Mad About Mooncakes
Tonight is the evening of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, and tomorrow is the public holiday (aka day off) that goes with it! This traditional holiday is celebrated annually according to the lunar calendar on the autumnal equinox. It is basically a celebration of harvest time and the moon, and there are a few legends surrounding it, too.
Mooncakes are the iconic food of the Mid-Autumn Festival. I first ate mooncakes in September 2008, when I was in China for the Paralympics. They are sweet, rich treats, but they are very different from anything regularly eaten in America. Many Westerners find them unappealing, but I quite like them.
A traditional mooncake is about the diameter of a hamburger patty, and about 1 inch tall; usually they are cut up and shared among family or friends. The outside is a type of pastry, one which is not flaky but a bit thicker, and carefully sculpted into intricate designs. Inside the mooncake is some type of paste filling. Lotus seed paste is probably the most common, and there is often one or more salted egg yolks inside as well. The yolk part isn't so yummy, but the paste is sort of similar to almond paste.
Mooncakes aren't something I would want to eat all the time, but I'm always glad when this time of year comes around. If you ever get the chance to try one, I would recommend it!
Mooncakes are the iconic food of the Mid-Autumn Festival. I first ate mooncakes in September 2008, when I was in China for the Paralympics. They are sweet, rich treats, but they are very different from anything regularly eaten in America. Many Westerners find them unappealing, but I quite like them.
A traditional mooncake is about the diameter of a hamburger patty, and about 1 inch tall; usually they are cut up and shared among family or friends. The outside is a type of pastry, one which is not flaky but a bit thicker, and carefully sculpted into intricate designs. Inside the mooncake is some type of paste filling. Lotus seed paste is probably the most common, and there is often one or more salted egg yolks inside as well. The yolk part isn't so yummy, but the paste is sort of similar to almond paste.
Mooncakes aren't something I would want to eat all the time, but I'm always glad when this time of year comes around. If you ever get the chance to try one, I would recommend it!
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