of the former and bitterness of the latter to produce an unforgettable taste.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The culture of Vietnamese coffee<\/h3>\n
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