For a long time, the image of rice paper and puffed crackers from the famous craft villages of Giong Trom District, Ben Tre Province, has been quite familiar to visitors from near and far. These rustic crackers have gifted the world sweet flavors, deeply imbued with the love of the people, the land, and the countryside. So that when far away, every time we eat those crackers, we feel a surging nostalgia for our homeland.

The Intense Flavor of My Long Rice Paper

From Ben Tre City, traveling down Provincial Road 885 and across Chet Say Bridge, visitors arrive in Giong Trom District, My Thanh Commune. This is home to a famous rice paper craft village that has existed, been preserved, and developed for generations to create these rustic countryside crackers. Upon arriving at the My Long rice paper village, visitors will see rows of rice paper drying racks stretched straight along both sides of the road, basking under the sun. In the front yards of the villagers’ houses, a white hue of connected drying racks spans from one house to another. Right by the roadside, stalls display various Ben Tre specialties for tourists to choose from, but the most prominent remains the famous My Long rice paper, available both raw and pre-grilled.

The aroma radiating from the crackers intoxicates travelers, much like the way people describe being drunk on wine; however, this is an intoxication from the fragrant scent of a simple specialty from the land of coconuts. Here, every household, regardless of age—from the elderly to children and young men—participates in the process, each mastering a specific stage with skilled hands.

The local people are very sincere and hospitable. Upon expressing a wish to visit, everyone happily accepts and chats. Ms. Hong, a baker with over 25 years of experience, shared: “This traditional rice paper craft village has been around for a very long time; according to the elders, it’s likely a hundred years old. Through many generations, my family has been attached to this profession. It is an indispensable part of our family. Growing up, we inherit the trade. Making crackers not only provides extra income but is also an elegant pleasure. My family is determined to preserve it so the craft does not fade away with time.”

To have a truly delicious My Long rice paper, the stage of selecting and mixing the flour is crucial, and that flour is the real secret behind the My Long brand name. The chosen rice must be moderately fragrant and well-expanded, not too dry. Other ingredients such as sugar, salt, and sesame are also measured precisely. For a skilled artisan, just measuring by eye and hand is perfectly accurate. However, the authentic secret likely lies in the rich, creamy coconut milk of the homeland. According to locals, the clearest difference between My Long rice paper and those from other regions is that it is made from glutinous rice and concentrated coconut milk…

This specialty comes in many varieties: milk and egg rice paper, plain coconut rice paper (without milk), and milk rice paper (without coconut) to meet diverse needs. However, the most delicious is the coconut rice paper, which is both rich and crispy; when placed on a glowing charcoal stove, it releases an aroma that captivates the heart.

The Heartfelt Connection of Son Doc Puffed Crackers

Similar to My Long, the Son Doc puffed cracker craft village takes its name from a landmark at Son Doc Market in Hung Nhuong Commune, Giong Trom District, which has long been famous for its glutinous rice puffed crackers. In the past, the craft was spontaneous and small-scale, mainly producing crackers for ancestral offerings, Lunar New Year (Tet), or as gifts for relatives and friends. A few were sold at Son Doc Market to earn extra income, but no one thought these crackers would become as famous as they are today.

When people bought these crackers to try, they found them delicious with a unique flavor: the sweetness of the cracker, the aroma of sesame, and the richness of coconut milk. Through various information channels, tourists from everywhere learned that Giong Trom had such a unique specialty. Since then, Son Doc puffed crackers have become increasingly well-known and have expanded throughout the village’s development. They are now distributed across the country and even abroad, with the name becoming a century-old brand.

Making puffed crackers is perhaps even more strenuous than rice paper. They are made from “nếp sáp” (a famous variety of glutinous rice in Ben Tre). The rice is steamed into sticky rice and then placed in a mortar to be pounded finely with other ingredients like granulated sugar and coconut milk. Arriving at the village in the morning, one can easily identify which house is making crackers by the rhythmic sound of the pounding pestles. This is the most exhausting stage. In the past, this was a job for men and youth. Now, the pounding process is less arduous thanks to machines; after pounding, the dough is moved to the shaping and rolling stage.

Like rice paper, drying puffed crackers is a meticulous feat. The craft always depends on the weather; everyone hopes for good sunlight to make the drying process easier and the crackers tastier. When grilled, Son Doc puffed crackers expand to 3-4 times their original size. To be delicious, they must be grilled over glowing red charcoal until they are fragrant, crispy, and appetizing. Currently, besides glutinous rice crackers, there are also cassava puffed crackers and banana puffed crackers to create variety. Production is usually seasonal, especially in the months leading up to the Lunar New Year when villagers have to stay up all night. Since 2007, Son Doc puffed crackers have been recognized as a trademark by the Intellectual Property Office and acknowledged as a traditional craft village by the People’s Committee of Ben Tre Province. This serves as a lever for the village’s future development.

Enjoying a puffed cracker, visitors can feel the spiritual value contained within each rustic piece. Like rice paper, puffed crackers are not exclusive to Ben Tre; other provinces like Can Tho, An Giang, and Vinh Long also produce them. However, Son Doc crackers are delicious not just because of their own secrets or unique coconut flavor, but also because of the “tình” (affection) and “nghĩa” (loyalty) of the people expressed in every cracker. Only the scent of the countryside can make the cracker truly complete.

Annually, the My Long rice paper and Son Doc puffed cracker villages contribute billions of VND to the provincial GDP, helping to improve people’s lives, creating jobs for the local labor force, and shifting the district’s economic structure. Today, both villages are well-known to many tourists, especially international ones. Travel agencies within and outside the province often include these in Ben Tre tourism itineraries to let visitors experience the unique features of these craft villages.

In 2013, the Department of Science and Technology of Ben Tre Province implemented the “Business Development for Rural Workers” project. This project provided technological support to the people of the My Long and Son Doc villages, extending the shelf life of the crackers from three to six months, providing tools to measure the density of the batter before coating, training on food safety, and supporting loans. This investment allowed for the purchase of equipment and machinery such as flour grinders, coconut scrapers, coconut presses, pounding machines, and rolling machines to increase productivity, save time, and improve packaging to meet the increasing demands of the market.