Mid-Autumn Memories in a Shanxi Mooncake

中秋佳节将至，一轮明月高悬，山西的大街小巷早已弥漫起浓浓的月饼香气。作为晋文化的载体之一，山西月饼不仅种类丰富，更承载着一方水土的风物与人情。今天，就让我们一起走进这片黄土地，品尝那些独具特色的山西月饼。

As the Mid-Autumn Festival arrives, the streets and alleys across Shanxi are filled with the rich aroma of mooncakes. As a carrier of Shanxi culture, Shanxi mooncakes are not only diverse in variety but also carry the local customs and sentiments of this land. Today, let's explore the unique mooncakes of this loess plateau.

大同混糖月饼：质朴中的醇香

Datong Sugar-Mixed Mooncake: Mellow Simplicity  

大同的混糖月饼，外表朴实无华，却内蕴深厚。它以白面、胡麻油和糖为主料，不包馅料，表面撒上芝麻，烤制后外皮油润酥脆，内里柔软香甜。一口咬下，胡麻油的香气与红糖的甘甜交织，越嚼越有味，仿佛能品出晋北人家的淳厚与实在。

The Sugar-Mixed Mooncake from Datong is plain in appearance yet profound in flavor. Made primarily from white flour, flaxseed oil, and sugar, it has no filling and is sprinkled with sesame seeds on the surface. After baking, the skin is oily and crisp, while the inside remains soft and sweet. With each bite, the aroma of flaxseed oil blends with the sweetness of brown sugar, becoming more flavorful the more you chew—reminiscent of the honest and sincere character of northern Shanxi families.

忻州神池月饼：晋北风味的代表

Xinzhou Shenchi Mooncake: The Representative Flavor of Northern Shanxi

来自忻州的神池月饼，凭借当地特产胡麻油和上等白面，配以玫瑰、青红丝、核桃、葡萄干等丰富辅料，打造出皮酥馅香、甜而不腻的经典口感。它不仅深受山西人喜爱，更远播陕蒙，成为晋式月饼中的佼佼者。

Hailing from Xinzhou, the Shenchi Mooncake uses local specialty flaxseed oil and high-quality white flour, complemented by rose, red and green shredded preserves, walnuts, peanuts, raisins, sesame seeds, and other ingredients. It boasts a crispy skin, fragrant filling, rich taste, and a soft texture that is never cloying. Loved not only by locals in Shanxi but also popular in Shaanxi and Inner Mongolia, it stands out as a classic among Shanxi-style mooncakes.  

太原郭杜林月饼：百年老字号的匠心

Taiyuan Guo Du Lin Mooncake: A Century-Old Brand's Craftsmanship

太原“双合成”的郭杜林月饼，源自郭、杜、林三位师傅的巧手偶得。饼身棕红，纹路如水波荡漾，内馅融合芝麻、核桃、花生与青梅、桂花，香气馥郁，口感层次丰富。每一口，都是百年技艺的传承与坚守。