September Indulgences

This year, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on September 21. Traditionally, a time to mark the end of the autumn harvest and give thanks to the gods. It is also a time of year that the moon is at its brightest, which is why lunar legends have always been associated with the celebration.

I had mentioned on Tuesday that mooncakes are the main highlight of the Mid-Autumn Festival. These sweet and/or savory indulgences are delectable delights. 

You’ll find the orthodox and snowskin versions and even avant garde mooncakes – imaginative creations that boast of fillings from just about anything which can be made into a paste. 

There are fillings with ingredients such as coffee, chocolate, cream cheese, black sesame, green tea, pandan, tiramisu, nuts (walnuts, mixed nuts, etc), fruits (lychees, melons, pineapples, strawberries, etc.), vegetables (sweet potatoes, taro, etc), and not forgetting, ice cream (myriads of flavors) have been added to give a contemporary twist to the traditional recipes. 

As well as Western ingredients, including champagne ganache, malt whisky, volcanic-salt caramel and even Black truffles, caviar and foie gras have made it into mooncakes.

The choices are bewildering! 

I declare I’m a durian lover and so, no matter what, I’ll still want my favorite, the "musang king" durian mooncake:

For sure, I'm still indulging in them. All hail the King of Fruits!