By LU HAN – CENTO WRITER
Mooncake is a traditional bakery pastry that Chinese families always have during the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is also called the Moon Festival. It was held on Aug. 15 according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, which was Sept. 19 this year. It takes place during the full moon period. In old times, the Mid-Autumn Festival was celebrated after the harvest was finished, which also includes the events such as moon worship and moon watching. As the most popular hallmark of the tradition, sharing the round mooncake with family members on that day has a significant meaning to Chinese people; it shows the irreplaceable value of the utility and completeness of a family.
A large variety of mooncake flavors have been invented over the years. Some of the fillings are influenced by the diet habits of Chinese, such as nuts. Some are even inspired by ice cream, which gives us the frozen style mooncake.