RACQUET COFFEE CULTURE – MEMORIES OF THE OLD SAIGON PEOPLE

Racquet coffee is a drink brought to Saigon by the Chinese in the 90s of the last century and quickly gained the support of the people.

Racquet coffee is a favorite coffee of Saigon people every morning. Over the decades, many new types of coffee have been introduced into our country. However, racket coffee still has a specific place in the memory of Saigon people, past and present. The racket cafes that have existed for decades are the most evident proof of this.

Figure 1: Racquet coffee has appeared since the twentieth century

The origin of racket coffee

Racquet coffee is also known as warehouse coffee, sock coffee. Racquet coffee was brought to Vietnam by the Chinese living in Saigon in the 20th century. Racquet coffee is a cross between two cultures. At that time, filter coffee was considered a drink only for the middle class. Racquet coffee is the favorite drink of ordinary working people. Racquet coffee gives them a moment of relaxation before returning to their hard-earned life.

Racquet coffee is named after the tool used to make coffee, in addition, it is also known by other names such as sock coffee, braised coffee. At that time, when the coffee filter was not yet famous, people used to use a cloth rack to filter coffee. This brewing method requires more meticulousness than filter coffee. To create a delicious cup of coffee, it has to go through many stages.

At that time, filter coffee was only for the middle class. Racquet coffee was the drink of the ordinary working people of that day, who did not have time to sit and wait to watch each drop of coffee drip down through the small filter. Racquet coffee gives them convenience, quickly drink a cup of coffee with a faint, faint compliment and then return to the chaos of life.

Figure 2: Racquet coffee is brewed in a typical earthen pot.

Over time, coffee has become an indispensable drink of Saigon people. These days, development has brought many convenient coffee making tools. Racquet cafes are still nestled on the streets. It is a familiar place for many people. They look to racket coffee as a way to return to the ancient memory region, living in the atmosphere of the 90s of the magnificent land.

How to make coffee Racket

To make a cup of coffee, it is not enough to have good coffee, but water also plays a vital role. Tap water (tap water) has an odor, which can easily change the taste of coffee. Therefore, the water used to make coffee must be left for one to two days to settle and reduce the smell before using.

Before brewing coffee, one must rinse the racket with boiling water. Ground coffee is filtered through a racket then dipped in super boiling water. In order for the coffee to taste evenly, people take a spoon to stir it a few times and then close the lid. People use super soil, which is used for decoction of traditional Chinese medicine to keep the entire fragrance. Coffee is brewed for about 5 to 10 minutes so that the coffee flavor gradually permeates and blends together. After that, the coffee is poured into a Western iron pot to bring out all the flavors and easy to use. People continue to boil this first water with a small fire on a charcoal stove for diners who want to drink hot coffee.

Before pouring coffee into a cup, first rinse the glass with boiling water to remove the smell of tap water after washing the glass. Talking about racket coffee without mentioning the coffee pouring skills of the baristas is sometimes flawed. The image of bringing the super coffee up high and then letting the coffee flow from the super spout overflow the mouth of the coffee cup that remains in the plate. This technique of soaking the glass is so clever, overflowing a little, leaving a little extra coffee for guests, but it becomes a style of putting your lips on the plate while blowing and sipping. That way, you can keep the full flavor of your coffee when you enjoy it. In addition, an interesting point when making coffee is that the racket used to filter coffee should not be washed with soap because it will lose the smell of coffee, just flowing with clean water is enough. The older the racket is used, the darker it is, the better the coffee will be.

Enjoy racquet coffee the way Saigon people

If to say how to enjoy coffee is the best way to feel its own quality, then you should enjoy the first drink after pure brewing without adding spices because this is called is the juice, which is also the best quality coffee in a brew.

Amidst the streets stretching with all kinds of different coffee, racket coffee is still a coffee that attracts and makes people want to try. There is no wifi, no air conditioning, the old little racket cafes are left somewhere in a busy corner of Saigon, which is a favorite stop.

Coffee memories – An old Saigon

Racquet coffee is not as rich as filter coffee or machine coffee, but it has an exceptional taste. Light coffee flavor, for those who are used to drinking strong coffee, will find racket coffee a bit faint. Enjoy carefully, you will smell a little burnt but delightful smell of coffee. The racket coffee is rich in an elegant way, without the heavy bitterness and bitterness. That rustic, famous coffee, just emitting a fragrant aroma, makes people come to them, but they are attached and do not want to leave.

For those who are not familiar with the bitter taste of pure coffee, you can add a little sugar or milk to the cup of coffee, stir well and then slowly taste. A little bit of pure coffee flavor, coffee water spread thinly over the mouth and then swallowed. You can feel each layer of coffee aroma gently spreading throughout the mouth, straight up the nasal cavity, the palate spreads up to the top of the head.

In Chinese shops, there is also a style of drinking coffee with a stir-fry or pepper cake. For many elderly people, retirees… this type of coffee can replace breakfast. How delicious it is to hold a whole banh mi banh mi and dip it into a cup of coffee, or break a small piece of cake and then use a spoon to pick it up with coffee to sip.