New York, September 22 – The Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節) (a.k.a. Moon Festival or Lantern Festival) is one of the most widely celebrated holidays across Asia. It marks the end of summer and honors the immortal moon goddess named Chang'e (嫦娥). The day is usually celebrated with building paper lanterns and eating moon cake. I didn't build too many lanterns as a child, but I did partake in the consumption of some cake. It's perhaps the only time I actually eat the sweet pastry.
While shopping in Chinatown, I couldn't find our traditional brand of moon cake in any of the stores or bakeries. So, I tried a new brand of moon cake imported from Hong Kong. The packaging was very beautiful. Each cake was individually packaged in a small painted tin box within a case. The bottom of the case was lined with a golden silky cloth.
3 comments:
Very cool. Thanks for linking to my blog.
Do you have any idea where I might find these packaged mooncakes online, to order them? I live in Tampa, Florida and don't know of any local places where I could buy them...
Moon cakes are a holiday specific food. I only really see them around the Mid-Autumn Festival (Lantern Festival). They're only sold at Chinese Supermarkets and bakeries in Chinatowns.
Tampa is kinda tough. I think there is a small Chinatown in Orlando. I've only been to Orlando once so I can't really say.
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