Mooncakes

All depressed over Martha Stewart decamping to her color-coordinated jail cell? Wondering how you are going to fill those endless hours without her marvelous show exhorting you to even higher Olympian feats of culinary hocus-pocus?? What if Martha is still in jail when the cranberry harvest comes in in your own personal cranberry bog (after all -- doesn't EVERYONE have their own personal cranberry bog??). What about that forlorn hour with only Martha Stewart re-runs to fill in the gaps between "All my Children" and "As the World Turns" (is it still turning after all these years??) -- Well -- step right up folks, and never fear -- BonnieBlueFlag to the rescue!!!



The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival and the Story of Mooncakes

September 26, 2004 by BonnieBlueFlag

In the 14th century (AD 1280-1368) during the Yuan Dynasty of Genghis Khan (1162?-1227), mooncakes helped bring about a revolution.

Chinese rebel leader, Liu Fu Tong, devised a plan to organize the Chinese in a rebellion against the ruling Mongols, and to bring about the end of the oppressive Yuan Dynasty.

Liu Fu Tong obtained permission from the Mongolian leaders to give gifts to friends as a symbolic gesture, to honor the longevity of the Mongolian Emperor.

Because the Mongolians did not eat mooncakes, Liu's gifts were little round mooncakes.

Inside each mooncake, Liu placed a piece of paper with the date of the revolt, thus informing his followers when to rise up.

When the people cut open the cakes, they found Liu's message. On the fifteenth night of the eighth lunar month, the Chinese overthrew the Mongols, and ended the Yuan Dynasty.

The Moon Festival is celebrated in China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam on the 15th moon day of the 8th Chinese lunar month (Chicken month).

This year the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival will be celebrated on Tuesday, September 28, 2004.

Thinking that it might be fun to make Mooncakes this year, I read a number of recipes. All of the traditional recipes seemed very complicated for anyone other than Martha Stewart. I did find one that looked easy by comparison, but it does call for 17&1/2 ounces of Lotus Seed Paste.
http://www.moonfestival.org/mooncakes/yancancook.htm

Personally, I think I will find a good Chinese Restaurant for dinner on Tuesday.