The Chinese Moon Festival is on Monday, September 8 this year and until then The Urban Tea Merchant is serving up their Moon Festival Tea Service. Always a fan of afternoon tea at The Urban Tea Merchant, I was excited to mix it up a bit with the addition of Moon Cakes and a few extra Asian-influenced items on the platter.

They’ve had to expand the seating into the shop in addition to the tea salon since the tea shop is often busy, but I like the ambiance of the salon, so parked myself there. Apparently the Moon Festival is one for families as well as being a romantic one. As neither were available I sipped solo and was therefore not quite in the tradition.

I could faintly remember trying a Moon Cake before, but didn’t think too much of it. They are typically made with a rather bland red bean paste that seems to appeal to those who grew up with it. My early years were dominated with Vegemite and baked beans, and these cultural experiences were not included in my childhood culinary education.

The Moon Cakes are made by TWG and shipped out especially to The Urban Tea Merchant. There are four kinds that are all infused with teas. I preferred the Red Lantern with mixed nuts and smooth lotus paste infused with a jasmine and exotic fruit tea. The cakes are rather like a gourmet fig newton in flavour and texture. They serve slices of all four so you can sample the range before picking up some gifts.

Red Lantern Tea is a combination of red tea and white tea, and has flavours of jasmine and exotic fruits and fruits and sweet spices. I recommend it as it’s only available at this time of year.

Along with the cakes there are some savouries and fruit, which make it perfect for an alternative to lunch or an afternoon snack.

There’s a delightful miso-maple glazed sable fish in butter lettuce, “Dignitary’s Tea” chicken cone, chilled prawn ceviche, torchon de Fois Gras and tropical fruit.

The tea is only on until the festival is over, so I suggest acting quickly. Don’t forget your mooncakes to go for gifts; you can buy them in lots of one, two and four.  I shall try to sample a few more around town this year.