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Here Are 5 Photos Of Mooncakes To Get You All Excited For The Mid-Autumn Festival

Here's Why Everyone Is Talking About Mooncakes
By 

Reporter, HuffPost

Any good holiday has a tasty treat at the center of the celebrations. During the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, it's all about the mooncakes.

The annual celebration of the harvest -- most widely celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese people around the world -- occurs each year on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese calendar. This year's celebration falls on Sept. 8 and happens to coincide with a harvest moon and the last "Supermoon" of the season.

"Traditionally, the Mid-Autumn Moon Fest was about reunions and time where families get together," Wei Shang, professor of Chinese Culture at Columbia University, told The Huffington Post Monday. "The symbol of the moon looms larger in the Chinese imagination."

With mooncakes as the most recognizable part of festivities -- which include hanging lanterns, Cassia wine and worship of the moon goddess -- here's what you should know about the celestial sweet:

Many Moons
Jerry Redfern via Getty Images
Traditionally, mooncakes are filled with red bean paste, lotus seed paste or salted egg yolk (to symbolize the full moon). The flaky crust is typically made with lard, though modern versions often have "snowy" mooncakes, which are frozen varieties similar to Japanese mochi.
Round For A Reason
Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images
"The moon is supposed to be round," professor Wei Shang explained to HuffPost. "It's a kind of symbol of the union of the families."
Stamp Of Approval
Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Bakers commonly put their insignia atop a mooncake, while other traditional mooncakes often bear images of animals or Chinese symbols for "Longevity" or "Harmony."Some companies, like Starbucks, sell mooncakes with their own logos on the sweets.
A Twist On The Traditional Cakes
Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images
With the lard crusts and bean paste and yolk fillings, traditional mooncakes pack as many as 1,000 calories. Newer versions of the treat are easier on the number of egg yolks, come in smaller sizes and have low-fat and low-sugar options with fruit fillings.The New York Times notes, Haagen-Dazs has started making an ice cream version of the popular treat.
Changing Tastes
Pondspider/Flickr
Not everyone goes for the flavor mix found in traditional mooncakes. Some Chinese bakeries are making modern versions of the mooncake with mochi-like flavors or chocolate and banana combinations. Godiva, meanwhile, is skipping traditional flavors altogether and crafting mooncake-inspired chocolates.
The Gift That Keeps On Giving
ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images
Much like fruitcake at Christmas, mooncakes are popular to give as gifts.In this photo, people look at an 185-pound mooncake in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China.

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