Pistachio cream cheese? Hong Kong mooncake makers hit and miss in redefining seasonal treat
Second-generation of family bakeries taking different approaches to seasonal offering, with some trying experimental flavours while others are sticking to traditional varieties
04:04
Tradition or innovation? How Hong Kong bakeries make mooncakes before Mid-Autumn Festival
As the September sun beat down on dozens of customers outside a bakery in Hong Kong’s Sham Shui Po district, Charles Ng Chun-kong stepped outside his store to break some bad news.
The second-generation operator of Kwan Hong Bakery told the group that he was running low on the pair of new flavours – “pistachio and cream cheese” and “double pistachio” – and that those waiting towards the end of the queue might not be able to buy any.
Rushing back inside to continue pressing more pistachio mooncakes to be sold the next day, 36-year-old Ng told the Post that the shop, which was still operated much the same way as when his father opened it four decades ago, was struggling to keep up with the overnight success.
“We have got more customers than we can handle,” Ng said.
Hong Kong in recent years has seen all sorts of experimental new flavours concocted for the centuries-old tradition of eating mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
This year, the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong’s offerings included egg custard and rose chocolate, while international coffee chain Starbucks was serving up caramel lava and coffee.
