For the past week, mooncakes have been the talk of the (beijing) town on facebook. To celebrate Mid-Autumn festival (中秋节, zhōngqiūjié), mooncakes are given out by employers, friends and family members. I’m sure a lot of them are recycled too; an unwanted gift to one, turns into a gift for another. It’s a bit of a weird tradition. I’ve never heard anyone say that they LOVE mooncakes. One of my students said that he didn’t eat any this year, he just gave them to his friends. Mooncakes are heavy. They weigh a lot, cost a lot and are now even taxed by the government!!
I received a lavish box from my school. Not liking to waste food, I tried them all.
1. 乌梅乳酪铁观音 wūméirǔlào tiěguānyīn = smoked cheese and tieguanyin tea
This has been the most interesting mooncake that I’ve ever eaten. It was definitely the most beautiful!!! And it had a nice texture, as the ‘cheese’ was solid and kinda like white chocolate. I would eat this again. And tea is a nice filling.
2. 熏衣草牛奶提子 xūnyīcǎo níunǎi tízǐ = lavender with milk and a ladder (???)
This one was a little sickeningly floral, but it was tolerable. Half was enough. Cute bunny for year of the rabbit.
3. 法式牛肉 fǎshì niúròu = French-style beef
This one looked like a meat pie. The Aussie inside me really wanted it to taste like a meat pie. Really. Really. In the end, I wouldn’t say it was bad, but it wasn’t a meat pie. Well, it was meaty, but sweet as well. And it had strange crunchy bits.
4. 杂粮皮玫瑰花酱 záliángpí méiguihuā jiàng = ‘food grains other than wheat and rice skin’ and rose flower sauce
Woah. Intense. Nauseatingly sweet. Never. Again.
5. 白蛋 báidān = egg
Ah, the dreaded salty egg. There’s always one. I still don’t get the attraction. Why put something salty inside sweet, fruity filling?
6. 枣泥核桃 zǎoní hétao = jujube paste and walnut
This one didn’t look like a traditional mooncake. It had crumbly pastry on the outside and tasted just like the red date cakes that I often buy from the supermarket. In terms of a mooncake that I would go out and buy and eat… this is the one.