Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival: Nostalgia, Mooncakes, and a Creative Twist

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Mooncake Day among us Asian folks, has always held a special place in my heart. It’s a time when the crispness of Autumn is balanced by the warmth of family, the glow of lanterns, and the sweet, comforting aroma of mooncakes shared over tea. Growing up in New York City, celebrating this festival was both a link to my heritage and a quiet celebration in the midst of the bustling city.

I remember those evenings fondly. My family and I would gather around the dinner table, sharing a plentiful feast. The smells of my dad's stir fry mei fun, roasted duck/pork or char siu and rice from the Chinese butcher shop, and a comforting soup with mushrooms, fried tofu cubes, lotus roots and bean curd strips mingled in the air. After the meal, we’d sat down to have some tea and chat, and the aroma of burning incense would drift gently through our home. We offered it to our Gods and ancestors, a small but meaningful ritual that honored the past while celebrating the present for a potentially bountiful Autumn. The scent was heady and grounding, reminding me even as a child of the continuity of family and tradition.

As the incense continues to linger, the table was cleared after dinner, leaving a small plate of mooncakes accompanied by cups of steaming tea, dessert and little snacks. My siblings and I would sit cross-legged, taking small bites and savoring the dense, sweet pastry. There was something both ceremonial and playful about that moment—the quiet, reflective act of honoring tradition balanced by our lighthearted conversations, teasing one another and sharing stories. The best part was fighting over who ended up having a piece of egg yolk in our mooncake pieces.

Mooncakes: More Than Just a Pastry

For those unfamiliar, mooncakes are round, symbolic pastries traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Their circular shape represents completeness and unity, a fitting emblem for a festival centered around family reunions and gratitude.

While mooncakes today come in a dazzling variety of flavors and styles, the traditional ones hold a special place in my heart. These are the rich, brown pastries filled with lotus seed paste, often containing a salted egg yolk at the center. The brown exterior is tender yet slightly firm, giving way to the sweet, dense paste within. The yolk, golden and slightly savory, represents the full moon itself, a perfect surprise in every bite.

Over the years, I’ve also seen and enjoyed mooncakes with red bean paste, assorted nuts, green tea fillings, or even modern innovations like chocolate or ice cream. But there’s something irreplaceable about the classic brown lotus paste mooncake with the egg yolk hidden inside—a culinary tradition that has endured for centuries.

A Walk Through Memories

Every Mid-Autumn Festival brings back a flood of memories for me.

Chinese Supermarkets and Mooncake Varieties

One of the highlights leading up to the festival was visiting the local Chinese supermarkets. The aisles were a treasure trove of delights, each corner bursting with the vibrant colors and intricate designs of mooncake tins. I would marvel at the sheer variety—traditional lotus seed paste, sweet red bean, and the luxurious salted egg yolk filling that reminded me of the golden full moon above. Each tin seemed to tell a story, a testament to the rich cultural heritage that surrounded us.

The Full Moon

On the night of the festival, I would gaze up at the sky, sometimes lucky enough to witness a full moon that shone like a perfectly cooked egg yolk. Its warmth and brightness felt like a celestial blessing, illuminating our celebrations and reminding us of the beauty of nature intertwined with our traditions.

Delicious Foods and Family Recipes

Food played a central role in our festivities. The tantalizing aroma of roast pork, duck and char siu wafted through the air, mingling with the scent of freshly cooked rice. But it was my father's many scrumptious recipes that truly defined our gatherings. I can still taste the rich flavors of his tomato shrimp, the tender steamed mushrooms resting delicately on lettuce, succulent beef stew, fragrant young chow fried rice, lobster with egg and the comforting lotus root soup, filled with juicy fried tofu squares, mushrooms, jujubes and bean curd. Each dish was prepared with love, a reminder of the culinary legacy that was passed down through generations.

The festival was never just about food or ritual; it was about connection. It was a reminder that no matter where life takes you, family traditions can be a comforting anchor. It was a way to honor the past while also creating memories for the future.

Different Kinds of Mooncakes

As I grew older and explored broader culinary experiences, I discovered the wide array of mooncake varieties available today. While the traditional lotus paste with egg yolk remains a classic, there are countless other options that have evolved with time and regional tastes:

• Red Bean Paste Mooncakes: Sweet and earthy, often with soft or slightly chewy pastry.

• Mixed Nut Mooncakes: Filled with a combination of nuts and seeds, sometimes including winter melon or candied fruits.

• Snow Skin Mooncakes: A modern twist, often chilled and featuring a soft, chewy exterior rather than the baked pastry.

• Ice Cream Mooncakes: For the adventurous, filled with various ice cream flavors and perfect for hot climates. (They used to sell them at the Haagen Daaz in Chinatown, Manhattan)

• Lotus Paste with Double Yolks: A luxurious variation of the classic brown mooncake, offering a richer, more indulgent experience.

No matter the type, mooncakes carry symbolism, history, and a shared cultural significance that resonates deeply during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

From Tradition to Creation: Mooncake-Inspired Soaps

Inspired by these rich memories and the beauty of mooncakes themselves, I decided to channel my love for the festival into something creative: mooncake-inspired soaps. As someone who enjoys crafting, I wanted to reflect not only the aesthetic of mooncakes but also the warmth, celebration, and care that they represent.

These soaps are available in gift sets, perfect for sharing or for personal indulgence, and each design mirrors the charm of traditional mooncakes. For instance:

• Brown Lotus Mooncake Soaps: Mimicking the classic pastry, complete with a subtle golden “egg yolk” accent.

• White Snow-skin Mooncake Soaps: Polished and glossy white versions of the traditional for those that prefer them.

• Gift Sets: Thoughtfully packaged sets of 4 that allows people to share the Mid-Autumn spirit with loved ones, offering both a sensory delight and a meaningful gesture.

By creating these soaps, I wanted to preserve the essence of the festival—the connection, the beauty, and the nostalgia—while offering a new medium for enjoyment and reflection. Each soap serves as a small reminder of the traditions that shaped me, now accessible in a form that blends craftsmanship, fragrance, and visual appeal.

Celebrating in Modern Times

Even as life grows busier, and traditions shift with geography and circumstance, the Mid-Autumn Festival remains a cherished time for reflection. In Austin, I may not be close to family physically, but I can recreate the essence of those evenings: the fragrance of tea, the joy of sharing sweets, and the warmth of connecting with loved ones over the phone.

Celebrating the festival now is also an opportunity to bridge cultures and generations. While the rituals may differ slightly, the heart of the celebration—gratitude, reunion, and appreciation of the harvest and the moon—remains constant. Through mooncake soaps, recipes, or simply sharing a real mooncake with friends, I can honor the festival while also creating new memories and experiences.

Why Mooncakes Continue to Inspire

Mooncakes are more than just pastries; they are symbols. The circular shape represents unity, wholeness, and the cyclical nature of life. The rich fillings symbolize prosperity, indulgence, and celebration. And the act of sharing them embodies connection, care, and tradition.

Even outside of a family gathering, mooncakes carry the story of a festival, a culture, and a shared human desire to mark moments with ritual and joy. That’s why they continue to inspire my creative work. Each mooncake soap I craft is a nod to those family dinners in NYC, the incense drifting through the apartment, the playful chatter over tea, and the hidden yolks that brought a little surprise with every bite.

Bringing Tradition Online: My Website and Etsy Store

For anyone interested in experiencing a slice of the Mid-Autumn Festival at home, I’ve made my mooncake-inspired soaps available on my website and Etsy store. Each piece is thoughtfully designed, handmade, and scented to evoke the nostalgic flavors and fragrances of the season.

Gift sets are perfect for:

• Sharing with friends or family: Offering a small, meaningful piece of tradition.

• Personal enjoyment: A fragrant, decorative way to celebrate the season at home.

• Seasonal décor: Bringing the aesthetic of mooncakes into your space without needing to bake.

By offering these soaps online, I hope to make the warmth and joy of the festival accessible to anyone, no matter where they are in the world. It’s a way to carry the memories of past celebrations into the present and to share a small piece of culture and craft with others.

Final Thoughts

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a celebration that weaves together family, tradition, culture, and creativity. From my childhood dinners in NYC to the mooncakes I craft today, the festival reminds me of the importance of connection, reflection, and celebration.

Whether you enjoy the festival through traditional pastries, fragrant teas, or creative interpretations like mooncake-inspired soaps, the heart of the celebration remains the same. It’s about honoring the past, enjoying the present, and sharing joy with those around us.

For me, this festival continues to inspire, teach, and delight—and through my mooncake soaps, it becomes a way to extend that joy beyond a single evening.

So, as the autumn moon rises, I invite you to join me: light some incense if you like, brew a cup of tea, savor a mooncake or two, and celebrate the season with warmth, reflection, and a little creativity. The spirit of the Mid-Autumn Festival is alive in every shared bite, every thoughtful gift, and every moment spent honoring tradition.