During the Mid-Autumn Festival, mooncakes take center stage as a symbol of family reunion and tradition. In Wuxi's Xinwu district, local mooncake producers are adding fresh twists to this beloved treat, offering a variety of new flavors and styles.

Hongshan Wheat Cakes. [Photo/WeChat account: xinwu_wx]

One of the most historic mooncakes is the Hongshan Wheat Cakes, known as the "ancestor of mooncakes". Legend has it that 3,000 years ago, Taibo, the ruler of Wu, brought these wheat cakes as military rations during his southern expedition to the current Hongshan area, and the tradition of making wheat cakes during the eighth lunar month was born.

Hongshan Wheat Cakes are handcrafted by skilled artisans using simple ingredients and baked in traditional ovens, offering a perfect balance of crispy and savory-sweet flavors.

Grace's pork-filled mooncakes. [Photo/WeChat account: xinwu_wx]

Another famous pastry brand, Grace, has headquarters in Xinwu and is known for its signature pork-filled mooncakes with flaky crust and rich lard aroma. The bakery also offers its exclusive Jade Rabbit series with five flavors, including red bean paste with egg yolk and pineapple with egg yolk. These mooncakes are loved for their cute designs and rich buttery flavors.

Jiangsu Ganso Foods, founded in Xinwu in 1995, has become another iconic mooncake brand in the region. With 270 branches, Ganso's ice cream-filled snow mooncakes have become a popular choice for Mid-Autumn celebrations, praised for their unique combination of creamy ice cream filling and crispy pastry shell.

Ganso's mooncakes have ice cream fillings. [Photo/WeChat account: xinwu_wx]