Be sure to watch out for it: Kirin vs. Shanghai Bistro vs. Peking Garden: The Battle for the Best Chinese Fine Dining Restaurant.
Anyway, I had to tell you about it, because it was where I got my Mooncake craving fix.
'Cos see, Mooncakes are apparently everywhere.
Just last week, when we dined out at Banana Leaf Asian Cafe, we were offered the same scrumptious treat.
But my dad refused so :(
Well he does have a point, the one they're selling at such restaurants are way too expensive, with just the exact same goodness and quality compared to the cheaper Mooncakes of Ongpin.
Although, you can never go wrong with their presentation:
They are very well crafted as so, since they are usually sent out as gifts.
After much prodding, my dad eventually gave in. By the way, Kirin is a sister company of Banana Leaf, hence, they offer the exact same Mooncakes.
For 888 pesos, they offer 4 Mooncake flavors: White Lotus Seed Paste with Egg Yolk, Pineapple Paste Moon, Sweet Corn Paste with Nuts, and Red Bean Paste with Nuts and Egg Yolk.
They were all really good, of which every Mooncake are supposed to be like, given that they are very expensive.
But the one that appealed to me the most was
White Lotus Seed Paste with Egg Yolk
I know, in layman's term it might be: an oversized hopia with a salted egg yolk in the core.
But to me, it was like falling in love, or going on that first date.
GOSH, IT WAS SOOOOOO GOOD.
...must buy some more.
So, apparently, Mooncakes are everywhere because it is almost Mooncake Festival.
Mooncake Festival is celebrated usually on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month in the Chinese calendar. So this year, it falls on September 22, 2010.
It was during the Yuan dynasty, that China was ruled by the Mongolian people. Leaders from the preceding Sung dynasty were unhappy at submitting to foreign rule, and set how to coordinate the rebellion without it being discovered.
The leaders of the rebellion, knowing that the Moon Festival was drawing near, ordered the making of special cakes.
Backed into each moon cake was a message with the outline of the attack.
On the night of the Moon Festival, the rebels successfully attacked and overthrew the government.
And so, Mooncakes are eaten to commemorate this legend.
Chinese or not, even if you are not a very traditional type of person, why miss the chance of eating Mooncake and drinking tea while looking at the moon?
Seriously, WHY? Mooncakes symbolize togetherness in a family, and have I mentioned already? IT IS VERY DELICIOUS.
