#MOON CAKE FESTIVAL 2022 SKIN#

Although red bean paste, made from azuki beans, is the most common worldwide, there are regional and original preferences for bean paste made from mung beans, as well as black beans. Sweet bean paste (豆沙, dòu shā): A number of pastes are common fillings found in Chinese desserts.Due to the high price of lotus paste, white kidney bean paste is sometimes used as a filler. White lotus paste commands an even higher premium. Lotus seed paste (蓮蓉, lían róng): Considered by some to be the original and most luxurious mooncake filling, lotus paste filling is found in all types of mooncakes.

Many types of fillings can be found in traditional mooncakes:

Traditional styles Fillings Cut mooncake showing lotus seed paste filling around the (crumbled) egg yolk 'moon' The pieces of mooncake were then eaten to destroy the message. The resulting 16 pieces were pieced together to reveal the message. To read the message, each of the four mooncakes was cut into four parts. Īnother method of hiding a message was to print it on the surfaces of mooncakes (which came in packages of four), as a simple puzzle or mosaic. The mooncakes contained a secret message: on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, kill the rulers. This prompted the quick distribution of mooncakes. The idea is said to have been conceived by Zhu Yuanzhang and his advisor Liu Bowen, who circulated a rumor that a deadly plague was spreading and that the only way to prevent it was to eat special mooncakes, which would instantly revive and give special powers to the user. Mooncakes were used by revolutionaries in their effort to overthrow the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty, eventually resulting in the establishment of the Ming dynasty. There is a folk tale about the overthrow of the Yuan dynasty facilitated by messages smuggled in moon cakes. For many, they form a central part of the Mid-Autumn festival experience such that it is now commonly known as 'Mooncake Festival'. The night on the 15th of the 8th lunar month is also called 'Night of the Moon'.īecause of its central role in the Mid-Autumn festival, mooncakes remained popular even in recent years. The 15th day of the 8th lunar month is the day called 'Mid-Autumn'. The festival is intricately linked to legends of Chang’e, the mythical Moon Goddess of Immortality.Īccording to the Liji, an ancient Chinese book recording customs and ceremonies, the Chinese Emperor should offer sacrifices to the Sun in spring and the Moon in autumn. Imprints of the Moon, the Chinese goddess of the Moon (Chang'e), flowers, vines, or a rabbit (symbol of the Moon) may surround the characters for additional decoration. Traditional mooncakes have an imprint on top consisting of the Chinese characters for ' longevity' or 'harmony', as well as the name of the bakery and the filling inside. Depending on the custom, mooncakes may also be steamed or fried.

#MOON CAKE FESTIVAL 2022 SKIN#

Most mooncakes consist of a thick, tender pastry skin enveloping a sweet, dense filling, and may contain one or more whole salted egg yolks in their center that symbolizes the full moon. Mooncakes have also appeared in western countries as a form of delicacy. Just as the Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated in various Asian localities due to the presence of Chinese communities throughout the region, mooncakes are enjoyed in other parts of Asia too. Today, it is customary for business people and families to present them to their clients or relatives as presents, helping to fuel a demand for high-end mooncakes. Mooncakes are usually eaten in small wedges, accompanied by tea. A traditional Cantonese mooncake is a round pastry, measuring about 10 cm (4 in) in diameter and 3–4 cm ( 1 + 1⁄ 4– 1 + 1⁄ 2 in) thick, with a rich thick filling usually made from lotus seed paste (other typical fillings include red bean paste or mixed nuts) surrounded by a thin, 2–3 mm (approximately 1/8 of an inch) crust and may contain yolks from salted duck eggs. The Cantonese mooncake is the most famous variety. There are numerous varieties of mooncakes consumed within China and outside of China in overseas Chinese communities. The Mid-Autumn Festival is widely regarded as one of the four most important Chinese festivals. Mooncakes are offered between friends or on family gatherings while celebrating the festival. The festival is primarily about the harvest while a legend connects it to moon watching, and mooncakes are regarded as a delicacy. A mooncake ( simplified Chinese: 月饼 traditional Chinese: 月餅) is a Chinese bakery product traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節).

Moon cake festival 2022