Mid-Autumn 2018

Yesterday was the light-up ceremony and fireworks displays for Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2018 though it usually takes place after Hungry Ghost Festival – today is the last day. Two more weeks to buy mooncakes as Mid-Autumn Festival falls on 24 Sep (Mon). What stood out at this year's Takashimaya Mooncake Fair was that many added macadamia nuts to their traditional mooncakes without salted egg yolks, and most of the lotus paste was too sweet for my liking. To indulge your loved ones who should not be eating sweet stuff, try the a-tad-sweeter mooncakes from Shangri-La Hotel or The Ritz Carlton. Or get the ones from Mandarin Orchard, Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant by Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel or Golden Peony by Conrad Centennial Singapore if you do not have a sweet tooth. Could not resist the latter's 40% discount and got its Golden Peony Traditional Baked Treasures, choosing the champagne cream box over the crimson red one for the 4 pieces of mooncakes in different flavours. Hoping to reuse the box, just like the one from Man Fu Yuan by Intercontinental Singapore that I bought 2 years ago.

Mid-Autumn 2015

The light-up ceremony and fireworks displays for Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2015 on Sunday marked the first day of the 8th lunar month, though its festive bazaar and carnival started one day earlier. At the month-long Takashimaya Mooncake Fair that runs 'til 27 Sep, there are a few new participants such as Mandarin Orchard and Pantler. While some seemed to have used the same packaging as previous year(s) or made such minor tweaks that I was oblivious to, Tung Lok Group has new ones this year for its Perfect Duo and Bite-Sized. Loved Man Fu Yuan by Intercontinental Singapore's tin box where local illustrator Jacqueline Goh captured the hotel's rich heritage, arts and culture in the multifaceted façades of the historic Bugis district. Interestingly, Sze Chuan Court by Fairmont Singapore's boxes reminded me of cheongsams and The Cookie Museum's resembled large books.

Mid-Autumn 2014

I have tried the traditional baked white lotus paste mooncakes in previous years and highlighted a few noteworthy ones including new creation flavours. As such, I only sampled a few at Takashimaya Mooncake Fair 2014 which runs from last week to Mid-Autumn Festival on 8 Sep. The white lotus paste this year was generally not too sweet with Cherry Garden by Mandarin Oriental's Traditional Mooncake with Low Sugar Silver Lotus Paste that stood out as the best for people who really do not have a sweet tooth or are not supposed to eat sweet stuff. Its Oriental Mooncake with Silver Lotus Paste, Yuzu and Melon Seeds was a tad sweet as regular (and not low sugar) white lotus paste was used. But none of the samples had such thin skin with a nice aroma that my eyes lit up. Most were just palatable, with some too thick and one even reminded me of the piglet in basket – a new flavour from Summer Pavilion by Ritz Carlton, Purple Sweet Potato with Pumpkin.

Mid-Autumn 2013 Part II

Today is the 1st day of the 8th lunar month, which means Mid-Autumn Festival is just 2 weeks away. Fret not if you are still undecided on what mooncakes to get this year because here, I highlight a few noteworthy ones from samples tried at Takashimaya Mooncake Fair 2013. For those who have settled on your choice, see Mid-Autumn 2013 Part I for local bank credit card discounts. Having already eaten traditional baked mooncakes from Hua Ting Restaurant by Orchard Hotel and sampled a couple from Man Fu Yuan by Intercontinental Singapore, these were posted on my Facebook page. Of the traditional baked mooncakes I tried from Jiang Nan Chun by Four Seasons Hotel, Silver Lotus Paste with Honey and Pine Nuts as well as Silver Lotus Paste with Cassia Flowers, Oolong Tea and Melon Seeds stood out for their faint aroma. I liked Mini Snowskin White Lotus Paste and White Lotus Seed Paste with Black Sesame from Ritz Carlton too.

Mid-Autumn 2012 – Mooncakes Galore

It has been 15 years since my 1st visit to Takashimaya Square (B2) for Mid-Autumn Festival. And every year without fail, I would make a trip down to sample the mooncakes before deciding which to buy. While I used to try all the traditional baked white lotus paste mooncakes, I have in recent years stick to those from hotels and well-known restaurants or bakeries. As for snowskin ones, it has to look presentable before I would give it a try. I am not a fan of crispy yam mooncakes so gave it, as well as the Hong Kong and Malaysian versions that I found too sweet and oily for my liking, a miss. Similarly for the worst mooncake I have ever tasted, which I'd rather not mention its name.