Are outrageous flavours a must to win the mooncake war every year?
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Are outrageous flavours a must to win the mooncake state of war every yr?
While creativity is of import – think unusual, decadent flavours similar truffle carbonara, negroni, kaya, or bird'south nest with custard – chefs emphasise the importance of taste and quality over trends.
Pan Pacific Singapore'southward Soursop Lychee Snowskin and Mao Shan Wang Durian Snowskin mooncakes. (Photograph: Pan Pacific Singapore)
05 Sep 2022 06:30AM (Updated: 05 Jul 2022 12:47AM)
The Mid-Autumn Festival heralds harvest time in Asian countries such every bit Vietnam, China, Japan and Southward Korea. It is traditionally celebrated with family dinners, lighting paper lanterns while admiring the full moon, and feasting on mooncakes.
This year, it falls on October 1. In Singapore, it is the time for hotels and restaurants to curl out enticing offerings to capture the tastebuds and wallets of consumers. Naturally, competition is all around: Sinpopo's online mooncake fair counts 38 participating brands, while Oddle Eats has 31 different options to choose from.
Chefs tell CNA luxury that planning for mooncake flavours starts from every bit early every bit right afterward the previous year's festival, to six months before the electric current yr'southward.
Gustation, ingredient quality and consumer trends lead the decision process. The tried-and-tested winning formula? Stick to the hits – recall Raffles Hotel Singapore's Champagne Truffle, which has been around since the 1990s; Goodwood Park Hotel's D24 Durian, which was among the first of its kind to exist launched in the 80s; and the Bird's Nest with Custard and Hazelnut Royaltine Chocolate mooncakes from Iv Seasons Hotel Singapore's Jiang-Nan Chun restaurant – and add some new magic every year to pique curiosity and tickle fancies.
"Increased contest during the mooncake season makes it crucial to be creative and entice guests with new flavours in addition to traditional flavours." – Eric Tan
PERENNIAL FAVOURITES VS NEW FLAVOURS
The public's selection of mooncakes often depends if the buy is personal or as a gift.
Regent Singapore'southward executive chef Angelo Ciccone said: "Guests will explore audacious flavours at their ain time, but tend to gift the fail-safe traditional ones to loved ones, elders and corporate clients."
Cantonese eating house Yan's general manager Shek Chi Kuen agreed, proverb: "In past years, we accept kept to flavours that our customers know and dearest, such equally yam and the traditional baked mooncake with white lotus paste. Our corporate clients who purchase mooncakes every bit business organization gifts besides accept a preference for familiar favourites, which you can't get wrong with."
While the familiar guarantees sales, new creations describe involvement. Standard mandarin Oriental, Singapore'southward executive chef Eric Tan said: "Increased competition during the mooncake season makes information technology crucial to be creative and entice guests with new flavours in add-on to traditional flavours. But we don't face direct pressure to go according to the trends equally our emphasis volition be on the quality of ingredients used equally well as the unique combination of flavours."
This yr, the hotel'due south bestsellers such as the broiled Low Carbohydrate Silvery Lotus Paste with Single/Double Yolk and Lychee Martini and Chocolate Truffle snowskin mooncakes are served alongside new ones such equally the pleasant Lugu Oolong Tea with Melon Seeds and Oolong Tea Infusion with Dried Apricot and Pumpkin Seeds.
Leong Kwok Sing, dim sum chef of Regent Singapore's one-Michelin starred Cantonese restaurant Summer Palace said that although the team feels the need to exist artistic, "we don't go out of our way to create an outrageous philharmonic".
They did, however, button the envelope with a savoury-sweet truffle carbonara snowskin mooncake final year. Based on the mixed reviews, it is non likely to brand a re-appearance. Ditto for flavours such equally negroni and kaya, whose original flavours Leong felt were lost during the testing.
Regent's new offerings such every bit the Double Espresso and Almond Marzipan, and the Pistachio, Fig and Amarena Cherry are deliciously balanced and well worth the calories. Then are the traditional crowd pleasers – the Signature Black Sesame Paste, Gryphon Green Tea with Melon Seeds and Parma Ham and Pork Floss with Assorted Basics.
Specialising in a sure flavour and texture combination helps to build upwards a fan base of operations. Executive chef Ben Zeng of Cantonese restaurant Hai Tien Lo at Pan Pacific Singapore has been capturing local palates with creative takes on the familiar.
Zeng said: "Our snowskin mooncakes showcase western flavours, incorporating non-traditional ingredients such as chocolate as well every bit Southeast Asian tropical fruits such every bit soursop and lychee which are refreshing to gustation, especially in Singapore's hot climate. Hai Tien Lo's snowskin mooncakes are besides crafted to taste like to ice cream, which helps entice fans of the frozen dessert."
Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore has stuck to its bestselling Mao Shang Wang durian and Lycheetini snowskin mooncakes, with different fruit liqueur-infused and cocktail-inspired variations over the years such every bit Berrytini, Mangotini, and Irish Martini.
Executive chef Massimo Pasquarelli said: "Sometimes less is more than. We prefer to focus on perfecting our classic baked mooncake flavours and perennial favourites that our customers take come to know us for, instead of constantly trying to think of outlandish flavours each yr."
Quality is a must and many stick to tried-and-tested ingredient sources. Cantonese restaurant Yan has been going to the aforementioned supplier for its white lotus paste fillings for many years and merely launched its Mao Shan Wang durian snowskin mooncake last year when it found a reliable supplier.
General managing director Shek Chi Kuen said: "We believe that taste is the virtually important cistron, specially for baked mooncakes with lotus paste. We have been sourcing our white lotus paste from the same supplier in Hong Kong. They may not be the cheapest on the market place, but we tin trust them to evangelize pure white lotus paste that is always consequent in quality."
"Sometimes less is more. We prefer to focus on perfecting our archetype baked mooncake flavours and perennial favourites that our customers have come to know us for, instead of constantly trying to think of outlandish flavours each yr." – Massimo Pasquarelli
TRENDY AND HEALTHY
Consumer trends nevertheless play a major office in flavor decisions. Raffles Hotel Singapore's executive pastry chef Tai Chien Lin said: "When we observed an increased interest in superfoods, we created an Acai Berry and Chia Seeds snowskin mooncake in 2018."
This year'southward new flavour is an Apricot and Sourplum snowskin mooncake inspired by the Plum-Pickled Tomatoes with Crunchy Turnip & Sweet Vinegar, ane of the almost pop signature dishes of chef Jereme Leung at his contemporary Chinese eating place, Yi by Jereme Leung.
"The new Apricot and Sourplum equally well every bit Yuzu and Osmanthus mooncakes are also introduced considering we noticed a greater appreciation for refreshing fruity flavours," Tai said.
Need for healthier options has prompted a flurry of low-sugar versions on the market, such as Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore'south white lotus seed paste and Pan Pacific'south Jade Paste with Melon Seeds.
This year, Shangri-La has new Mini Vegan Mooncakes containing pumpkin and lotus paste, caramelised pumpkin seeds, and a sweet pumpkin sphere replacing the traditional egg yolk. But it's not just a gimmick. "We strongly believe in offering flavours that would ultimately deliver on quality and non merely novelty," said a hotel's spokesperson.
A spokesperson from Goodwood Park Hotel added: "We've noticed that there are more consumers who request for mooncakes that are less sweet. Hence our white lotus seed paste mooncakes are a adept selection for them. Consumers too seem to enjoy more of refreshing flavours for snowskin mooncakes. These mooncakes are easier to finish as they are calorie-free on the palate."
And while combinations such as mangosteen, chiku pandan and buah long long with sour plum sound like delicious ideas on paper, they were accounted either besides faint or acquired during trials to exist suitable for market launch.
So hot favourites are probable to stay and go meliorate on quality and presentation, and we can still expect forward to inventiveness on the plate, guided – hopefully – past some common sense in what'southward palatable and not.
"In past years, we accept kept to flavours that our customers know and love… Our corporate clients who purchase mooncakes equally business gifts besides have a preference for familiar favourites, which you tin't go wrong with." – Shek Chi Kuen
READ> Spreading Mid-Fall cheer? Here are 5 gift ideas that are not mooncakes
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Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/experiences/mooncakes-mid-autumn-festival-singapore-247466
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