From late July to early September, Hue enters a brief but enchanting fruit season: pomelo season – or thanh trà, as the locals call it. Grown mostly in Thuy Bieu, a village blessed with fertile soil and the gentle breeze from the Perfume River, this fruit resembles grapefruit but has a fragrance and flavor all its own.
Unlike other tropical fruits, thanh trà is not overwhelmingly sweet or strong in scent. Its thin peel releases a light, crisp aroma, while the golden flesh offers a delicate taste: mildly sweet, slightly tangy, and gently bitter at the end – a subtle complexity reminiscent of Hue itself.
Pomelo – A Delicate Accent in Hue’s Cuisine
Thanh trà is not a fruit to eat in abundance. As the Hue saying goes, “Thanh trà ăn ít mới thơm” – “Pomelo only reveals its fragrance when eaten sparingly.” It is best enjoyed when used with intention – as an accent, not a centerpiece.
You won’t find thanh trà piled high at the center of the meal. Instead, it’s often gently introduced into dishes: thinly sliced into salads, added as zest to sour shrimp (tôm chua), or just a splash of juice in dipping sauce – not to overpower, but to awaken other flavors with its quiet charm.
At Hue Ecolodge, pomelo takes a graceful place on the seasonal menu: from pomelo salad with fermented shrimp, to wild herb dishes laced with zest, to dipping sauces made from freshly squeezed juice. Each creation holds a delicate fragrance – fleeting but unforgettable.
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Seasonal Cuisine – Preserving Memories Through Taste
One of Hue’s most treasured culinary values is the tradition of seasonal eating. Locals don’t just eat for pleasure – they eat in tune with time. Each ingredient belongs to a moment, and once it passes, it won’t return until the next year.
Pomelo is no different. With just a few weeks to shine, it comes and goes quietly. But its essence lingers in memory – the gentle aroma of a season passed, and the longing for its return.
In Hue, food is not only nourishment but also a way to preserve memory – of a land, a time, and a uniquely Hue kind of fragrance.
Pomelo at Hue Ecolodge – A Seasonal Invitation
Visiting Hue Ecolodge during pomelo season means more than just admiring fruit-laden gardens along the river. It’s a chance to fully experience seasonal cuisine built around this rare fruit.
Enjoy refreshing dishes infused with pomelo juice or peel. Take part in a cooking class where you can prepare your own dish featuring thanh trà. It’s not just about tasting – it’s about living the season with all your senses.
The pomelo season is like a fragrant layer in the tapestry of Hue’s culinary year – brief, refined, and deeply rooted in place. It is not just a fruit, but a symbol of how Hue honors the passage of time through food – gently, thoughtfully, and beautifully.
If you’re waiting for a reason to visit Hue, perhaps a quiet, ripe fragrance is the most poetic invitation of all.