Phuc Trach Pomelo – The Taste of Ha Tinh
Phuc Trach (Phúc Trạch) pomelo is a kind of fruit which has been existed in Huong Khe (Hương Khê), Ha Tinh (Hà Tĩnh) for a long time. Like its name, this kind of pomelo is just of its special taste when it is grown in Huong Khe commune, Ha Tinh province.
There are 4 communes in Ha Tinh: Phuc Trach, Huong Trach, Huong Do (Hương Đo) and Loc Yen (Lộc Yên). The difference between Phuc Trach pomelo and other places’ is that its season is just 3 months (the seventh, eighth and ninth of the lunar year). The annual amount of Phuc Trach pomelo is not very high. It is just enough for the demand of some provinces in the north. Few people in the south know the name of this pomelo
Phuc Trach pomelo used to win the title of “Miss Pomelo” of Indochina. It is well-matched with other best pomelo in Vietnam such as Nam Roi “Nam Roi”, Doan Hung mDien “Diễn” and so on. In 2002, Phuc Trach pomelo was recognized one of the 7 fruit which are forbidden to export the seeds by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. In 2004, this kind of pomelo was awarded the trademark by the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam. Phúc Trạch pomelo is grown and people in 4 communes of Phuc Trach , Huong Trach, Huong Do and Loc Yen have the right to use the trademark. The average amount of the recent years has been 12.000 to 15.000 tons/year.
This kind of pomelo is like a ball; the height and breadth is much like the same. Its stem is protruding; the bottom is a little deep-set. The skin is not either smooth or rough. It is of yellow and green. The inside section is of pink or a little white. Phúc Trạch pomelo is of special good smell. It tastes sweet and sour.
In the occasion of Tet and other holidays, there is pomelo in every ancestral altar of people in the Middle. If tourists visit Ha Tinh at the end of July, they will see many trucks hustling in every garden to buy pomelo. Or they can see many pomelo along the street with many offerings. Tourist can not ignore them. They choose and buy some big pomelo as presents. We can enjoy the special good smell and sweet of the pomelo grown in Huong Khe
Photo: antricdn.com