Today (September 28) is the zenith of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival; also called Moon Festival. Every year the festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar cycle of the Chinese year.
Why moon? Because the moon is at its brightest for the entire year. Take a look tonight and you’ll see a moon of spectacular luminosity. According to my father-in-law, it is a harvest festival meant to celebrate the abundance of the harvest and our lives. Whenever we went to my in-laws’ home the place was full of food; a multi-course dinner, seeds, nuts and tiny pastries in trays, and of course the moon cakes.
I adore moon cakes. It is one of my favourite holiday sweets. I like the ones filled with white lotus seed paste the best. I’ve never warmed up to the black or red paste and the seed and nut filling is the Chinese equivalent to English fruitcake -- horrible. My mother-in-law likes it a lot. This week I’ve been left alone with a surplus of moon cakes, and I’ve eaten too many. For those of you who’ve never had one (I really think you should rectify this): the lotus paste is dense and sweet and it’s covered with a thin layer of pastry. Buried in the lotus paste is a preserved egg yolk, representing the moon. Do not be alarmed! If the egg yolk is not your idea of dessert, you can pop it right out. Just like you would with the yolk of a hard boiled egg. And of course, like all good sweet treats, it’s about a million calories a serving. My attitude to it is that holiday and festival calories count as zero. And so I am free to eat as much moon cake, Halloween candy, shortbread cookies and Valentine’s chocolate as I can digest.
I encourage you all to rush out and get your moon cake while the moon is at it’s highest and brightest...now that it’s on sale and calorie free, get extra!
There are a few stories about moon cakes, and one of my favourites is this one: In the 14th century the Mongols were driven out of China with help of the humble moon cake. Chinese rebels delivered their top secret battle plans in moon cakes -- not to be eaten until the night of the festival. The Mongol-hordes, apparently, didn’t go for moon cake and the rebellion was a success! (for the Chinese that is)
If I've persuaded you to get some of the little cakes, there are a few links on the side-bar to the right. At least one of them delivers! Enjoy.
If I've persuaded you to get some of the little cakes, there are a few links on the side-bar to the right. At least one of them delivers! Enjoy.
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