Mid-Autumn Festival is the second most important Chinese festival after the Lunar New Year. Falling on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, which this year falls on Sept 27, it is traditionally a day for family reunions, as the bright full moon symbolizes completeness.

The Chinese word for "round" has a similar pronunciation to the words for "reunion" and "perfect", and round baked delicacies with rich fillings and pastry blessings are an indispensible part of the festival; the tasty tidbits given to extend blessings and best wishes to family, friends and clients.

These uniquely Chinese pies are stuffed with either sweet or savory fillings made from a wide range of ingredients - indeed pretty much anything that can be used has been used. However, the classic moon cake is simply a single or double egg yolk surrounded by either white or red lotus paste in sweet glazed pastry.

Today some of the tastiest and most-attractively presented moon cakes are created by the talented culinary teams at the country's best hotels. Here's a selection to tempt your taste buds:

1. JW Marriott Beijing is offering three types of moon cakes, Zhe Yue, Hui Yue and Rui Yue, which refer to the moon of wisdom in different Chinese characters. They come in classic Cantonese flavors.

2. Mandarin Oriental is presenting a classic package featuring four traditional Cantonese moon cake flavors including white lotus paste with a single yolk, red bean paste with a single yolk, ham with assorted nuts and low sugar coconut paste.

3. Grand Hyatt Guangzhou is promoting moon cake gift boxes starting at 238 yuan ($37).

4. Head pastry chef Francesco of Four Seasons Beijing is using the finest chocolate for the hotel's exclusive moon cakes.

5. Wanda Vista Tianjin is offering moon cake gift boxes starting from 158 yuan for four cakes.

6. Intercontinental Kunming is presenting moon cakes featuring the province's award-winning Yunnan ham. It's a salty-sweet filling that leaves a lingering fragrance in the mouth.

7. Starwood Preferred Guests is offering nine moon cakes in a variety of flavors for 198 yuan to mark the nine Starwood brands in the Chinese mainland. Available at all Starwood hotels and resorts.

8. Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts have launched their moon cakes boxes available at all properties of the group.

9. Grand Kempinski Hotel Shanghai has unveiled exclusive moon cakes that come in six traditional Cantonese flavors.

10. The Peninsula Beijing is offering mini egg-custard moon cakes, based on a famous recipe originating in Hong Kong, which has been a long time favorite since 1986. Starting from 338 yuan per box of eight.

11. The Ritz-Carlton, Guangzhou has launched its highly-regarded Mid-Autumn Moon Cake gift boxes starting from 228 yuan featuring moon cakes with a variety of fillings.

(China Daily 09/05/2015 page10)