Agar moon cakes
This weekend, the Chinese celebrated the mid-autumn festival around the world.
When we were kids, we would carry lanterns and walk around the block as a part of the tradition.
As times changed, the lantern technology progressed from candles to LED lighting. Stylistically, the traditional lanterns gave way to more interesting patterns. If you had a goldfish, you might be the coolest kid on the block. Nowadays, the angry birds rule the lantern world.
What had stayed mostly the same was the moon cake. While there were different variations on the pastry, most times it was usually a red bean paste wrapped in pastry with an egg in the middle.
Mona, from China, was kind enough to bring a moon cake from China to share with us on this occasion. It was a fun experience sitting in the chill area in out hostel, four of us sharing a moon cake in the middle of the night.
The next day, Danny, a Malaysian local, also brought us some moon cake. It was a variation that his mother made to sell – they were corn, longan, green tea and some kind of mixed fruit flavoured agar moon cakes.
This has been a great experience in Penang so far, meeting a friend I met last year, Vig and talking about photography. Then I randomly ate frog the next night with the hostellers and ended drinking the night away.
The moon cake evenings topped of an wonderful weekend in Penang with a great group of people!
If you’re looking for a great cheap place to drink in Penang, walk all the way East on Muntri Street until it ends, then turn right. You’ll see tables and chairs set up in the middle of the street, filled with people quenching their thirst on cheap alcohol.