Arriving in Xuan Dinh village, people are captivated by the signature aroma of traditional mooncakes. At Sinh Hung workshop, a family-owned brand with more than six decades of history, workers are working overtime to produce freshly baked and sticky mooncakes to customers on time.

The bakers said as each mooncake varies in weight, requiring the filling ingredients to be carefully measured.

The “soul” of the mooncakes’ distinctive and appealing taste lies in their filling. The most popular is the mixed filling, which blends diced pork fat, sausage, lotus seeds, and ham with the fragrant zest of kumquat and lime leaves. Mai Que Lo liquor is added at the final stage to enhance the traditional flavor.

Mr. Dung, the owner of Sinh Hung workshop, said his family makes their own sausage and ham to optimize costs, ensuring the best possible price but without compromising on quality.

Mr. Dung personally prepares the fillings following the family’s secret recipe.

The filling for each cake is weighed carefully.

Kneading the filling, molding, and pressing the cakes are done delicately to prevent the crust from breaking.

The cakes are baked at moderate temperatures to keep the crust firm while preserving the natural aroma of the stuff.

The final step is packaging and sealing each cake in plastic trays.

Despite the abundance of modern mooncake brands on the market, the charm of traditional flavors remains irreplaceable.