Ô mai is a traditional Vietnamese snack that originated from Hanoi, Vietnam.  It is made of dried fruits, whichever are in season and in abundance. The fruits are marinated in salt, sugar, ginger, licorice, and the mix is then cooked at low heat.  The stewed mélange is then low baked or sun dried. It is particularly favored by students or those forever young at heart, hence the expression, the “age of ô mai”.

Thirty years ago, as an immigrant in the United States, I craved this snack that I used to have in my native Saigon. So I turned to making it myself, using a secret family recipe from my beloved mother-in-law, who learned to make this specialty snack from her days in Hanoi.  Over time, I finetuned the original recipe and adapted it to ingredients that are in abundance in Florida, such as star fruits and kumquats. In addition to star fruit and kumquat, my ô mai is a blend of apple, lemon, apricot, cranberries, mango, and tamarind, giving it a very unique combination of layers of tastes. Each batch of ô mai is lovingly made by hand in my kitchen, without any artificial ingredients or preservatives.  It has become a favorite among family and friends alike. Lately, I have been encouraged by those who know me and love my ô mai to make this preservative free snack widely available in the States, to enlarge the circle of the people still in the age of ô mai.  Thus, Ô Mai Bách Thảo is born.