How Hong Kong fell in love with pineapple buns, egg tarts and cocktail buns – a history
- We ask baking industry veteran Louisa Ho about the origins of some favourite baked treats, including Russian and Japanese influences
When people think of Hong Kong comfort food, they probably picture char siu rice, fish balls or even a bowl of wonton noodles. But there is a perennial favourite that is often neglected: baked goods. We all love an egg tart or a pineapple bun.
This class of food has a unique role in Hong Kong culture and its origin is a story of resilience, innovation and adaptability; it is a product of the city’s history that embodies so many influences.
The best person to explain this history is the president of the Hong Kong Bakery and Confectionery Association, Louisa Ho. It begins before the Japanese occupation of the city in the second world war, she says.
“The baked goods in Shanghai and Shandong at that time were very much influenced by Russia,” says Ho. “When the war broke out, many people from these regions fled to Hong Kong and opened many bakeries that sold Russian-style baked goods.”
“Later, Japan occupied Hong Kong for three years and eight months. The Japanese might have requested local bakers to make Japanese-style buns. That was how Hong Kong received such influences and created a vast variety of baked goods.”
