Go Mad For Mooncakes This Mid-Autumn Festival Time!

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The Mid-Autumn festival is traditionally held on the 15^th day of the eighth lunar month, which this year falls on September 30^th. The festival is one of the most important holidays in the Chinese calendar and an important part of the tradition is the eating of ‘mooncakes’.

Traditional mooncakes are usually around 10cm wide and 5cm thick often made with lotus seed or sweet bean paste and sometimes featuring a salted duck egg in the centre. At around 1000 calories per cake, they pack quite the punch and are often shared and eaten in small pieces rather than all at once.  They can be intricately designed and decorated, often presented in ornate boxes perfect for gift giving.

Durian mooncakes at Marina Bay Sands (www.marinabaysands.com)

Nowadays however, many modern versions of mooncakes can be found in all shapes and sizes, including low fat, jelly and mini mooncakes (for those of us who are a little more health conscious!). They also come in almost every flavor imaginable, so whether you are a savory fiend, have a sweet tooth or like a little spice in your life, you can find one to suit your tastes.  Chocolate, coffee, coconut, green tea, durian, ham and cheese, sesame, chicken, lobster, champagne, praline…I could go on but I think you get the picture! This year you can even get Angry Bird mooncakes, for the kids or just your own inner child!

Eaten as treats and given to elders as a mark of respect, mooncakes have a history nearly as rich as they are. Legend has it that a woman named Chang-e ate a magical pill which could make her live forever but which also flew her to the moon, mooncakes are then eaten in tribute of the moon and the Goddess of Immortality.

During the 14^th century mooncakes were also used by revolutionaries in China to smuggle secret messages, either inside or within in an intricate pattern on top, they then got to eat the tasty treat in name of destroying the evidence!

So don’t miss out on the fun, get a tasty treat for yourself or loved ones this festival time!

Angry Birds Mooncakes at Peony Jade Restaurant (www.peonyjade.com)

Champagne Mooncakes at Raffles Hotel (www.raffleshotelmooncakes.com)