Nhất Đẳng Phẩm Vị

foodholicvn

A Vietnamese shared that "quýt" (tangerine) in Cantonese also is written as "桔", pronounced as "kat", resonating with "吉" meaning luck. Hence, in Guangdong, it's customary on New Year's to gift children tangerines for prosperity. This beautiful tradition also spread to Singapore and Malaysia with Chinese migration and is still preserved. In Vietnamese belief, the tangerine or kumquat symbolizes a bountiful harvest and a promising start to the new year. The fuller and greener the tree, the more prosperous and wealthy the year promises. Thus, buying a Kumquat tree for Tết (Lunar New Year) is popular.

Recently, a favored bakery introduced a new cake shaped and colored like a tangerine, named the Prosperity Box. It looks so real with its orange exterior. Biting into one, the soft outer crust encases a tangy and sweet filling, reminiscent of childhood candied tamarind. The filling is made from fresh pomelo and malt through an eight-hour slow cook, offering a refreshing aftertaste.

Gifting a tangerine along with red envelopes for Tết to children for good luck and to adults for wealth makes perfect sense.