Sesame Candy of Hue

Enjoying sesame candy is an art in Hue's life. People used to drink tea and eat sesame candy back in the day. Tinh Tam lotus blossom marinated tea and sesame combined to create an appealing experience. People used to nibble on sesame candy while reading books and contemplating life. Sesame candy is known as "Mè Xửng" in Vietnamese. "Mè" refers to sesame, whereas "Xửng" refers to a method of cooking. "Mè xửng" (Me xung) is a particularly unique sweet, as its name suggests. Nevertheless, locals in Hue seldom think of it as candy.

The Hue Sesame specialty is made with sesame as the main ingredient. After the sugar is boiled with tapioca, malt, and honey to form a paste, roasted peanuts are added. This mixture is then poured into the mold and sprinkled with roasted sesame seeds all over the surface. With the sweetness and suppleness of sugar combined with peanuts, the aroma of sesame makes people remember forever.

Song Hy (Phan Boi Chau street – now Phan Dang Luu) and Nam Thuan (Hang Be street – today Huynh Thuc Khang) were famous sesame candy places in Hue in the past. Song Hy sesame candy was exported to Paris and Hong Kong because of its softness and typical flavor. In the past, people have even compared sesame candy to French chewing gum. As more tourists from far and wide visit Hue, there are more families producing and selling sesame candy.

It is said that by gently pressing a piece of sesame candy with your fingers, visitors can recognize its quality. If the sesame candy returns to its original shape after releasing the finger and has a distinctive taste of sesame and peanuts, it is a really good sesame candy.

Leading Sesame Candy (Me Xung) Shops in Hue:

Me Xung Sông Hương – 33 Xuan 68 Street
Me Xung Thiên Hương – 20 Chi Lang Street
Me Xung Thành Hưng – 55 Hoang Dieu Street
Me Xung Thiên Trúc – 101 Ong Ich Khiem Street
Me Xung Nam Thuận – 201 Huynh Thuc Khang Street