Tasting,Taiwan Moon Festival...

As promised this blog will be in English specially for all my Taiwanese friends and 'family'.

Today is Friday and I am blessed to have day of and a long weekend.  Sorry to all my colleagues stuck in traffic on their way to work today...

Yes, we are celebrating Moon Festival also called Mid-Autumn Festival, which is one of the four most important Chinese Festivals. It is traditionally held on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. On western calendar this year it is the 19th of September.  Chinese families celebrate the end of harvest season with a big feast, which is to BBQ, eat Mooncake and shoot fireworks.
Chinese legends say that the moon is at it's brightest and roundest on this day and new friendships are made and renewed under such moon.
There are many legendary stories around Moon Festival, The most famous story is the one about Lady-Chang E.

This story dates back to around 2170 B.C.  Ten suns circled the earth trying to illuminate the earth. One day all ten suns appeared together, it's heat beating down on eath. The emperor asked the strong archer Hou Yi to shoot down the suns. Hou Yi managed to shoot down nine of the ten suns and was the hero who saved the earth.  Hou Yi married a beautiful and kind-hearted woman named Chang E and lived a happy life.

One day, Hou Yi came upon Wangmu (the queen of heaven) on the way to meet a old friend. Wangmu presented him an elixir which, if took, would cause him to ascend immediately to heaven and become a god/goddess. Instead of drinking the potion himself, Hou Yi took it home and presented it to Chang E to keep. Unfortunately, Peng Meng, a bad person secretly saw Hou Yi give the potion to his wife and three days later, while Hou Yi was out hunting, Peng Meng rushed into the backyard and demanded that Chang E hand over the elixir. Knowing that she could not win, she took out the elixir and swallowed it immediately. The moment she drank it, she flew out of the window and up into the sky. Chang E's great love for her husband drew her towards the Moon, which is the nearest place to the earth on the heaven.

On realizing what happened to his wife, Hou Yi was so grieved that he shouted Chang E’s name to the sky. He was amazed to see a figure which looked just like his wife appeared in the Moon. He took the food liked by Chang E to an altar and offered it as a sacrifice for her. After hearing that Chang E became a goddess, folk people also offered sacrifices to Chang E to pray for peace and good luck. Since then, the custom of sacrificing to the moon has been spread among the folks. 
Source: thechinatravelguide.com

Fruits and Moon Cake at Temple 

Special moon on Moon Festival night

Fireworks, this time I was thankfully prepared for it.

The Moon Festival reminds me of Easter weekend in South Africa. Minus the fireworks of course. But the amount of mooncake going around makes me think of Hot Cross Buns and of course 'n 'Braai' with a 'Braaibroodjie', and the gathering of friends and family, and a couple of days off from work.

Please note that I miss you allxxx

Moon Cake, what a delicious...I think I can call it a pastry...it's about the size of a golf ball and is filled with a rich thick filling of red bean, green bean or lotus seed paste (pulses). There is a soft centre right in the middle of cake, representing the moon of course  This is surrounded by a thin crust baked until crispy. At the first bite I found it a bit dry, but until the sweet pulse paste starts to melt in your mouth with the flaky crust it is absolutely delicious.

I was spoiled to recieve a 3-pack of moon cake from boss, Robert Chen. I feel spoiled but of course it's a custom to recieve and give mooncake from friends and family during Moon Festival.

Moon Cake neatly packaged

Yummy, Moon Cake.

I had the privileged to have my first pomelo, thank you Grace Hsu, and with a private lesson from Lijun on how to cut, peel,eat and make a hat from the skin. What a lesson of fun. Pomelo is traditionally eaten during Moon Festival and you find it at all markets and shops.  

Peeling ... Pomelo

Teacher Lijun;-)



Pomelo skin hat...sexy...



I was totally confused by a pomelo and a grapefruit. In Afrikaans grapefruit is called pomelo and so when Grace asked me if I have had pomelo yet, a delicious fruit. I was quick to say no thank you, sour citrus fruit is not my idea of delicious. She was quick to correct me and the next day spoiled me with 2 pomelos.  I have to agree it is delicious and my mind is working overtime thinking of what magic dessert dishes I would be able to create with pomelos.

And then My Highlight of snacks during Moon Festival...

It's called Sun Cake from Taichung. 

Taichung Sun Cake









Rachel, the boss' wife, as she likes to call herself gave me two Sun cakes and a quick run of the history surrounding Sun cake.  Cake in Chineese means Cookie. So this is actually a Sun cookie from Taichung, Rachel gave me some Green Tea beacause a cookie must be enjoyed with tea. Being a South African I would rather have a cookie with coffee. Buuuuut I tried one with green tea...it was good.  BUUUUUT then I tried one with coffee, and it blew my mind...and it was just then and there that I concluded... this is one of the most delicious pastry's I have eaten. Not just in Taiwan....EVER, I'll repeat that ... EVER! tout a fait magnifique!!!
Of course after tasting this exceptional great melt in your mouth delicatessen, I had to Google more regarding it. It originated in Taichung, definatly one of the places I have to visit during my stay in Taiwan.  It is round flatish and therefore represents the sun.The joke surrounding it's flatish look, is to make it easy for the elders to eat, hence the no teeth subject.  It has a sweet filling made from malt sugar and the flakiest melt in your mouth pastry. If I can describe the partry and taste, I will say it tastes like shortbread...moreish!!

Heerlik!!! Stuffing my face...

Well on that delectable note and day before Super Typhoon Usagi moves across South of Taiwan I greet you...