The Mooncake Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the eighth month in the lunar calendar, is also known as the Mid Autumn Festival or Lantern Festival. On this night, the moon is said to be at its fullest and roundest.
During this day, children carry lanterns in animal shapes or their favourite cartoon characters, and some carry the colourful paper lanterns. Families usually gather at home and savour the delicious mooncakes filled with sweet or savoury fillings. These once-a-year delicacies are usually sweet eaten after dinner and accompanied with Chinese Tea.
Back in the olden days, the adults often tell the myth of the Mooncake Festival to the little ones when they savour the mooncakes together. Till today, some families still practice this tradition.
There are a few versions of the Mooncake stories and InterContinental Kuala Lumpur is ready to share its insider stories to its guests and diners on the mooncake story. One of those stories is related to the overthrowing of the Mongol rulers. The story took place in 14th century during the Yuan Dynasty. People suffered under the rule of the Mongols and they were unable to plan for a rebellion as group gatherings were banned. Liu Bowen, advisor to the Chinese rebel leader Zhu Yuanzhang, came up with a brilliant idea to rebel against the Mongols during the Mid Autumn Festival.
He distributed thousands of mooncakes to the Chinese residents in the city to bless the longevity of the Mongol emperor. As the Mongols did not eat mooncakes, therefore he used the mooncakes as a message tool to spread the rebellion plans. On the night of the Mid Autumn Festival, the rebels attacked and overthrew the Mongol government. It then followed with the establishment of the Ming Dynasty under Zhu and the Mid Autumn Festival was celebrated with mooncakes on a national level since then.
Today, Toh Lee Chinese Restaurant at InterContinental Kuala Lumpur still caries on the tradition of making its own moon cakes. To suit the consumers’ discerning taste buds, Toh Lee Chinese Restaurant at InterContinental Kuala Lumpur presents a series of traditional and innovative mooncakes this year.
The non-conventional ‘snow skin’ mooncakes were well-received since it was introduced. At the Toh Lee Chinese Restaurant, the ‘snow skin’ mooncakes come with special flavours and bite-sized.
If you like creamy textured mooncakes do try out the Mini Bamboo Charcoal & Egg Cream Paste with Silver Dust and the Mini Pumpkin Paste & Cream Cheese with Gold Dust. Durian lovers will love our Mini Durian Paste with Milk Cream as its durian paste is silky smooth.
Other than these delicious milky selections, lighter flavours such as the Mini Corn & Chestnut Paste Toppings and Mini Green Tea Paste with Anko (Red Bean) are also available. Children will like the Mini Tiramisu Paste with Oreo Dust and the premium Mini Pandan Milk Paste with Bird’s Nest combines the goodness of bird’s nest and the aroma of the pandan leaf.
Despite the ‘snow skin’ mooncakes are selling hot, there are many who prefer the traditional baked mooncakes. White Lotus with Egg Yolk (single and double) is the best-selling amongst all. Other than this all-time classic, you may also opt for Pure White Lotus Paste with Nuts, “Teow Chew” Pandan Paste with Egg Cream and the Red Bean Paste with Sun Flower Seeds.
These marvellous Mooncakes are beautifully packed in a very unique red handbag-shaped box. You can choose to have 4 baked mooncakes or 6 ‘snow skin’ mooncakes or even mix and match according to your favourite ones.
Priced from RM15.00 per piece, these Marvelous Mooncakes are available from 25 July to 12 September 2011 at the Toh Lee Chinese Restaurant (level 1) and The Deli (lobby level). During the Mid Autumn Festival, these Marverllous Mooncakes will also be sold at the Mid Valley Mega Mall Centre Court.
For orders or inquiries, please call +60 3 2782 6128.