The salty taste of traditional fish sauce and the bitter taste of coffee seem to be incompatible; however, Nam O fish sauce has become a mixed flavour, adding an interesting feature to a cup of coffee. Mr. Bui Thanh Phu, the owner of Huong Lang Co (Ancient Village Savour) fish sauce establishment in Hoa Hiep Nam Ward, Lien Chieu District, Da Nang, is the “father” of the fish sauce coffee, a coffee topped with concentrated dried fish sauce powder.

A foreign tourist (left) enjoy Nam O fish sauce coffee. Photo: https://nhandan.vn/

When the two tastes of salty and bitter combine…

The Nam O fish sauce is traditionally brewed by villagers in earthenware jars with a nitrogen content of 30 degrees. Recently, realising that there are salted coffee products on the market that attract many customers, Mr. Phu decided to experiment with adding Nam O fish sauce to this highly popular drink.
The pure fish sauce itself has a strong aroma, when added to coffee it helps balance the sourness of the drink. After three months of testing with many mixing ratios, his standard cup of fish sauce coffee was born.

“Da Nang often organizes many national and international festival events. However, I have not seen any product with the culinary characteristics of Da Nang integrated into those events. On the other hand, my family is producing fish sauce, and groups of visitors come to experience the story of the craft village in a short time, so when enjoying a cup of coffee with a little salty taste, visitors can easily imagine and be more impressed with the cultural story of the Nam O fish sauce, and the fish sauce coffee product is the means to connect people together,” said Mr. Phu.

Accordingly, the fish sauce is condensed at high temperature, when the fish sauce drops thicken, drying is the final step so that each fish sauce grain separates into tiny powder form. The important factor to produce a standard cup of fish sauce coffee is that when concentrating the fish sauce, no other by-products will be used.

The testing phase has produced the expected results. Currently, Mr. Phu has ordered some specialised machines for drying fish sauce to increase the production of fish sauce powder, meeting the needs of expanding the market in the future.

Born and raised with the fish sauce making profession, Mr. Phu always has special respect for the traditional profession left by his ancestors. There were times when fish and fish sauce jars helped the people of Nam O village live well both materially and spiritually. However, the current social reality is posing many challenges to the existence of traditional fish sauce products.

Remember forever, never forget…

When working with craft villages, specifically cuisine, there is no need to "go" too quickly. Every day, changes and innovations in products are necessary for the old profession to live in the hearts of the people.

That is the consistent viewpoint of Mr. Bui Thanh Phu when he is determined to stick with Nam O fish sauce. When visitors first arrive in Da Nang, they will remember the Nam O village where the coffee with a little salty taste of the sea, the flavour of anchovies and salt was born. The cultural and historical values of the land are encapsulated in a cup of coffee, like a thread connecting visitors with villagers.

Recently, the programme ‘One day of experiencing making fish sauce coffee’ for young people creating content on the TikTok platform was organised by Mr. Phu's family.

From 5:00 am, TikTokers gathered to buy fresh fish that had just come ashore, practiced fermenting fish in jars and filter fish sauce to prepare for processing and condensing it into powder. Currently, Mr. Phu is using coffee grown in Khe Sanh, Quang Tri Province. In the near future, his fish sauce facility plans to find the right type of coffee with the Da Nang brand to complete the story of the city’s signature drink.

The space for cultural exchange and creativity right in the craft village through the perspective of young people is a suitable step in the current culinary trend. Through the experience of enjoying fish sauce coffee, Nam O’s brand is gradually being sought by young people.

Along with that, the creativity of culinary culture in Nam O will encourage young people to find the traditional story of their hometown, creating more breakthroughs in inherent values. The economic benefit circle of the people is closed right on the potential and advantages of the existing craft village.

Reporting byTRUONG AN / https://nhandan.vn/ - Translating by A.THU, PTRA