Lye is a very small percentage. Lard is what I think is keeping my tools rust free.

Absolutely. It's like musical chairs. When the music stops, the idea is to not be left holding any of these disgusting concoctions. (Except for the Haagen Daz mooncakes, which should be eaten promptly upon receipt.)

Growing up in a Chinese household, we actually loved this stuff although as a kid only the sweet ones (I abhor the egg yolk and always gave those to my younger bro). I was in SH last mid-autumn festival and got the opportunity to try the Haagen Daz one's, General Mills makes a bundle on those.

However, I'm wondering how business is this year with Mr Xi's austerity. Many firms that we deal with aren't giving and don't want to receive gifts this year.

My wife has a nephew that loves mooncakes.

Moon Cake Warning SCMP(HK)
 

One of the Sept 7 headline of SCMP in HK

Mooncakes sent for lab tests as 'gutter oil' scare spreads to Hong Kong
The gutter oil scare deepened in Hong Kong and Macau yesterday after it emerged that another importer in the city and 21 businesses in the former Portuguese enclave had purchased oil from the Taiwanese supplier at the centre of the scandal.

Godiva "Moon Cake" Chocolates - 9 pc. for $50 USD, available at Roosevelt Field Mall, Garden City, NY (and, presumably - other select Godiva outlets. Comes in a fancy metal (tin?) can ... happened to walk by on Saturday - now 20% off if buying 2 or more online or in-person. http://www.godiva.com/MAF

This year's sales of Moon Cake reported down by 50% within the Mainland in the media, before this latest gutter oil scare. One of my BIL managing one of the major Asian supermarket chain said local cakes are selling nicely in contrast. A nephew working here in the US for the mainland flagship carrier received MC made in HKG this year from HQ management^, plastic seal wrapped with bar coded label ... oops.

old thread,

But mid-Autumn festival is Thurs Sept 15th, 2016; MOON cake day.

At some hotels & stores the 2016 moon-cakes are already for sale !

You can actually get moon cakes year round in some cities even in the US. I picked up some in Hong Kong recently to gift because the quality is better than what's in Dallas.

July and August are still Summer, time for watermelons and other summer foods.

September is probably my favourite month in China, looking forward to the real moon cake season. ;)