Sybaritic Single’s a Mooncake Junkie
After a ghastly red-eye to Jakarta, the Sybaritic Single is unwinding in the first class section of the Singapore Airlines’ lounge waiting for his connecting flight to Changi. The erupting Anak Krakatau is still sending shockwaves very much felt at the airport, but nothing can stop this mid-autumn family tradition.
He remembers his first mooncake: it was presented to him years ago by his friend Diana during his weekend in Singapore. He didn’t enjoy it that much back then, the mixture of lotus paste and salty egg yolks seemed odd. But he soon discovered the Raffles Hotel’s legendary snow-skin mooncake infused with Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve and instantly fell in love. First created in the 1990s, this iconic East-meets-West treat features a delicate white chocolate shell filled with champagne-infused cream, sheathed in smooth white lotus paste and wrapped in a pearly-white glutinous rice skin. Simply irresistible and worth breaking any diet.
Two hours later, he is finally in Singapore.
Once at the Raffles, he sips Singapore Slings and enjoys the cool tranquility of the James Michener Suite. He roams around the city seeking the most exotic mooncakes, from Cedric Grolet to Wan Hao, where he discovers a unique savory version made with black truffle, dry-aged Parma ham, pistachio, single yolk and gold dust. In the evening, he lays them all carefully on an exquisite emerald green-and-gold lacquer tray created for the occasion by Boucheron, which makes a wonderful dinner overlooking the Palm Court.
36 hours later the Sybaritic Single boards another flight, this time to Abu Dhabi via Mumbai. Due to the crisis in the Middle East, he has to take a detour as Singapore Airlines hasn’t resumed direct flights to the region. He settles in suite 1F with a glass of Cristal contemplating whether such logistical nightmare of over 8,000 miles and four international flights in one weekend is worth the hassle.
Topping up the champagne, a stewardess notices a trunkful of Raffles-branded little boxes, saying: “You must really enjoy the mooncakes!”
