Marking the end of the autumn harvest, the Mid-Autumn Festival was traditionally a thanksgiving celebration for the gods. Mooncakes are quintessential during the Mid-autumn celebration, just as turkeys are to Thanksgiving.
Over the years, we are witnessing the evolution and transformation of this ubiquitous delicacy – from the humble homemade versions, to the factory-made ones. In recent years, hotels and restaurants have jumped onto the bandwagon as well, and are offering artisanal handmade mooncakes in traditional flavours, as well as more modern ones.
Sticking to tradition
Grand Harbour Restaurant is sticking to tradition with each of their handcrafted mooncakes made with traditional fillings – pure lotus paste, red bean paste, pandan lotus and lotus with egg yolk. The yoke stays firmly in place after the knife gently cuts through it. And the lotus pastes are almost translucent in appearance, with a silky smooth texture.
The taste? Just heavenly! You can actually taste the purity of the ingredients without being drowned by sugar sweetness. Each of these delicacies tasted so exquisite, that we let them slowly melt in the mouth, savouring every bite and appreciating every effort put into making them by the chefs. You know their skills are of the highest standards, by the paper thin skin of each of the mooncakes.
My younger daughter, who never took to mooncakes because they were just too sweet for her taste, took a sliver of the red bean mooncake upon my insistence, red bean being her least favourite. Instead of her usual contorted facial expression from utter disgust, it was a gradual illumination and transformation from hesitancy to a happiness! That says it all. And she actually asked for more!
Turquoise and red gift boxes
The mooncakes come in pretty turquoise blue boxes, tastefully painted with pastel pink peonies, and a pink version as well. There is also a choice of a round box design with a petite white flowers design. This comes in pink and turquoise colours as well. They certainly make great gifts for friends and relatives!
Would you like to find out more places for delicious mooncakes? Have a look at our mooncakes listicle here. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to all who are celebrating!
Our mooncakes were sponsored by Grand Harbour Restaurant. As always, our opinion is honest and our own.
