MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL 中秋节

This is one of the major important annual Chinese festivals, which falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month of the Chinese calendar. It is this day that the Chinese will eat moon cakes while admiring the full moon. Some eat pameloes too. People, especially kids, will normally lit lanterns at that night with candles or there are electrical ones too nowadays.

The celebration of this festival has to do with the legend of Chang'e (goddess of the moon), who was lifted up to the moon. She has a jade rabbit accompanying her there. The story also involves Houyi the archer. There are many versions that I heard so it is very misleading which is the real story told. Well, since it is a legend, we just have to let it be as how it is.



Moon cakes are normally made by bakeries. I bought most mooncakes from SDS (local Johor Bahru bakery) and NUSS (NUS). NUSS has two versions. The first version has premium white lotus paste with double yolk, the golden lotus paste with double yolk, the ginseng flavoured white lotus paste with melon seeds and oolong tea flavoured white lotus paste with lemon seeds. The other version has premium osmanthus paste with melon seeds, the premium rose paste with melon seeds, the premium water chestnut with corn paste and the premium orange walnut paste with melon seeds. Yes, very mixed combos. I got the first version. As for SDS, I just bought individual ones.



The commercialization of moon cakes these days have led the birth of all kinds of flavours. The latest I had seen this year is the usage of bird's nest, cheese, chocolate variations, curry, sambal and also tiramisu flavour. Yes, you will be amazed by the desperate adaption of all kinds of fillings possible. Whatever it is, the outer layer or the crust of the moon cake is mostly divided into three types here in Malaysia. The first one is the chewy traditional Cantonese style mooncake in brown colour. Then, they created the snow skin version and the jelly / pudding version.

They are also very smart in packaging the moon cakes in many sets and boxes. For people like us who are more adventurous and would like to try out many new flavours, we are forced to buy the whole box. They normally don't really sell them separately or they may but it could cost a lot more. You normally eat moon cake with tea.



This is the jelly version with yam filling from SDS. The crust can be of any colour. The problem with jelly version is that you must consume them within four days of purchase. They don't last very long but the good thing is it is the most lightest version of all crust types. Therefore, you can even eat this down all by yourself.





This is a snow skin version from SDS. They come with all kinds of colours for the snow skin. This is with the filing of the durian. It is not particularly marvellous as the durian flavour is not strong enough for me.





Finally, this is the most traditional crust version which comes in many designs. The problem with this version is that it is extremely too much for one person to eat. We have the problem of consuming these with just two person. Therefore, me and Lee Ling brought many of these moon cakes we bought to our work places to share with the colleagues.



I think this is the golden lotus paste with double yolk from NUSS. This is a very common traditional filling so most people should get used with this like me.





This is probably the premium white lotus paste with double yolk from NUSS. This is again a more traditional filling which is very common like the one above.







This is the golden jade version from SDS. It is among the best moon cakes I ever tasted. This version is still my favourite.





This is the oolong tea flavoured white lotus paste with melon seeds version from NUSS. I can feel the strong oolong tea flavour but it just felt weird trying a tea flavoured mooncake.


This is the ginseng flavoured white lotus paste with melon seeds from NUSS. I also can sense the strong ginseng flavour but again it just felt weird trying this combo filling.

Happy Moon cake Festival / Lantern Festival!