Mooncakes: The Good, The Trad(itional) and the Ugly (Part 2)

Sure, you might prefer the moussey tiramisu options and moist mooncupcakes from our previous post. But now picture yourself showing up at your Chinese boss's house – or at the hutong home of your new squeeze's lao Beijing parents – with a Westernized version of their traditional treat. The thought should send shivers down your spine.

Below, you'll find all the possible options for mooncake gift boxes if your number one priority this year is to bribe impress a Chinese family who happens to have a stake in your future. Some of these mooncakes do have some modern twists (wine, cheese, the aforementioned tiramisu, even XO scallops), but most of them offer respectful traditional options.

Most are available until September 30, but as always, please call ahead to check whether they've sold out.

2012 Mooncake Collection
Twelve mooncake boxes with 30 flavors, from traditional white lotus to bacon and truffle paste. Proceeds from the Sanctuary Box will benefit the Wild Duck lake bird sanctuary. RMB 138-588. China World Hotel (6505 2266 ext 5722/3)

Embrace the Arrival of the Full Moon Festival
These mooncakes run the gamut from lotus and red bean to tiramisu, coffee and fruit with cheese. From RMB 198. Horizon, Kerry Hotel (8529 2188)

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival
A mix of traditional flavors with new ones like French cherry, "rose lover" and coffee chocolate hazelnut. RMB 238-418. Sofitel Wanda Beijing (6581 9917)

Heavenly Mooncakes
These are indeed traditional, but with more extravagant flavors, like red wine strawberry, spicy beef with lotus paste and XO scallop with five kernels. They’ve also got an assorted low calorie box (RMB 368) if you’re looking to dodge the lard. RMB 188-588. Westin Beijing Financial Street (6629 7777)

Mid-Autumn Festival at the Ritz-Carlton, Beijing
Impress with these gift boxes that include mooncake flavors like egg yolk and red lotus, creamy custard and roasted Japanese tea. RMB 218-588. Yu, Ritz-Carlton, Beijing (5908 8777)

Mid-Autumn Festival Mooncakes
Choose from boxes containing flavors like assorted nuts, coffee, red bean paste and white lotus. RMB 288-358. Yao Chi, Grand Millennium Beijing (8587 6888)

Mid-Autumn Festival Specials
Enjoy mooncake boxes with a focus on well-crafted traditional flavors (lotus seed, date paste), or extravagant hampers with Chinese or Western delicacies. Mooncake boxes: RMB 238-688, Hampers: 1,688-3,888. Qi, Ritz-Carlton Beijing Financial Street (6629 6999)

Mid-Autumn Mooncakes
Traditional lotus seed, egg yolk and five treasures fillings in commemorative boxes. RMB 88-488. Kempinski Hotel (6465 3388 ext 4220)

Mooncake Gift Box
All the old gang are here: red bean, red and white lotus paste, green tea, purple yam and date paste. RMB 198-298. Crowne Plaza Beijing Chaoyang U-Town (5959 6688)

Photo: http://hk.asia-city.com