Buying Moon Cakes

Left to right: Lotus flower moon cake, yam and rice paste moon cake.

I've been eyeing the beautiful moon cake display at the entry to the grocery store for the past week. And, I've been telling myself I should buy a couple of the elaborately-designed, delicious-looking cakes eveytime I've come to the store. Unfortunately, my backpack has been too full of staples like rice, (a small bag is 10 kg) flour, sugar, and salt (see previous post) to stock our new kitchen. But today after just having installed a "box" on the back of our motorcycle, I was eager to fill it with something special so the purchase of moon cakes seemed like the right idea.

The lovely display had a poster advertising all the flavors of moon cakes that were offered so I took my time reading each name and description and then matching each description to the photo. The names made the cakes sound beautiful, peaceful, and lovely, but the ingredients did not stimulate my taste buds. Actually, I was trying to find a moon cake that had even one ingredient that I could venture to try for dessert. Here are some of the flavors I remember: lotus petal, salted duck egg, wisteria blossom flower, yam with rice paste, green tea mango, coconut and red bean paste, and sausage. My mind was thinking, Surely these cakes don't contain lotus flowers...They must be sweet and sugary a romantic name so someone can give a "lotus flower" moon cake to a loved one, just like we give heart-shaped chocolate to our loved ones on Valentine's Day.

By this time a handsome, young Chinese Malasian salesclerk greeted me and asked if I needed help.

"Can I buy a moon cake?"

"Can, Can," he replied.

Pointing to a picture of a moon cake I'd been reading about I decided to test my theory that lotus flower was the "name" only.  "Is this moon cake made from Lotus flowers or is that just the name?"

"Made from lotus flower," he replied with the confidence of a gourmet chef who uses on the finest ingredients. "Delicious."

So far this particular moon cake is not sounding edible, but in all honesty, I've never tasted lotus flower. I'm not even sure seen one in real life, only in Oriental paintings and sculptures at museums and art galleries. At this point I spy a moon cake that appears to be chocolate and is called "Ganache". It sounds much more palatable. I try a different tactic...

"Which flavors are the most popular?"

 Please, please, please say "ganache"as I hold my breath.

"Oh that's easy. Lotus flower and yam with rice paste."

I smile and try to hide a disappointed exhale.

"Ok, Well..... I'll try a.... Lotus flower moon cake and one yam with rice paste," I spit out before I can change my mind.

He smiles and gently selects one of each.

"Do you want a box?" he asks.

Well, I think, if they don't taste good, at least I'll have a lovely oriental box to decorate my house.

"I'd love one!" I gush with way too much enthusiasm.

After selecting a lovely pale green box with paintings of lotus flowers and butterflies on the sides, I  try to learn more about these delicacies.

"When should I eat these moon cakes?" I ask.

"Anytime or September 19th for the Mid-Autumn Festival."

"How should I eat them? With tea? For dessert? Anytime?"

"Anytime you can eat them." He gives me a broad smile.

"I'm looking forward to trying them! And thank you for your help. Can I take your picture?"

My moon cake salesperson

I haven't tasted them yet but I'll post the outcome in a separate blog. In the meantime, I've decided not to mention the names to my husband until after he tastes them.