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.

Not too different was Hua Ting Restaurant by Orchard Hotel's limited edition collectible, decorated with pop-up Singapore icons that can be a commemorative mooncake gift and SG50 keepsake. It also launched Golden SG50 Mini Snowskin Red & White Twist – a combination of velvety smooth red and salted green bean paste, made with a shape of the Merlion's head on top and Mini Snowskin Avocado with Almond Flakes. If you prefer red boxes, look no further to Golden Peony by Conrad Centennial Singapore and Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant by Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel. Otherwise, Cherry Garden by Mandarin Oriental's has individual drawers for each mooncake. Just like Shangri-La Hotel's satin boxes, with peach-blossom embroidery inspired by the hotel's location "amid 15 acres of garden and near the Botanical Gardens".

For baked mooncakes lovers who are no less adventurous than those who like snowskin mooncakes, check out its Baked Salted Green Bean Paste Mooncake with Coconut and/or Mini Baked Custard Mooncake. Because most new flavours are for snowskin mooncakes such as The Fullerton Hotel's Green Bean with Sweet Potato and White Lotus Seed Paste Mooncake wrapped in an orange snowskin and Li Bai Cantonese Restaurant by Sheraton Towers' Mini Red Date Paste with Apricot Snowskin Mooncake among others. Summer Palace by Regent Singapore has two new mini snowskin flavours, namely Regent Blend Tea (made up of Darjeeling and Jasmine) with Lemon Paste and Pu'er Tea with Red Dates. And Peony Jade came out with not one, not three but five new snowskin flavours – Golden Kiwi with Strawberry Centre, Japan Kyoho Grapes, Peach-Passion Fruit-Chocolate with Champagne Mousse Centre, Chestnut-Salted Caramel and Honey-Mango-Philadelphia Cheese.

You may also be interested in Mid-Autumn 2012 – Mooncakes Galore, Mid-Autumn 2013 – Part II and Mid-Autumn 2014.