Around the house

Tiffin carrier

The tiffin carrier, called cà mèn in the South, was a stack of round aluminium or enamelled tins held tight by a wire clamp and a carrying handle. The bottom tin held rice, the middle a main dish, the top soup, all still warm at lunchtime.

Each morning Mum packed a carrier for Dad to take to work, or for an older sibling to carry to school. Lift the lid and the rice smelled wonderful, with a few pieces of braised pork and a neat portion of boiled greens. In the evening the empty tins were washed, and tomorrow they would be full again.

Do you remember? Back then, who in your family carried a tiffin to work?

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