Mooncake. Photo: Courtesy of Shangri-la Hotel

By Shen Sijia

Giving and receiving moon cakes is a Shanghai tradition almost as old as the city itself. Whether it's to butter up your boyfriend's parents, endear yourself to that all-important official or simply to keep your business partner sweet, mooncakes can help any social occasion go that little bit smoother. And if you're visiting senior citizens, don't forget that traditional mooncakes with a lotus seed paste filling around preserved egg yolks are preferred.   

"A good mooncake has to be greasy as well. This is what older people really like. They are not interested in trendy packaged and unusual fillings," said Tang Meili, sales assistant at Xin Hua Lou, which has been selling mooncakes on Fuzhou Road since 1851.

For a boss or close friend, an out-of-the ordinary recipe might make a pleasant surprise, whether it is French foie gras or a more down-to-earth cheese and bacon filling. But it's better to stick with brand names you know and trust, such as those found in reputable hotels.

Mooncakes may be too sweet and greasy for many palates, but as a typical symbol of li shang wang lai (the return or exchange of favors and gifts) these delicacies look set to remain a part of Chinese culture for some time yet. And with the help of the Global Times, even the sniffiest of their detractors might just be enticed by a flavor worth biting into.

The classics for seniors

Four basic mooncake flavors are now regarded as classics. Of these, the mooncake with lotus seed paste and double egg yolk (lian rong shuang huang) is considered the original recipe. Owing to the high price of lotus paste, however, kidney bean paste is sometimes used as an alternative.

Sweet bean paste (dou sha), is also very common and can be picked up in supermarkets or  convenience stores like Lawson or Family Mart. The paste is also made using red bean or mung bean with usually one egg yolk at the heart of the mooncake to add flavor.

The five kernel paste (wu reng) recipe is a sweet, but healthier choice. The filling usually features five types of nuts and seeds chosen from walnuts, pumpkin seeds, watermelon seeds, peanuts, sesame seeds and almonds. A good approximation of the taste would be to imagine a granola bar with a heavy dollop of maltose syrup. So if you're thinking of giving one to an older family member or other senior citizen, make sure their teeth are healthy; unfortunately the nuts are usually coarsely chopped. The date (zao ni) filling, is a dark red paste made from the ripe fruits of the date plant.

Where to find

Xin Hua Lou

Add: multiple locations including 343 Fuzhou Road

Tel: 6328-0504

Price: 150 yuan ($22) for a pack of eight. 8 yuan to 20 yuan each

Mooncakes. Photo: Courtesy of the Westin Bund Center

Grand Hyatt Shanghai

Add: Jin Mao Tower, 88 Century Boulevard, Pudong

Tel: 5047 1234 Ext: 8778/8779

Price: 258 yuan for eight pieces

The avant-garde and the healthier

More contemporary mooncake recipes are typically high-fiber and contain less sugar than traditional varieties. In keeping with the healthy theme many contain fat-free cream, fresh fruits, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, green tea and even bird's nest.

Six gift package options are available at the Shangri-la Hotel, with a number of interesting  flavors. Each of the packages has been given a specific name, such as Ya Yue (Elegant Moon), Gu Yue (Ancient Moon) and Zun Yue (Honored Moon).

The Gu Yue package is possibly being marketed at expats, its Western-inspired flavors include chocolate cheese, chocolate tiramisu and black forest cake.

The Ya Yue package might be more suited to your boss or mother-in-law with its bird's nest, scallops with XO sauce, and supreme shark-fin fillings.

The luxurious Bund 18 mooncake gift package features an even more creative range of recipes including French foie gras, cheese and bacon, and braised sea cucumber - although thankfully not all in the same cake.

Where to find

Shangri-la

Add: 33 Fucheng Road, Pudong

Tel: 6882 8888 Ext 6302

Price: Gu Yue package, nine pieces; Zun Yue package, twelve pieces, both for 398 yuan.

Bund 18

Add: 8 Zhongshan Dong Yi Road

Tel: 6329 9338

Price: Mooncake package: three pieces of mooncake plus four Belgian chocolates for 288 yuan