All golden: Tan showing freshly made mooncakes, lovingly prepared for charity. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: What started as an experiment has since blossomed into an annual ritual tied to the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Determined to get it right, sales manager Tan Phaik San, 47, has travelled to Perak, Kuala Lumpur and Johor to learn how to make mooncakes from experts.
Her range now includes coconut, cranberry, lotus paste with egg yolk and black sesame varieties.
She even picked up making traditional mooncake biscuits (doll biscuits or Gong Zai Beng in Cantonese) while training in Johor.
“I did not want to just make any mooncake. I wanted to understand the techniques, the flavours and the traditions behind them.
“I went out to look for teachers and attended as many classes as I could,” she said.
Although she has mastered the art, Tan has no intention of turning her kitchen into a factory line.
She produces around 2,000 mooncakes a year, just enough to keep the tradition alive without feeling overwhelmed.
This year, she has also extended her efforts to charity.
She sold 200 boxes of mooncake at a special rate to social activist Lee Thuan Chye, who had earlier raised funds from 200 generous donors.
Lee then distributed the mooncakes to orphanages and old folks’ homes.
“His support is invaluable.
“It is not just about buying from me; it is about bringing joy to people who may not have the chance to enjoy these festive treats,” she said when met at her condominium in Relau yesterday.
With her job as a sales manager taking her across Perak, Kedah and Penang, Tan only has the evenings and weekends to bake.
“Sometimes it is tiring, but because it is something I love, I do not feel the stress as much.”
Despite the modest income, Tan feels deeply satisfied, saying it is enough to fund short holidays that make the effort worthwhile.
“While the money helps, it’s more like a bonus that comes with something I enjoy,” she said.
As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, Tan is busy preparing this year’s orders.
She finds joy not just in baking but in knowing that her mooncakes bring happiness to friends, customers or the many children and elderly who receive them through Lee’s generosity.
“It’s a small business, but to me, it feels like something much bigger.
“It’s about family, friends, tradition, and a little bit of happiness that I can share,” she said.
