My Big Fat Mid Autumn Festival

While most of my friends back in Hong Kong are enjoying their 'almost' day off as the Bunny Typhoon missed the island this morning, I'm on an extended Mid-Autumn holiday with my family in Chengdu, China. 

In the 5th day of a traditionally one-day celebration, the feasts continue! I'm completely bloated and my taste buds are dying! Sichuan food is absolutely delicious but I do need my weekly fix of white pasta.

So, what am I doing in China?

Mid-Autumn Festival happens around the first full moon of Autumn and it is one of the most important Chinese holidays. You can think of it as our Thanksgiving, it calls for big family gatherings, an elaborate feast with exotic ingredients, and anything that resembles a full moon, from mooncakes to pomelos.

My grandma’s family originates from the province of Guangdong and migrated inland during WWII. Together with her family of six siblings and countless uncles and cousins, they settled in the oldest neighborhood of Chengdu and lived in a traditional Chinese residence called 四合院 Si He Yuan, essentially four small houses surrounding a square courtyard. Life was never boring here. I can listen to their stories for hours about their popular pastimes revolving around a white lily tree, their favourite food vendors who would sell them a beef pattie for a mere 10 cent RMB and what they endured the Cultural Revolution. In the family album, I can see a picture taken in the courtyard right before my grandma headed to Beijing to teach, a youthful version of herself surrounded by ten or so kids.

Today, this family has grown tenfold. It’s a running joke in the family that if everyone showed up we will need a proper banquet hall with five big roundtables.

So instead of my usual lazing around on weekends, I decided to celebrate it with the biggest family in Chengdu.

With my youthful 85 year old grandmother

Family photo
Back: My Grandma and her siblings, cousins and in-laws
Front: The children (including those who are in their 30s and 40s)

Myth confirmed – Chinese women do not age

The last time I saw everyone was over 12 years ago. This past weekend, I had no problem recognizing anyone, because they all pretty much look the same, minus a few grey hairs. A lot of people attribute this phenomenon to genetics, however I think it has to do with how you take care of yourself. If you ask anyone in my family what is the key to longevity, they’ll tell you it’s keeping fit, eating well and a healthy attitude. The occasional Chinese mother will tell you that alcohol’s bad, but my great grand mother lived until 89 and she had a shot of liquor everyday.

The Myth

You cannot refuse food

One thing that will impress any Chinese host, is your ability to eat everything that is given to you. Who am I kidding? You can't really refuse food even if you wanted to. Lines like ‘I am really full’ and ‘My stomach is going to explode’ are rebutted with, ‘It’s good for your health’. I’m actually also guilty of this, when serving dinner to my friends, I give them more than they want because a part of me thinks they’re too shy to admit their actual appetite ;)

You'll bring back with you more snacks you eat in an entire year

Whenever you go visit a relative’s home, you will inevitably come out with bags of snacks. I’ve been told this will continue happening until your 30s. Right now, I have a desk drawer full of snacks that I share with my colleagues.

Top 5 Mid Autumn Feast Countdown – The most memorable foods this holiday season

5. Mooncakes with Sausages

Forget the lotus paste, this is the future of moon cakes. The sweet crust resembling shortbread is paired with a pudding with Chinese sausage bits. The balance of the sweet and salty taste makes it very addictive.

4. Smoked Rabbit

I have eaten some weird stuff in the past, but never a rabbit. We got this from a family owned deli down the street. I imagined that the children went hunting in the park and brought back dinner. Apparently, wild rabbits have lean meat and very low in fat. It tastes delicious, better than chicken.

3. Chatang (Literally Oily Tea)

A popular afterschool snack in the olden days. It is essentially a plain millet porridge topped with a dash of a salty paste, breadsticks and spring onions. Maybe I’m old at heart but I loved this! It’s like a healthy alternative of the Canadian poutine! 

2. Beansprouts with Mushroom

This dish was served at our feast and I couldn’t resist the crispy sprouts in its cold soup dressing. It is so simple to make: a cup of vegetable broth, thinly diced mushrooms and carrots and fresh sprouts that you can find at any wet market. Mix them together like a salad and voila! You’ve got a refreshing and healthy dish.

1. Baby cucumber in garlic

Another favourite at our table! There’s something about the sweetness in baby cucumber that work really well with garlic. I guarantee you that your breath won’t be a deal breaker after eating this.

So there you go, that's what you can expect out of a typical holiday in China! I hope you get to enjoy one of these yourself in the coming future!