Just to share my joy at the latest cool stuff found digging through old dusty boxes at old dusty stores in Hong Kong. You can definitely still find a treasure or two if you don't mind to taking your time and getting your fingers dirty. Here are some old wooden mooncake molds, or 月餅模具. Actually the two on the left are mooncake molds and the two on the right are wooden molds for other chinese pastry/cookies. They had probably been sitting in that same old box for the past 15-20 years or something.
The store owner, an old man who frowned at me at first but was very nice later on, spoke of the old days of supplying the big Chinese Emporiums in Hong Kong and the eventual die down of demand, etc. The store itself is done the old fashioned way, with the merchandise piled high in a untidy, seemingly random way. A lot of rattan and bamboo craft. Old Hong Kong craft. Very fascinating stuff. But, warning, quite dusty!! I may have to go back for more browsing soon.
The finished product! Click image to check out our mooncake recipe. |
I just love the feel of these mooncake molds, the easy yet precise craftsmanship, the heaviness of the wood, the beautiful folk patterns. And all to make beautiful little chinese cakes! Now that I have these I really must go on with my promise to myself to start seriously exploring the arts of chinese pastries.
So far I have made the mooncake (that's our homemade mooncake above) which is pretty good for a start, but there is much more! Oh, for more time, or to be better organized! But never mind, as my 3 year old daughter always says soothingly to me when I spaz out. I will get to it soon.
Mid Autumn Festival fun in Hong Kong! Click image to see more |
I'm so excited! It' almost Mid Autumn Festival again! I've been thinking about it and have decided that it's one of my favorite festival/holidays of the whole year! What could be better than everyone happy and positive and surrounded by the nebulous beauty of glowing lanterns and a full moon all through the dark velvety night?!
Anyways here are some detailed photos of the mooncake molds that I found in my little corner store. Please excuse the cat hairs as my cat decided to sit on them when I forgot and left them on a chair for a while!
Mesmerising Mooncakes at The Hong Kong Cookery:
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I think it will be nice to find such place. How to get there?
ReplyDeleteHI ellan
DeleteThanks for your more information. I hope so for the coming joy.
best regards
tuka
Hi Tuka,
ReplyDeleteIt's a little old shop at the end Belcher Street in Kennedy Town, Hong Kong. A bit after Merton and across from the park. Hope that you have as much fun there as I did!
thanks for your kindness reply.
ReplyDeletetuka
Hi Ellen, I have one similar to yours on the extreme right of the photo. My mom made Fujian turtle cakes (glutinous rice flour dough with sweetened mung bean filling) for my full moon party 46 years ago! I have the mold now but the lines are not so distinct as the wood has started to deteriorate. Thanks for the memories! Su
ReplyDeleteHi Su - Thanks for story! How sweet of your Mom to keep the mold and give it to you after all those years! (A great heirloom!) I wish my mom had done that and I wish that people still made these traditional cakes for our special days. It's such a beautiful, meaningful tradition... ~ellen
DeleteThere is a shop at the end of Excelsior Hotel in Yau Ma Tei.It has traditional mooncake moulds for sale
ReplyDeleteHey pfoo - there's no excelsior hotel in yau mai tei, only in causeway bay. I'd love to know which shop you mentioned. Do you have an address? ~ellen
DeleteSorry late reply.I rmbred it is on Shanghai Street in Yau Ma Tei.there is corner shop.they also can help you carve the shape.but is pricy of course
ReplyDeleteHi Ellen - I am coming to HK and next month and would like to buy the wooden molds. My grandpa use to make mooncakes, so I'd love to continue with that tradition. Can you suggest locations that may sell them? An earlier post from 2013 didn't have a store name, so wanted to check with you. :) Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Chanda - the best place to do a bit of kitchen ware shopping is Shanghai Street in Yau Ma Tei, all kinds of wonderful stuff for those who love to cook. For the traditional mooncake molds check out Man Kee Chopping Board on the same street, they've got tons of wooden molds! ~ellen
Deleteamazing, thanks SO much Ellen!!
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