THE Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Harvest Moon Festival, has been celebrated by the Chinese since ancient times. Observed on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar when the moon is full, the festival is a time to gather with family and friends to feast, enjoy the moonlight and have a delicious dessert — the mooncake.

Taken as an exotic sweet in some Western countries, the cake has also undergone reforms in China to cater to modern people’s tastes and concerns about its high sugar and fat contents.

With this year’s festival about a fortnight away, the five-star Kempinski Hotel Shenzhen has prepared two sets of mooncakes for the occasion.

The classical four-piece set features two yolks with white lotus paste stuffing and yolk with green tea stuffing respectively.

A mini eight-piece set has more creative flavors such as flowing milk yolk, cranberry and tiramisu. Both have reduced sugar content than traditional mooncakes.

The four-piece set sells at 288 yuan (US$45) per box and the mini eight-piece set at 258 yuan, inclusive of VAT. Discounts are available for bulk purchases.

Tel: (0755) 8888-8888 ext. 8308

Add: Haide Street 3, Houhaibin Road, Nanshan District (南山区后海滨路海德三道)(Debra Li)