The Mid-Autumn festival is a traditional season for families to get together for a session of fine tea and delicious mooncakes as children indulge in lantern parades on a full-moon night.
And if you want to score brownie points with various members of your extended family, AsiaOne Just Woman brings you this tongue-in-cheek guide to impressing the dames and grand-dames of your family this season.
... Mother dearest, who loves all things traditional:
If your mother is Teochew, or just happens to love "or-nee", get her a box of Teochew Yam Paste Mooncakes from Peony-Jade. Available with and without egg yolk ($48, $45 for box of 4) and encased in a flaky pastry, a quarter portion of this makes a great tea-time snack.
Think a little more bling is in order? Impress her with the Peony-Jade Jewel Box ($72); the box is modelled after an antique Chinese cabinet and is adorned with gold 'locks'. It also includes a box of premium Silver-Heart Jasmine Tea Leaves, which goes well with the traditional baked mooncakes
Peony-Jade mooncakes are available at Peony-Jade, Block 3A, Clarke Quay #02-02. River Valley Road. Tel: 6338 0305
... Mother-in-law, for whom no expense can be spared:
After all, without her you would not have your husband.
Impress her with The St. Regis Premium Gift Set ($98) which features six different mini snowskin mooncakes in a limited edition box and includes two tins of Dammann Freres loose tea leaves. This brand of tea is available in Singapore exclusively through The St. Regis, and is bound to please your mother-in-law if she is an avid tea drinker.
Her delicate taste buds may be pleased with the assortment of snow skin mooncakes, particularly the sugar-free Seven Perfumes Snow Skin with Single Yolk and White Lotus Paste which is a refreshing change from the heavy, traditional mooncakes.
The St. Regis mooncakes are available at Lobby booth at The St. Regis Singapore, 29 Tanglin Road. Tel: 6506 6866
... Sister-in-law, busy with work and raising kids:
Get into your sister-in-law's good graces by treating her kids, your nieces and nephews, to ice-cream mooncakes from Swensens'.
At $25.90 for a box of four, these are value-for-money ice-cream mooncakes that kids will fancy. With eight flavours to choose from, these tasty treats will keep the kids happy while the adults bond over a session of moon-gazing and tea-drinking.
Perennial favourites include Sticky Chewy Chocolate, for its rich chocolate flavour, and durian if you're a fan, while the rest - Strawberry Cheesecake, Hazelnut Chocolate, Ginger Apple Cinnamon, Rock Melon and local delights such as Bandung and Chendol - make for a perfect after-dinner dessert treat.
Swensens' ice-cream mooncakes are available at all Swensens' outlets. Click here (http://www.swensens.com.sg/outlets.html) for list of outlets.
... Teenage niece, who has adventurous tastebuds and a penchant for cute, pretty things:
Even the most rebellious of teenage girls will not be able to resist the pretty powder-blue and muted gold silk box with Chinese knot that Royal China's delicate snowskin mooncakes come packed in.
And she may just be the one with tastebuds adventurous enough for flavours such as "intoxicating" Mini Snow Skin with Cranberry Fruit, made with red wine and fresh cranberries, or the creamy Custard & Egg Yolk flavour.
The mini-snowskin mooncakes in assorted flavours retail at $40 for a box of 8, or $39 for a single flavour box of 8, or $6.50 per piece.
Early bird discounts for UOB Credit Cardmembers: 20% until Aug 24, 14% from Aug 25 -Sep 14.
Bulk discounts are also available for orders of five boxes and above.
Royal China mooncakes are available at Royal China, #03-09 Raffles Hotel Arcade, 328 North Bridge Road. Tel: 6338 3363
