Mooncake festival.
Mid-autumn festival.
They all mean the same. It is the time of the year where we feast on mooncakes (traditionally, we also had massive dinner gatherings) without any excuse, whatsoever.
This festival is celebrated annually by the Chinese community on the 15th day of the 8th month in the Chinese Calendar. With this festival being commercialised in the modern days, even the non-Chinese community are joining the feast, enjoying the creative new flavours being introduced by bakery shops.
For the past 3 years, I had not been part of the celebration and the feasting. However, this year, it is exceptional. Not only that I am back in Asia, celebrating with my family, the festival coincidentally fell on the same day as my mother's birthday. Sweet.
We had a small family dinner together, before proceeding to catch a glimpse of the mid-autumn festival celebration in Marina Bay Sands (MBS), Singapore. My sister and I were there during the day to observe if it was convenient for our wheel-chaired granny.
Fortunately, Marina Bay Sands is relatively convenient for elderly citizens and the disables, just like any other public places in Singapore.
However, the heat during the day didn't make a day trip to MBS pleasant.
It was much better during the night. That was also when all the decorations were lit up.
Full-blown size balloon lanterns floating on the sea in Marina Bay Sands.
Decorative rows of lanterns lighting up the walkaways in Marina Bay Sands.
While the mooncakes found in most of the celebrating countries are similar, one that totally stands out is Indonesia. The Chinese community here has its own version of mooncake and the locals call it "Tong Jiu Pia".
Its appearance is much simpler than the usual ones and there are several flavours - chocolate, cheese, chocolate and cheese, milk, jackfruit, etc.
I somewhat like the non-greasy surface of Tong Jiu Pia, as opposed to the usual ones.
In terms of flavour and texture, Tong Jiu Pia is dryer, less sweet (perhaps the degree of sweetness depends on the pastry chefs) and lighter. It doesn't consist of salted egg yolks, which the locals find the latter an awkward blend to the lotus paste of the usual mooncakes.
Well, I am indifferent. I enjoy the goodies from the different cultures, though I must admit having too much egg yolk lotus paste mooncakes can be unpleasant. But then again, there are many other flavours and alternatives to choose from these days ;)
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