The Mid-Autumn Festival wouldn't be the same without moon cakes, a staple of this traditional Chinese festival. As the festival is drawing near, we offer you some tips on how to savor the best of moon cakes, reported Shenzhen Daily.

Buying tips:

Pay attention to the brand. It’s best to choose famous, reliable brands.

Take a close look at the trademark. You should buy moon cakes with complete production and logo specifications. Make sure there is the word “moon cake” written on the package.

Be careful about the manufacturing date and shelf life and check whether the package is complete.

Check whether the moon cake is a regular round shape and features a clear pattern. A fresh moon cake looks bright and feels very soft.

Smell the moon cake to ensure it has not gone bad.

Eating tips:

Rich in sugarcane and fat, moon cakes have to be eaten properly. Eating too many of them will lead to indigestion, abdominal pains and a high blood sugar level.

Children and elderly people should be particularly cautious due to their relatively poor digesting ability.

Moon cakes cannot be preserved for a long time. Fresh moon cakes have the best flavor and outlook, so you’d better eat them immediately after you buy them.

The best time to eat moon cakes is in the morning or at noon. Senior citizens should be particularly careful not to eat them in the evening, as it may cause blood to clog arteries.

There are usually two flavors of moon cakes: salty and sweet. It is better to eat the salty before the sweet one so that you can savor the best of this delicacy. If there is another spicy one, it should be tried last.

Tea is an ideal accompaniment to moon cake, because it quenches your thirst and alleviates the fat and sweetness. If the moon cake is divided into several small pieces to eat it is easier to digest.

Those who have high blood pressure or a stomach- or intestine-related disease should avoid eating moon cakes.

(Shenzhen Daily  September 14, 2004)