Yes, mooncakes have a rich and varied history; but in 2022, why are we still eating these stodgy bricks full of sugar, calories and cholesterol?

[The_King]

Hong Kong has a love-hate relationship with mooncakes. It is assumed that everyone loves these traditional Mid-Autumn pastries, but in reality everybody hates them.

I can’t eat more than a tiny sliver before I feel like a fatberg is hardening in my intestines. For a wider perspective, I wanted to consult friends or anyone who enjoys these dense and stodgy round bricks. So far, I can’t.

Everyone will agreeably take a little bit over the Mid-Autumn Festival, but nobody is particularly enthusiastic about eating mooncakes. The general consensus is they are too sweet, too rich, and too full of calories and cholesterol.

Yet every autumn we buy lots and lots of tin trays and immaculately designed gift boxes – and these are not cheap – for friends and relatives with the unspoken caveat of, “here you go, auntie and uncle. I know you’re not going to eat it but I’m duty bound to buy you a box every year”. Yes, it’s the Chinese equivalent of Christmas cake.

As well as traditional mooncakes (above), there are many alternatives available these days. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Their history dates back almost 3,000 years to the autumn harvest and the legend of moon goddess Chang’e. In the 14th century, the Imperial Chinese army used similar baked items to send secret messages to overthrow the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty.

 

 

The tyranny most people are fighting now is their granny forcing them to eat these unappetising mooncakes. It’s actually not kindness that she wants you to have another piece. She’s just trying to get rid of her unwanted gifts. Pre-slicing these mahogany hockey pucks makes it easier to pawn off a few more wedges to sweet-toothed youngsters.

At the office I pity the expatriate colleague, new to Hong Kong and Chinese customs, who is most gullible if you suggest it’s a cultural offence to not eat a whole mooncake at once. For the rest of the afternoon, the poor guy torturously tries to give his best Man v Food effort while the rest of the office sniggers behind their laptops.

 

According to a survey by environmental group Green Power, over 1.9 million mooncakes were binned by Hong Kong people in 2019.

Half the interviewees suggested they would prefer not to receive any mooncakes at all. Furthermore, 90 per cent of people added that alternative gifts, like a fruit basket, are preferred. Or they can just contribute to the Lunar family reunion feast – presumably after they undergo the Asian dance of everyone fighting for the dinner bill.

Mooncakes are sweet, stodgy, high in cholesterol and calories, and in a recent survey, many respondents said they would prefer to receive a fruit basket instead of mooncakes. Photo: SCMP

In recent years, lots of companies have been giving mooncakes modern makeovers. It started with replacing the traditional thick, sweet interior – made from lotus paste, sesame paste, various beans from mung bean, red bean to green bean, to nuts and seeds – with a lighter custard.

 

 

Then came the snowy mooncakes, inspired by mochi desserts’ white glutinous rice flour skin. Chocolate makers followed with chocolate-flavoured mooncakes, coffee chains did mocha mooncakes, and ice cream mooncakes soon followed. Now pretty much any style or colour goes.

 

If you can’t find a flavour preference, then you could choose a packaging you like, since an attractive gift is equally impressive. Yes, in the end, the fancy boxes will likely end up in the landfill.

 

There used to be at least one frugal auntie who would want the empty tin or box to store their trinkets or jewellery. Now even they have enough old packaging.

Packaging for mooncakes gets more elaborate each year, but it all ends up in the landfill. Photo: Rosewood Hotel

Maybe tradition is overrated. Not every custom needs to be followed and continued. That’s why we stopped eating shark fins and binding women’s feet. Some things can and should change with the times, so let’s stop pretending we’re all into mooncakes.

 

Wasn’t there a myth about the moon being made of cheese? I see an opportunity for luna burrata and moon Manchego.

[The_King]

tell my boomer to stop buying as it very unhealthy,  say buy 1, ended up buying 8. i keep saying dont buy, if buy sure eat. i say next time i got my house if you give me this i will throw away.

 

 

 

 

 

[socrates469bc]

limpeh only jiak this mooncake.

 

wahahahahahahahahahahahaha

 

[chamfer]

No buy mooncakes for very long time since i find price too expensive.

[socrates469bc]

20 hours ago, chamfer said:

No buy mooncakes for very long time since i find price too expensive.

 

zz sure the mooncakes u see is expensive?????

 

nb, this brand really is chop carrot.

 

even more expensive than shang palace.