Moon Cakes

[augie]

I know this comes up every so-often. J and I went to a world supermarket this afternoon and they had Moon Cakes. There were 4 each in tins and they came in a gold, gift box. I didn't buy b/c they expired 03 10 2008 The whole Moon Cake celebration thing is over, isn't it?

[chingwa]

goes together with Chinese new year, it's a late winter thing. I'm sure they're still good to eat. you can find them year round now, but they're always better around this time of year

oh, wait, I just saw the year in your date... DON'T EAT THEM

[gingkoseto]

I know this comes up every so-often. J and I went to a world supermarket this afternoon and they had Moon Cakes. There were 4 each in tins and they came in a gold, gift box. I didn't buy b/c they expired 03 10 2008 The whole Moon Cake celebration thing is over, isn't it?

At least the expire date is labeled. From time to time I see products without an expire date, which would make me struggle a lot whether or not to buy it

Moon festival is also called mid-autumn festival, named after its time. It's on the 15th day of the 8th month in Chinese calendar. This year it will be on Oct. 3rd. The last one is not only over, but over long time ago. If the 03 10 2008 means March 10th (in other countries it may mean Oct. 3rd), probably they were made for the moon festival of 2007! Antique cakes!

[xuancheng]

I have mixed feelings about moon cakes. They are often horrible, but every once in a while you find some really excellent ones. I think its because so many people buy moon cakes to give to others, so they are more concerned about the way the packaging looks than the taste.

[augie]

oh, wait, I just saw the year in your date... DON'T EAT THEM

Yeah, they were next to a pre-packaged candy tray with "Happy Chinese New Year" (in English) on the lid. So I almost bought, but I couldn't remember what time of year people posted pictures I'd seen. (I did a search, but came up with mostly Pu Ehr "tea cakes".) Glad I left it there.

Box was really cool and the individual tins were wrapped/sealed. The date skeerd me!

[Salsero]

Orguz discouraged me from feeding one to my brother that I had saved for three months. At least the ones I had did not seem to have much in the way of preservatives. After looking it over with my brother, who has some food industry experience, we decided to simply enjoy the visual aspect of them.

Also, they seemed much tastier with shu puerh than alone.

[augie]

Orguz discouraged me from feeding one to my brother that I had saved for three months..

So, what was in your Moon Cake? I remember pictures that showed a hard-boiled egg in the cutaway section. Are they like the English traditional fruitcake? Best used as a doorstop? Are they sweet or savory?

[gingkoseto]

I like the kind with duck eggs embedded in lotus seed paste or red bean paste. I would like to have it more often, but actually each time I can only finish half of a cake.

I heard there is a kind of moon cake made of meat and vegetables, and is for eaten fresh, not in boxes to keep for long. When people describe that kind of moon cake, it made me mouth watering But I've never had it. It's from Shanghai, Suzhou region. I think it may exist in xuancheng's area too!

[Salsero]

So, what was in your Moon Cake? I remember pictures that showed a hard-boiled egg in the cutaway section.

Mine were from a local shop and had one egg (some have none and some have two.) The matrix was lotus seed paste and lots of sugar.

When I first tasted them I thought they were nothing but sweet except the egg with was nothing but salty! Later, when I ate small amounts (they are very heavy) with shu, I enjoyed them quite a bit. I believe the lotus seed paste ones are the basic, standard version with two varieties: Hong Kong and Taiwan. The Taiwan (if I remember correctly from Bearsbearsbears) is harder to like than the Hong Kong type, mushy or gooey or something. Of course people raised on the Taiwan ones prefer those. I figure that Bears, as a gweilo, has an objective take on them.

Tim had a link to a supplier that he recommended, but I have lost it. I never ordered any via internet, because I only learned about them a few days before the festival date. As we approach the date, perhaps we can get a thread going for vendors and ideas.

[orguz]

http://keewah.us/mooncakes.aspx

I assume that they might not stock them, probably not but you never know. Keep it bookmarked for this year's turn (this year it falls on Oct 3rd). This brand is big in Hong Kong and at least sold and made in the States. The other major Hong Kong brands are usually imported.

Your question made me crave them and oh yeah they will keep and store in the freezer, many moon cake fans hoard them after the festival is over when they are discounted and re-heat in oven when they tickle their fancy.

[Salsero]

re-heat in oven

Thanks for the link. That looks like the same one Tim recommended. I will certainly lose it by October, but I will try not to!

Are you supposed to heat them? I ate mine at room temperature.

[orguz]

Re-heating is an option it makes the skin crispy and the lotus seed paste has a different texture. Sal just bookmark it under your things to get folder

[silvermage2000]

Moon cakes sound interesting. I never had them. I do not think they would appeal to me taste wise though.

[ABx]

When I first tasted them I thought they were nothing but sweet except the egg with was nothing but salty!

I've never understood why Chinese sweets will also be salty. Whoever thought "Mmm, sweets.. this is good, but it needs salt"? :-X

Our big local Chinese supermarket gets a LOT of different mooncakes at the appropriate times of year. There are some I love, some I think are just okay, and some I plain don't like. They come up with some interesting stuff sometimes; my favorites are the ones with puerh

[orguz]

When I first tasted them I thought they were nothing but sweet except the egg with was nothing but salty!

I've never understood why Chinese sweets will also be salty. Whoever thought "Mmm, sweets.. this is good, but it needs salt"? :-X

Our big local Chinese supermarket gets a LOT of different mooncakes at the appropriate times of year. There are some I love, some I think are just okay, and some I plain don't like. They come up with some interesting stuff sometimes; my favorites are the ones with puerh

The salted duck yolk is really there for its richness, the saltiness is light In Seattle's Chinatown there must be Chinese bakeries selling a similar pastry using lotus paste but instead of a salted yolk in the middle, you find a piece of lye preserved (1000 yr old egg, the only term that I know of) duck egg. Try that one for a very traditional Cantonese pastry (pei daan so).