Mooncakes in Macau
- brittanypanter
- 2015年8月12日
- 讀畢需時 3 分鐘
Celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, Mid-Autumn Festival is a time when family and friends gather to see the full moon and indulge in mooncakes. These tasty little treats are a very important part of the festival as they symbolize unity and harmony. Mooncakes are most often given as gifts and the presentation boxes are often more of a factor in deciding which to buy rather than the cakes themselves.
While the traditional lotus seed paste, sweet bean paste and five kernel filling (made from five types of seed and nut that are coarsely chopped and bound in syrup) still dominate, inventive chefs come up plenty of contemporary variations every year. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorites from around Macau.
Glitzy and Glamorous
Photo: Mooncake boxes from Grand Hyatt
Hands down the most beautiful of the bunch, the mooncake gift boxes from the Grand Hyatt are offered in two different colors and styles: indigo blue and violet purple. Elegant with a touch of sparkle, the boxes from the Hyatt were inspired by the luminosity and completeness of the full moon. They were designed to conjure the “uplifting splendor of the moon and the joy of family unity.” They are available from Aug. 24 until Sept. 27. Flavors include chocolate fondant, salted egg custard, and green tea and red bean paste. The boxes are MOP438 + 5% tax.
Call: (853) 8868 1908
Feminine and Elegant
Photo: Mooncake boxes from Mandarin Oriental
Brightly colored flowers adorn the mooncake boxes from the Mandarin Oriental. They also come with the brand’s iconic gold fan. They are available from Sept. 7-27. Mooncake flavors include double egg yolk with white lotus paste; five kernel paste with Yunnan ham; sweet pastry with egg custard; single egg yolk and terminalia with red bean paste. A set, which contains four mooncakes of the same flavor, is priced at MOP360.
Call: (853) 8805 8901
Bright and Playful
Photo: Mooncake boxes from Wynn
The mooncake boxes from Wynn are decorated with richly colored floral patterns and feature intricate embossed patterns. Flavors include four-yolk and white lotus seed paste; double-yolk and white lotus seed paste; and egg yolk with white lotus seed paste. They are available from Wing Lei’s mooncake counter from Sept. 12-26 and range from MOP288 to MOP448 per set.
Call: (853) 8986 3663
Masculine and Contemporary
Photo: Mooncake boxes from JW Marriott
The brown leather boxes from the JW Marriott are emblazoned with the hotel’s signature griffin, and have a much more masculine vibe than the others mentioned here. The design is also very simple. Each box features six different mooncakes: white lotus paste with egg yolk; red lotus paste with egg yolk; green tea egg yolk; supreme custard; preserved ham and assorted nuts; and jasmine tea. The variety in each box also sets this set apart from the rest. They are available from now until Sept. 20 at Man Ho Chinese Restaurant for MOP338.
Call: (853) 8886 6222
Extravagant and Traditional
Photo: Mooncake boxes from The Ritz-Carlton
The Ritz-Carlton is offering two mooncakes: mini egg custard and mini red bean paste with chestnut. The box was inspired by the artful details inside the hotel’s Cantonese restaurant, Lai Heen. When lifted, the dark panels on the box reveal luminescent gold casting which is meant to represent the darkness of the night sky and the full moon. If you’re quick, you could be among the first 100 purchasers and as such you will receive a complimentary jar of Lai Heen XO sauce. This is also the priciest option at MOP688 a box.
Call: (853) 8886 6706
