Taipei, Taiwan- As autumn approaches in many parts of Asia, that means one thing: boxes and boxes of mooncakes.
The small pastries are synonymous with the Mid-Autumn Festival and are handed out in colorful boxes to friends and colleagues
It is not uncommon to see boxes stacked around offices at this time of year or long queues outside popular bakeries. Brands from Starbucks to luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton and the five-star Shangri-La hotel chain sell their own versions of the traditional gift, with some costing as much as $100 for a box of four
A few years ago, China even ordered officials to stop handing out mooncakes as part of a crackdown on corruption
Lots of time and effort goes into making, buying and sharing mooncakes
Here’s what you need to know:
When most people think of a mooncake, they think of a golden crusty pastry with a dense calorie-laden filling such as lotus paste or red bean—much like the mooncake emoji available on your phone—but they can vary in size, shape, and ingredients depending on where they are made.
