The resourceful Travelling Gourmet goes to a Bar to find….
Mooncakes & Martinis!
MARTINI Bar, Grand Hyatt Hotel.
16 July, 2010.
15:08
Holding a svelte scarlet Sakura Martini in my hand, I admired Grand Hyatt’s new range of Mooncakes for the Mooncake Festival in the coming 8th Lunar month . Modest Chef Andy Foo showed me his new temptations and said, "This is new!" pointing to the Lychee Martini Truffle.
"It is based on the same cocktail in the Martini Bar…" Chef Andy added.
I took a bit. OMG, sooo yummy! Its intense lychee flavour hit me like the kiss of a voluptuous woman. Then the martini aftertaste teased and tittilated.
The Sakura Flower Cherry Truffle mooncake went incredibly well with my Sakura martini. White chocolate only 1mm thick surrounded a sphere of seductive cherry truffle,,,and when you crunch through the egg shell like chocolate to taste the cherries, it’s gastro heaven! The colour contrast of this delight is absolutely fabulous.
Another ravishing creation is the Red Dates Earl Grey Truffle mooncake. The center of red dates has a nice flavour without being too sweet. They have cut down the sugar to cater to today’s health conscious clientele. The Bergamot in the Earl Grey Tea is very subtle but detectable to the trained palate.
Black Sesame Yuzu Truffle mooncake did not appeal to me. It looked…well, black. Despite being dusted with gold powder which is sprayed on a la mi amigo, Ferrran Adria of El Bulli, the mooncake was not tempting. Tastewise, sesame being very strong and aromatic overpowered any yuzu (Japanese lemon) that was in it.
On the other hand, Champagne Truffle mooncake has that lovely Perrier-Jouet champagne "zing" that I adore. Bite through the chewy snowskin to savour these incredible flavours of champagne and chocolate.
Delightful DURIAN mooncakes will blow your mind. The King of fruits sans thorns! I was the first gourmet in the world to match Durian with wines at the Marriott in 2004 and despite what they say about Durian and alcohol being a fatal combination, I am pleased to say I am still very much alive {:-)
Their other ‘piece de resistance’ is the Chinese Chess Mooncakes in a box that you can use to play Chinese Chess. The incredibly cute mooncakes are in the form of chess pieces so you can play chess with them…and you can eat them while playing!
copyright Photos by Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling GourmetTM
Do not overlook their Mooncake chocolate pralines decorated with lovely silkscreens of the beautiful lady in the Moon and lanterns too. Amazing works of art.
Darling…look at the moon…
Bon appetit! 

Mooncakes 2010
Grand Hyatt Singapore
10 Scotts Road
Singapore 228211
Orders from 25 August too 22 September 2010
Call 6887 5492 or buy direct from Mezza9
They make great family and corporate gifts!
Yes, you can eat the Chess pieces!!!