Cover pulling and molasses cooking season for Tet in Nghe An
(Baonghean.vn) - At the end of the Lunar New Year, sugarcane growing localities in the province are entering the season of squeezing sugarcane to make molasses. To have liters of sweet molasses to supply the Tet market, farmers also have to work hard.
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| These days, people in districts with a tradition of growing sugarcane to make molasses such as Tan Ky, Nghia Dan, Do Luong, Thanh Chuong, etc. are stepping up the work of harvesting sugarcane and making molasses. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| In the past, squeezing sugarcane with covers was quite laborious, and the honey-covering season lasted several months. Now, squeezing sugarcane with machines is less laborious. However, in some places, due to the small amount of sugarcane, some families still use covers to squeeze sugarcane manually, pulled by buffalo. Photo: Huy Thu |
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After being pressed, the sugarcane juice is “sifted” and poured into a pan to make molasses. In the photo: People in Hamlet 1, Thanh Duong Commune, Thanh Chuong District are preparing to make molasses. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| Each honey stove usually has 2-3 large pans, each pan can cook about 15-17 liters of honey. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| During the process of cooking molasses, impurities in the sugarcane juice will precipitate and float on the pan. The molasses cook often uses a sieve made of thin cloth or tulle to remove these impurities. The more diligently they remove them, the more "beautiful" the molasses will be. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| The work of cutting sugarcane, squeezing sugarcane, and cooking molasses takes place continuously, making many people tired and having to lie down to rest right on the pile of sugarcane bagasse. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| When the honey boils, a cage will be added to the pan to "lock" the honey, preventing it from spilling out. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| After 4-5 hours, cook on high heat, the pan of honey will dry up and gradually turn golden brown, which means the cooking is successful. To have old or young honey, the cook will increase or decrease the heat depending on preference. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| Coming to the molasses village on this occasion, the fragrant smell of molasses will make everyone be treated to cassava dipped in molasses or dry cakes dipped in molasses, rustic yet impressive. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| Although the scene of the whole village no longer lights up at night, leading buffaloes to pull covers and squeeze sugarcane, the work of growing sugarcane to make molasses today is still very elaborate. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| Mr. Nguyen Sy Toan in Thanh Duong commune, Thanh Chuong district said that his family grows 1 hectare of sugarcane, and during the molasses season, working all day and all night is normal. Growing sugarcane and cooking molasses is quite hard work, but he still earns about 6 million VND/sao/year. In the photo: People cover the molasses, carrying both molasses and sugarcane bagasse home. Photo: Huy Thu |
.jpg "Hoàn thành đường tạm mới tại điểm sụt lún trên Quốc lộ 16")
.jpg "Nỗ lực hoàn thành đường dây 500kV mạch 3 đoạn qua Nghệ An")
