Happy Mid-Autumn Festival (aka Mooncake Day)

" The mid-autumn festival isn't about the laterns or the mooncakes, it's about family... and who has the nicest lantern and the last piece of mooncake..."
Sept 18, 2016
Self Reflection

(image source)

The mid-autumn festival, also known as the harvest moon festival, also known as mooncake day is upon us and oh boy is it wonderful. The celebration is held on the the 15th day of 8th month of the lunar calendar. This year, the 15th happens to be on the same day as the gregorian calendar (the calendar we typically use), however it is a different month. As is typical with most Chinese celebrations, you will find people celebrating with bright colors, lanterns, and fireworks. But what sets this holiday apart are the mooncakes.

Mooncakes are seasonal treat, similar to fruit cakes, but infinite times better. Most are packaged in a decorative box containing 4 cakes, each about 3 inches wide. The most common and my favorite type of mooncake consists of lotus paste and one or two salted egg yolks inside. It is the duck confit of the baked dessert world, a rich decadent treat that is both sweet and savory. The filling should be thick and smooth, never oily or spoiled. The egg yolk should be hardy and fragrant. Though the lotus paste and egg yolk combination is the most common, mooncakes can come in whole host of different flavors. There are ones with nuts, sesame paste, wax gourd, red bean, and some are even chilled dessert style. Be especially careful to avoid durian, a smelly fruit delicacy, unless you know what you are getting yourself into.  If you have never had a mooncake before, I would highly recommend going to your local Chinatown or Little Saigon and picking up a box.

In my family, we like to cut the small cakes into 8 pieces. Potentially this is because 8 is a lucky number in Chinese culture.  It is also good practice because of how rich this treat is, you may become overloaded trying to eat a whole one by yourself. We would enjoy these mooncakes with tea and good times.

This year I am hosting the get together, so I am cooking up some up a Chinese classic, Memphis style baby back ribs... just like nana used to make. It will be paired with a side of salad, fresh fruits, apple cider, and madeleines. We are celebrating a little late, because this was the soonest we were able to bring the whole family together.

All this eating the last few weeks have made my face a look a little more moonish as well. Goal for this coming week is the work out for 3 days to get the blood going. I am furthering my research into real estate investments, and am looking to buy a place in the next few months. The whole prospect is scary but exciting.