Tasting Lotus Tea at West Lake in Hanoi
Early every morning in summer, local villagers bring back home lotus flowers which they pick from the West Lake in Tay Ho District. A local villager is busy harvesting lotus to meet the growing demand in summer. From 4 a.m. local villagers have to get up to pick lotus flowers. The petal peeling also needs to be finished before mid-day to preserve the fragrance of the flowers. Locals classify lotuses before making tea. Some lotus flowers are for sale, costing from VND10,000 to VND15,000 each flower. Artisan Nguyen Thi Dan, her family and workers gather to peel off the petals to get the lotus anther as fast as possible. An American tourist joins making lotus tea. Nguyen Thi Dan is one of a few artisans well-known for traditional lotus tea making in Quang An Village, Tay Ho District, Hanoi. Ms. Dan and her descendants gather to peel off petals to get the lotus anther for lotus tea making. The white lotus anther is...