Off Track: Find Mooncakes for the October 1 Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
From the Honolulu Magazine website
On the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, when the moon is full, Chinese all over the world celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival or as it’s commonly known, the Moon Festival. With roots dating back some 3,000 years, the festival is also celebrated in Korea, Vietnam and other cultures heavily influenced by China. The moon is a symbol of prosperity and family reunion, and it is tradition during this season to give mooncakes as gifts to be enjoyed while gazing at the full moon.
In Honolulu, Hong Kong and Cantonese-style mooncakes are the most common: They traditionally feature a tender pastry crust wrapped around fillings like lotus seed paste, red beans (azuki), coconut paste, winter melon, ham and nuts. All can be had with or without salted duck egg yolks, another symbol of the moon, and one that has the mooncake-eating world divided. Being a lover of egg yolk, I encourage you to give it a try.
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