Moon Cakes

[Tepee]

The cost for homemade may be a little less than store bought, after you have made your initial purchase of moulds, etc. You would certainly use only  the best ingredients, a plus!

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Leave the cost of the mooncake moulds out. After all they last forever and can be passed down to posterity if not abused. From my current experience, our homemade mooncakes cost less than a third of our storebought ones, even if the best ingredients are used. Used to be even cheaper but the ingredients seem to cost more and more each year. Reading Hz's account, our storebought mooncakes generally cost less than half of yours.

I don't make my own mooncakes because it's cheaper to do so, but for the following reasons:

Freshness (don't want to stumble on stale stuff, no thank you)

Best ingredients

Hygiene

You can control the sweetness level, especially, if you make the filling yourself.

Great gift of love...people appreciate homemade more than storebought

Sheetz, go for it! I'm feeling a little lonely here...

[Ben Hong]

Freshness (don't want to stumble on stale stuff, no thank you)

Best ingredients

Hygiene

You can control the sweetness level, especially, if you make the filling yourself.

Great gift of love...people appreciate homemade more than storebought

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TP, does UPS, FEDEX or Purolator or any of the courier services fly out of K.L.

[Dejah]

I'm past the age where I can be "nudged" into making moon cakes out of love. Mooning...err...past that long time ago too!

Was talking to Po-Po about mooncakes tonight over supper. She reminded me she used to make moon cakes when they were not readily available. She used the cans that salmon came in - washed well and aired. Salmon flavour was not desirable. I vaguely remember them but don't think I enjoyed them much as a kid. Now, a different story - a different palate.

[hzrt8w]

..... I never buy mooncakes since my folks usually give them to me, (Kee Wah Bakery, I think.) but there's no way it would cost that much if I made them myself.

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It's all a matter of economy of scale. Investment on the equipment aside... (1) I don't have the knowhow to make good moon cake. I am no Tepee. (2) Usually, our moon cake consumption is very little. Every year, each of us has a wedge and that's about it. So if I need to spend the time, make the dough and paste and everything and bake it... US $5.00 a piece is not too pricy for the work. If you have a family as big as Tepee's... that's another story.

[Tepee]

TP, does UPS, FEDEX or Purolator or any of the courier services fly out of K.L.    

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I baked and decorated this cake for a cyber-friend's wedding anniversary 2 years ago, packed nicely in a tin and padded box, all ready to send off by courier. Was I heartbrokened when on the morning I was to send it, the courier company (several, in fact) got back to me and said they can't do it for me; it will be rejected by the US customs. So, my dear Ben-sook sook, I'm afraid the spirit is very willing but customs mechanisms are in the way. I wonder how online stores manage to do it.

[Tepee]

It's all a matter of economy of scale.  Investment on the equipment aside...  (1) I don't have the knowhow to make good moon cake.  I am no Tepee.    (2) Usually, our moon cake consumption is very little.  Every year, each of us has a wedge and that's about it.  So if I need to spend the time, make the dough and paste and everything and bake it...  US $5.00 a piece is not too pricy for the work.  If you have a family as big as Tepee's... that's another story.   

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1) Excuses, excuses...it's not that difficult. You've got a ready and willing teacher at your disposal.

2) A wedge? I don't know "which crack that would have got stuffed into" (mg chee suk chor bin chek la). Y'all must be picturing a very obese TP, but I tell you, I can consume more than a box of mooncakes throughout the season.

Conclusion: Something must be wrong with the mooncakes you're buying (too sweet? too artificial-tasting? too oily? too dry?) for you to eat so little, unless, of course, you are the sort who don't care for sweets. But then, I, too, also eat only a wedge or 2 of store-bought ones. Once you have tasted a good homemade mooncake, however, it'll be very hard to go back to storebought ones.

Yeah, yeah...on my family...watch it, the Yeo and Choo hordes are going to descend upon your town before you know it.

Edited August 22, 2005 by Tepee (log)

[sheetz]

Sheetz, go for it! I'm feeling a little lonely here...

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OK, where do I start? Ideally, I just want to make simple, traditional ones like the ones we buy with lotus seed paste and egg yolks. But I would be willing to try some less popular fillings if they are easy to make and I have access to the ingredients. I live in a small town without a large chinese grocery so I would have to make do with what I have.

I happen to be one of those people who loves mooncakes. I could easily scarf off a couple of boxes around Moon Festival time. However, I think homemade mooncakes would make a great gift for over the holidays in place of the more traditional fruitcakes that Americans give to one another.

Being an aspiring baker I also know that store bought pastries rarely come even close to the quality of good homemade ones, so I think learning how to make them is definitely worthwhile.

[Laksa]

I wonder how online stores manage to do it.

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I'm willing to wager that they probably filed a prior notice with the FDA.

There's some information here and here on what foods may be admitted by US customs. It's interesting that they appear to make a distinction between food brought in by travellers and food sent into the country.

I think the courier companies are probably taking a conservative approach. They probably don't want to go through the hassle of returning a possibly perishable international shipment to the sender if it doesn't pass customs inspection. There may be ways to get around the courier companies, but if you're not sure about customs, it's probably not worth risking the disappointment and anguish.

[jackal10]

It says prior notice is only required if sent by a business.

I think that means an individual can send food to another individual provided it is not for resale or a prohibited item.

[Laksa]

I have received through the mail lots of food packages from family without any trouble and none of the parcels showed any evidence of having being opened for inspection. However, the food had by and large been commercially packaged and contained no animal products (well, okay...swallow spit may be a bit iffy). I was fairly confident of getting them through customs even if the boxes were inspected.

The website gives some examples of prohibited items, but I bet that list is not comprehensive.

Knowledgeable inspectors may know that mooncakes could be made with pork products. Perhaps specifying "vegetarian" in the customs form will improve the chances of getting them through.

[hzrt8w]

Yeah, yeah...on my family...watch it, the Yeo and Choo hordes are going to descend upon your town before you know it.

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Oh, I am very scared.... Wuuuuu... Just bring all your mooncake weapons: regulars or minis, classic or bing pei... I am very, very afraid of sweets...

[Tepee]

You should be afraid, because by then the mooncakes would be puh-reety mouldy.

[Tepee]

I have received through the mail lots of food packages from family without any trouble and none of the parcels showed any evidence of having being opened for inspection.  However, the food had by and large been commercially packaged and contained no animal products (well, okay...swallow spit may be a bit iffy).  I was fairly confident of getting them through customs even if the boxes were inspected.

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Yes, commercially packed dried foodstuff is no problem, but they are more leery about food with short expiry dates and are more perishable.

Laksa, no wonder you look in the pink of health...thanks to all the swallows' hard work.

[Tepee]

Sheetz, go for it! I'm feeling a little lonely here...

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OK, where do I start? Ideally, I just want to make simple, traditional ones like the ones we buy with lotus seed paste and egg yolks. But I would be willing to try some less popular fillings if they are easy to make and I have access to the ingredients. I live in a small town without a large chinese grocery so I would have to make do with what I have.

I happen to be one of those people who loves mooncakes. I could easily scarf off a couple of boxes around Moon Festival time. However, I think homemade mooncakes would make a great gift for over the holidays in place of the more traditional fruitcakes that Americans give to one another.

Being an aspiring baker I also know that store bought pastries rarely come even close to the quality of good homemade ones, so I think learning how to make them is definitely worthwhile.

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YES! YES! I've won over one person at least! For one who likes mooncakes so much, all the more reason why you MUST make them yourself.

Let's see....you'll be needing a mooncake mould. I've updated my page on Mooncake Moulds Do you have anyone in chinatowns in the US who can get it for you? If not, I'd be happy to shop for one.

Do your grocers carry lotus seeds, melon seeds (I reckon it'll be easier for you to get pumpkin seeds which will do), red beans (preferably from Tianjin), maltose, alkaline water?

For starters, you might like to go into http://www.kuali.com and key in mooncakes...there are lots of recipes. Lotus paste Mooncake.

Edited August 23, 2005 by Tepee (log)

[trillium]

My mum loved the ones we had so much I gave them to her, so I just bought some molds yesterday at the Wok Shop in SF. I know they will mail order.

I also bought some mooncakes from both Eastern and AA, I'm curious to see what I think. Sadly, GG Bakery was closed for vacation, so I consoled myself with a dan tat and HK tea at AA.

regards,

trillium

Edited August 23, 2005 by trillium (log)

[Dejah]

Sheetz, go for it! I'm feeling a little lonely here...

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YES! YES! I've won over one person at least! For one who likes mooncakes so much, all the more reason why you MUST make them yourself.

Let's see....you'll be needing a mooncake mould. I've updated my page on Mooncake Moulds Do you have anyone in chinatowns in the US who can get it for you? If not, I'd be happy to shop for one.

Do your grocers carry lotus seeds, melon seeds (I reckon it'll be easier for you to get pumpkin seeds which will do), red beans (preferably from Tianjin), maltose, alkaline water?

For starters, you might like to go into http://www.kuali.com and key in mooncakes...there are lots of recipes. Lotus paste Mooncake.

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The pressure is on!

You need to start a mooncake cook-off, Tepee.

I have received moon cakes from the USA. No problem thru' ordinary air mail delivery. The customs didn't tamper with the package. Maybe it was because of all the layers of packing tape around the box?

[scordelia]

I love mooncakes--lotus seed paste is my fave so far. I am not Chinese and first tried them when I got a cheap apartment in Chinatown, because my favorite bakery made them and I'll try anything once, but they only have lotus, black bean, red bean and green bean.

I will be SF this year for the moon festival--so who has the best mooncakes in SF?

[Laksa]

I will be SF this year for the moon festival--so who has the best mooncakes in SF?

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Uh-oh... here we go again....

For your future reference... that's no sex, politics, religion, or who has the best mooncakes in SF.

[AzianBrewer]

You guys can have all my mooncakes!!!

[Ben Hong]

Azian, if I pm you my address will you Fedex them top me ??

[sheetz]

Let's see....you'll be needing a mooncake mould. I've updated my page on Mooncake Moulds Do you have anyone in chinatowns in the US who can get it for you? If not, I'd be happy to shop for one.

They can be purchased online. I'm somewhat intrigued by the moon cookie molds, but I don't know how much filling I could put in them. They would definitely make nice gifts, however.

Do your grocers carry lotus seeds, melon seeds (I reckon it'll be easier for you to get pumpkin seeds which will do), red beans (preferably from Tianjin), maltose, alkaline water?

Lotus seeds? Not likely. Pumpkin seeds? Yep. Red beans? Maybe, but I know I can get the premaid paste in a can. Maltose? Possibly. Alkaline water? Don't think so. However, I think I can buy most, if not all, of these online.

For starters, you might like to go into http://www.kuali.com and key in mooncakes...there are lots of recipes. Lotus paste Mooncake.

Thanks. I'll take a look at them.

[hzrt8w]

I also bought some mooncakes from both Eastern and AA, I'm curious to see what I think.  Sadly, GG Bakery was closed for vacation, so I consoled myself with a dan tat and HK tea at AA.

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Yeah, I am very interested to hear what you think of them. AA versus Eastern.

BTW: you didn't pick up the decade old mooncake in Eastern's display case, did you? As much as they have Bill Clinton dropped by the store for a photo-opp... my gosh, you thought that they would change out the aged-old, real pastry display at least once a year...

I know where Golden Gate is now... Passed by it before, not tempted enough to buy and try. I will re-evaluate in my next trip.

Typically I avoid all the storefronts along Grant. Too much geared for tourists. Stores along Stockton Street are the real deal, with the trashy and stinky sidewalk and all...

[Dejah]

I am to receive a tin of "Huy Ky Mixed Nuts Moon Cake" from Seattle. Has anyone heard of this company? This is the list of ingrdients -

Ingredients: Abalone, Oyster, Cashew, Sesame Seeds, Almonds, Sunflower Seeds, Sugar, Soybean Oil, Enriched Flour, Egg and coloring.

Abalone, oyster? Are they putting me on? or is this common practise?

I can hardly wait!

I enjoy mooncakes...a wedge at a time. Even tho' I promise not to eat the whole cake at one sitting, I just keeping sneaking back for another bite until it is all gone! The walking back and forth perhaps will cancel a few of the excess calories?

My kids don't care for the yolks. It's always left for me.

[trillium]

I also bought some mooncakes from both Eastern and AA, I'm curious to see what I think.  Sadly, GG Bakery was closed for vacation, so I consoled myself with a dan tat and HK tea at AA.

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Yeah, I am very interested to hear what you think of them. AA versus Eastern.

BTW: you didn't pick up the decade old mooncake in Eastern's display case, did you? As much as they have Bill Clinton dropped by the store for a photo-opp... my gosh, you thought that they would change out the aged-old, real pastry display at least once a year...

I know where Golden Gate is now... Passed by it before, not tempted enough to buy and try. I will re-evaluate in my next trip.

Typically I avoid all the storefronts along Grant. Too much geared for tourists. Stores along Stockton Street are the real deal, with the trashy and stinky sidewalk and all...

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I didn't notice the display case, but I gotta tell you that both of my friends who grew up in SF Chinatown buy theirs from Eastern still, for whatever that's worth. Stockton is the place to go for live fish or seafood and the medicine shops, I was able to find some really wonderfully aged chun pay and other good stuff. But for produce I used to prefer going to Clement, and then later, to the Irving area. That's where it's really popping now.

As for Golden Gate, I haven't had the dan tat in about 5 years, but back in the day, it was the best in the city for that and that alone. I hear it hasn't changed much. If you like dan tats it's worth a stop.

And Dejah, let us know what you think of the mooncakes, if they're good, I'll send my mum on a mission to get us some!

regards,

trillium

[SuzySushi]

Even tho' I promise not to eat the whole cake at one sitting, I just keeping sneaking back for another bite until it is all gone! The walking back and forth perhaps will cancel a few of the excess calories?

My kids don't care for the yolks. It's always left for me. 

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I just figure when mooncakes are around, they serve as the whole meal... plenty of carbohydrates, protein, fat... a few green veggies and I'm set!