Mid-Autumn 2017

It is the time of the year again, to visit Takashimaya Mooncake Fair. Loved Shangri-La Hotel's handcrafted silk boxes with pearl buttons as handles to pull open drawers of mooncakes, and Peony Jade's baked premium mother of pearl white lotus paste with melon seeds mooncake. New flavours from the latter include mini snowskin mango mousse, passion fruit and coconut as well as mini snowskin crème brûlée and blueberry cheese. Not only are Sze Chuan Court by Fairmont Singapore's snowskin and baked white lotus paste with single yolk and macadamia nuts mooncakes shaped like peaches, its boxes (except the premium mooncake box) is also shaped like a peach. Reminiscent of the spice trade along Singapore River in the 1800s, Summer Palace by Regent Singapore's mini- and regular-sized mooncakes are individually packed in round and square metal tins respectively inside a carry-and-go pine wood box. I liked its mini snowskin signature black sesame paste mooncake but found the baked white lotus paste mooncake a tad sweet.

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 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.