This Bakery Makes Thousands of Mooncakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival Every Year | NYT Cooking

Here's a FREE recipe for Honeyed Pistachio Mooncakes: nyti.ms/3Tk6g75
The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, is celebrated by many Asian communities as the start of the harvest season. Mooncakes, which commemorate the full moon and the fall harvest, play a central role, as people gather with friends and families to make and exchange them.
Yi-wei Huang has been making pastries and cakes for 30 years. He’s the owner of Double Crispy Bakery, which opened 20 years ago in Manhattan's Chinatown and is one of the biggest mooncake suppliers in the city, selling thousands during the Mid-Autumn Festival every year. The month leading up to the festival is their busiest time, often requiring them to devote the whole team and the entire kitchen to churning out thousands of mooncakes, making no other pastries or cakes.
Follow along as Yi-wei shares what the holiday means to him and others who celebrate it.
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[@benson8036]

Hey guys this is Benson. From me and my family we just wanted to say thank you guys for the supportive and kind comments! We’re truly grateful for the chance to share a bit of our lives with you! We hope this film has provided greater insight into the Mid-Autumn Festival and the importance of Mooncakes. Thank you everyone for your support and special thanks to NYT, Zhan & Cory as well as Mantai for his dedication and exceptional work, spending countless hours with us to make this happen!

[@meysvlog5709]

I felt really familiar to your case in the oldest of my brothers and my family have a Chinese restaurant and same my father do all the cooking right now we all help him and trying to make process or let People work my goal is that the restaurant at least runs itself were from Mexico @zhanghai so inspiring your family always hardworking

[@2525warren]

You have a very wonderful family and I love seeing family businesses working together. I am the child of a family with a small business and I understand all the ups and downs but also how rewarding it can be. I am hoping for a prosperous future for you all.

[@fannytelesco]

Thank you for sharing your story!

[@latigresseNYC]

Is it possible to place an order for mooncakes and have them shipped? Thanks.

[@tiffanyd.8489]

I learned so much through this video. I love my culture. Thank you for showing us your story!

[@tasdsoccerdude]

the eldest son sneaking food onto dad's plate 😭❤

[@banana.bread_]

had me bawling my eyes out

[@kucinggimnastik]

@@banana.bread_ same...

[@benson8036]

Hey @tasdsoccerdude haha I’ve been caught! Wishing you a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

[@user-zc3zk2ww2j]

This is how he shows his love to daddy without saying it loud ❤

[@yusefhassan6701]

the fact that the eldest son went on to the front lines and work as an EMT during COVID shows how much love this family has for each other❤

[@L17_8]

Jesus LOVES you so soooo much ❤️ Please REPENT now and turn to Him and receive Salvation before it is too late. The end times written about in the Holy Bible are already happening in the world.

[@accordiongordon]

@@L17_8no thx i’m good

[@benson8036]

Hey @Yusefhassan6701 thank you for your generous comment, we wish you nothing but the best!!

[@monkiecher]

I thought I was going to learn about how mooncakes are made but got more than I bargained for. I teared up while listening to this family's story of struggle and perseverance and limitless love for one another. What a beautiful family.

[@benson8036]

Hey @monkiecher thank you for your generous words and sharing your thoughts. We're thankful to have been granted this opportunity to share our story and bond with you guys! Wishing you an amazing and Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

[@lmm2954]

Exactly.

[@hyorin4557]

When the father said no need to wait for daddy with that sweet tone..that got me teary 😭🩷

[@BluuBird2]

It really touched me to see how they interact with each other. It's those small gestures like making sure the other person eats enough (and trying to sneak more onto their plate when they're not looking because you know they would never take seconds even if they still wanted more). Also the way they talk about each other, with so much respect and care. I wish them all the best, and that at least they can be happy and enjoy some hard earned rest soon.

[@benson8036]

Hey @BluuBird2 on behalf’s of me and my family thank you for your generous words! We wish you nothing but the best and a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

[@caiccoi]

please keep this kind of food journalism for immigrant families alive ❤

[@itzyfan88]

agreed, enjoying this series

[@fatagnus3153]

I can tell they're good folks. The elders speak a Toisan (village style), but the kids have that home-style American Cantonese. Even with the culture and generation gap, they're pitching in. Solid fam!

[@jennyng2994]

Haha yeah! I knew they were from Toisan when they started using Toisan pronunciation of certain words. Most of the early Chinese immigrants were from Toisan, who then opened restaurants and laundromats, and generations later, they are still working incredibly hard in these service-sector businesses. I can't help but sympathize with this family because of my own Toisanese roots.

[@benson8036]

Hey @fatagnus3153 , @jennyng2994 haha yes my parents speak the Toisan dialect. My brother and I can only understand but not speak Toisan. Wishing you guys a blessed and Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

[@dandanamandine60]

Dad looks as young as his sons. Stay strong and healthy

[@0majors0]

I was thinking the same

[@thisisqasim]

Personally know the eldest son and he has a heart of gold!

[@benson8036]

@thisisqasim thank you my brother, same can be said about you!!❤

[@vraschke]

I did not expect to get teary on my lunch break. Wishing this lovely family the best and at least a peek at the Moon.

[@benson8036]

Hey @vraschke , we wish you a prosperous and Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!!

[@lauraqueentint]

Father Huang is such a gentle, hardworking and dilligent man. From the way he speaks it seems like he really cares for his sons and his family and want the best for them, to the point of even overworking himself so he can make sure he can provide for them. I wish I could give him a hug and it seems he has raised fantastic sons who are grateful and loyal to their parents too.

[@benson8036]

Hey @lauraqueentint, thanks for the meaningful comment I'll be sure to pass the message down to my father! For us family solidarity is very important as our parents have always taken really good care of us and we hope to do even more for them. Wishing you a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

[@Zeronohigher]

Peace to this lovin efficient fam!! I’m deeply touched & inspired ! Thank you all & may health of Spirit, mind & body be all of yours for the taking !!

[@chingper199]

"Neh gum dai jek" sailed me. Glad to hear the old tongue alive

[@lauraqueentint]

dai jek lo XDDDD

[@WGBreezy]

The love between this family and the passion they have for what they do is so beautiful to see. Chinatown is changing so fast and it is pivotal that we continue supporting places like these.

[@ariettej4271]

When the dad said he didn’t want his sons to do that job and that they could go do whatever they like after graduating 😭 Thank you guys for sharing this story, it was so wholesome. I wish I lived in New York and could support them. Very inspirational ❤

[@lindaliang3825]

Even though you can do whatever you want after graduating, please don't take anything for granted, especially recipes handed down from generation to generation.

[@jadeyu9544]

Didn’t expect to see such a touching story when I click…Reminds me of my father a lot, “work hard in school so you don’t need to work long hours like me in the future” is the most simple and genuine wish from an immigrant father to his children.

[@dwaynekoblitz6032]

I've got my box of them sitting right here in front of me. What an incredible family! So hard working. I admire them.

[@happybat1977]

My grandfather was a small farmer. He was so delighted that his daughter (my mum) got an education and a career - he thought his work was too hard, he wanted better for her. I never met him, but this video made me cry a little just the same.

[@GraceLieu]

As a Chinese American, absolutely loved watching this video! It really reinforced my love for Chinese culture and the people. I’m Cantonese so seeing that the Huang family spoke it is super dope. They are such amazing, hardworking people, and I wish I lived in NY to try their mooncakes haha

[@kucinggimnastik]

i love mooncakes, and this video hits me hard. even in the modern times we still see elderlies working hard because they're used to it, and at the same time want their kids to pursue what they like instead of taking over the business from them. baking is an art...it's not about imperfections but quality. I understand Mr. Huang's concern about his products and how he wants to handle things by himself. his parents must be so proud of him because he still thinks of others when he's busy at his bakery even on Mid-Autumn Festival day.

[@maikeruchen]

This really hits home and I appreciate them continuing the tradition for 20 years. All parents want their children to have a better and easier life than they did.

[@cboy5oc]

I love the Chinese culture, family strength, hard work and caring for one another. It shows the damage done to humans when the society is self-centered, children expect to be entertained and so many families are broken. We all can learn from this.

[@adamwithbiebz]

This was my go to bakery for eight years when I first moved to nyc for school and seeing the love that they put into everything is priceless!

[@benson8036]

Hey @adamwithbiebz , thanks for the support we're very appreciative of customers like you. Wishing you a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to you and yours!

[@jordanw8382]

Loved this so much. Makes me miss my family. I haven't been able to join them for Mid-Autumn Festival in over 4 years. My parents, now in their 80s, used to toil in a restaurant like this for me and my brother so that we could have a better life. Wish you all success and good health and thank you for sharing your story. From a fellow Toisan-ngin from Canada.

[@edlouie8653]

My late dad immigrated from Toisan as a teenager and resembled Mr. Huang in more ways than one; made me a little misty but happy to watch. I never developed a taste for mooncake, but looking forward to finding other treats at their shop when visiting my daughter at college in NYC this fall.

[@FeedTheUrgeYT]

Kudos to the production team. Camera, editing, sound quality, writing in the cold open is one of the best I've seen.

[@ManyGhosts]

One of the best videos I've seen on this channel. So heartfelt and human, and this family deserves all the blessings the universe has to provide. The eldest son stole my heart. They all did. Fantastic story. Will be eating mooncakes in their honor.

[@benson8036]

Hey @ManyGhosts thank you for your kind words. Enjoy the Mooncakes and Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

[@laerwen]

I wish I had the money to give all these people a long, long vacation. I've seen Chinese bakeries inner workings on the internet before and they all seem to work so extremely hard. I have so much respect for that. I am so glad this family knows how to support each other. I have always wanted to try a mooncake, they're always so beautiful. I have certain food intolerances so I shall have to admire the beautiful design of them rather than eating - but they look incredible.

[@j3annie1963]

Beautiful and heartfelt video about love and a good strong family. I am so glad that they did not lose their business due to Covid. I wish them only the best and may they find a solution in their quest to keep their family strong and fortunate, while letting them all find a happy, satifying and smoother life for the years ahead.

[@benson8036]

Hey j3annie1963 thank you for your delightful comment! It was very relieving to have made it past covid an unpredictable time and to be where we are now. We wish you the same and a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!!

[@Momsgottaeat]

Wow what hard working and gracious people

[@romee3859]

This family is such a solid unit. The hardworking parents have set such a great example and raised such loving, responsible and good sons. All love and support to this family ❤

[@benzzoy]

@1:55: What she said: "Almost there." What she really meant: "I'll give you a pass because you're the boss' son and there's a camera crew here so I need to give you face." LOL

[@yawenliu6648]

Get their Macau style egg tarts, they make the best 葡撻Macau style egg tarts in NYC. Make sure you get the ones that just coming out of oven, hot and fresh. You can wait for a fresh batch in the store

[@Paulxl]

Egg tarts are my favorite sweet. And those look so good.

[@benson8036]

Hey @yawenliu6648 thank you for your support and we hope to continue making delicious Macau Egg Tarts for everyone!

[@lanahuang2003]

Totally agree! They have such good egg tarts!

[@Paulxl]

@@lanahuang2003 Only vegans don't love egg tarts.

[@louisakelly3373]

Thank you for sharing this with the world. I am in South Carolina and will be going to our local bakery to buy a Moon cake for the Mid-Autumn Festival. This behind the scenes look at what a baker does. I love the appreciation the son's have for what their father does.

[@oversharer]

Mooncakes definitely don't taste like cake -- they're more savory than sweet. Eating a mooncake is more about the nostalgic stodgy texture, sort of like a duller, beanier pumpkin pie. So weird that I grew up with this language in my home, and I went off to college a decade ago, but this video brings me right back. Thanks NYT, great piece.

[@benson8036]

Hey @oversharer great way to describe it, I couldn’t agree more. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

[@stellazhang4074]

蓮蓉 is more than sweet. It’s basically a big chunk of fat and sugar. 咸蛋黃, on the other hand, is very savory. There you have the classic 雙黃蓮蓉月餅. Of course there are other variations of moon cake. My grandfather’s favorite, 五仁月餅, is filled with sweetened almond and nuts. I heard that the ham stuffed ones are pretty good too.

[@kristinay.8852]

I appreciate watching this, seeing this culture of baking. In western society there is a lot of french supremacy and eurocentrism in baking. Although there are nice things in french baking there are so many other kinds of great baking styles all over the world

[@doodlesofdoodles]

Beautiful video 🥹 thought I was going to see mooncakes being made but was also shown the resilience and dedication of my people. Very nostalgic and heartwarming

[@avayu2289]

This bakery and all family run bakeries like this are the real heros of our economy. Thank you for this documentary.

[@smahoney25]

I'm Chinese American, born and raised I'm Elmhurst, NY. It's true that Chinese families don't say I love you but instead show their love through actions. This story beautifully captures all those unsaid ILY moments from the hardworking parents, to the grateful and helpful sons and ensuring everyone has enough to eat

[@alanwong8421]

or they feed you and then tell turn around and tell you your getting fat , thats how my parents said they loved me lol

[@Akiaram96]

Oh this made me sobbbbb. Heading down to Double Crispy ASAP

[@Shrimpwhat]

Very touching video. Really this is the story for many immigrant families with businesses where the entire family has to pitch in just to squeeze by. Brings back a lot of memories.

[@sommelierofstench]

110 items at a bakery is wild. wow. my first time hearing about a mooncake, i’m interested

[@litapd311]

respect to this hardworking family, clearly the parents raised their kids well. and thanks for sharing this story.

[@Kelsphere12]

just got their mooncakes a few weeks back, so good! Glad they’re getting some love

[@wvusciguy]

This series is one of the best thing the Nytimes does. Thank you for bringing us these stories. Incredibly touching. Too. I found the plastic fork in the Chinese takeout noodles very validating of my noddle and chop stick experience

[@Fruityfruit123]

Huang father looks like the famous Hong Kong martial art actor. Couldnt remember his name though. Best of luck in your business and health is wealth too ! Take care and happy Mid Autumn festival to the Huangs🎉

[@lcc726]

Not a mooncake fan but glad this type of food in Chinese culture is getting attention

[@Melza01]

Great exposure for a deserving family.

[@kindaking]

my favorite Chinatown bakery!!

[@benson8036]

Hey @kindaking thank you for your support!

[@beverlyjahmi8121]

a beautiful and dedicated family , you can definitely see the hard work and love that goes into crafting each and every mooncake. ♥️

[@chili-rye123]

So so proud to be canto when watching these videos

[@yourfavpersuasion9385]

awww i love it!! My favorite mooncakes are red bean! But the savory ones are sooo good but not many people make them in nyc.

[@shleighng]

so beautifully filmed and act really captures the hard work and warmth this family has for one another

[@jeovaniee]

Idk why I’m sobbing

[@meleahsanchez8879]

Omg me too 😢

[@sarahwatts7152]

I hope they all got to see the moon!

[@lexilexis6963]

Awww so sweet.

[@NZKiwi87]

Oh man, the way you synchronised that stamping machine with the background music was just GORGEOUS! Loved it 😂👍

[@832JY]

Mooncake making is all about its sacrifice, love, family, sweat and blood. This guy’s baker is very diligent and caring to his whole family, and doesn’t care about himself. Which is making me sad and pity 😢❤ So buy and support them as much as you can 🥮🥮🥮 Wishing you all, in advance, a Happy Mooncake Festival and spend with your loved ones. Take care ❤️❤️

[@mercurious6699]

Amazing, very sympathetic family, God bless them

[@sfowler1017]

What a wonderful story of love, family, skill, and incredibly hard work.

[@niabaezcarreno4542]

why are you guys making me cry this was so sweet and warm to watch

[@danshinss]

i always see this bakery when im in ct and its great to finally learn about the ppl behind it

[@sophtheloaf4393]

I hope one day soon they ll get to enjoy the mid autumn festival together as a family. the mooncakes look great, wishing them success and happiness

[@viswamurthy007]

Great video of a wonderful and wholesome hardworking family…

[@hamzaarshad5478]

Wow what a wonderful and heartwarming story. Benson is a great person and even better family member!

[@s0fa274]

What an incredible family, wow. I’ll definitely be supporting their business, this made me so proud of them ❤️ happy mid autumn!

[@yutomin4832]

Such a wholesome family. I wish them nothing but the best!

[@ArtleyDraws]

been going here since before they had a sign up on the new location. amazing baked goods at even more amazing prices. its a community staple and they deserve all the great press.

[@jibrielahmad550]

I loved this! Truly a gem full of culture

[@lindenwinters]

Awesome video. I want to point out for anyone who is interested, the types of mooncakes they're making are very specific to southern china/cantonese area. Other regions eat very different styles. Near the yangtze area (e.g. shanghai), the traditional style is more savory and meat-filled. It's one of those fun regional contentions: whose mooncake style is better!

[@dannimalsholderbro]

These mooncakes are beautiful! Where I am from, we have many cultures from Asia represented in our community. It is always really cool to see how they all have their own versions of mooncakes. They are all very special and very delicious. I think my favorite is either the red bean filling or the snowskin mooncakes with the purple sweet potato filling. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, Huang family, and thank you for sharing your story with us!

[@natalieang99]

Thank you for sharing such a beautiful story. It speaks volumes to the dedication parents can have to ensure their kids will never have to suffer the way they do.

[@fellermister6628]

I absolutely know where this place is! Will definitely stop by to get some moon cakes!

[@anthonycheng12]

Favorite egg tart in the city, good to support them!

[@wm6549]

All these years I never made the connection that the egg yolk represented the moon. 😅

[@jhumberstone6452]

Hehe, the little "beep beep" around 4 minutes in made me laugh.

[@SparkzMxzXZ]

“..exactly a month and a few days before the start of celebrations” is such a great line

[@banhit75]

I loved this video. Really showcases the family unit, and the hard work many immigrants are prepared to do! Watching him sneak food onto his dad's plate made me tear up. I hope the business gets a boost, but one they can handle! 😂

[@endingwithali]

I love double crispy this is awesome to watch !

[@littlemikeism]

What a beautiful family! I can't wait to visit! This is my first exposure to Mid-Autumn Festival and Mooncakes thanks to NYT's Melissa Clark!

[@duo315]

10:37 ah, the three-minute standing lunch, while still working I know it well

[@FrauFeli]

I love these video series! The tension is sensible through the screen. Would love to taste the mooncakes!

[@aywancfc]

Thank you NYT for this culturally affirming news story. ❤ please make more of these!

[@spongebobby188]

Omg ..@07:00...😭 I will make it a point to visit this bakery if I'm next in NYC from London.

[@gonfreecss5105]

Mooncake festival is probably one of the best and most profitable times of the year for asian bakeries, so as much as you want to take a break and work less...you can't unless you want to lose all that profit. My father in law worked in a bakery at chinatown canal st for over 20 years(also where i met my wife), hours were 4-5 am to 4-5 pm, so 12 hours a day 6 days a week. Its hard work for little profit/pay. The owner was a millionaire, but due to bad investments and not enough sales he ended up shutting down all his stores.

[@lordfarquad229]

Parents that don’t push their kids to do what they do and instead follow their own ambitions and kids who want to do everything for their parents because of their love and sacrifice. Now that is the peak family dynamic

[@yoyoruan-l5d]

The power of life lies in family. The boss's persistence is due not only to his strong sense of responsibility, but also to the support of his family members. This is a very exciting story of a Chinese family starting a business. Keep it up! My friend. 🫶💪

[@corvettesbme]

Such a nice family

[@ramadanothman7318]

Wow this is insanely awesome and aesthetically pleasuring. Will be visiting for sure

[@iamdawid]

Very loving story!

[@abbiem3231]

I love mooncakes and want to try making them myself next year. They are so much work and this business shows exactly how much goes into them! I hope they can sit together for at least one festival ❤

[@ferasjaraba3571]

My brother Benson , such a loving family and amazing bakery !!

[@benson8036]

@ferasjaraba3571 thank you my brother we appreciate you!

[@Jack-zp3ew]

Such hard working family and staff. Wish them all the happiness and success ❤

[@Thyeggman]

Wow, what an excellently produced piece, shoutout to Mantai and crew, you did an amazing job!

[@phungktk533]

The ❤ of immigrants families and sharing a long time history and traditional food.

[@grandmundi7107]

Wish them some free time to enjoy the moon together as a family.

[@CommunityMartyr]

This was beautiful

[@joeycheng8407]

They also make the best pineapple bun in the city.

[@SujuVijayan-sk2sc]

What a wonderful family!

[@danl.2626]

This is why Asian Americans are doing better generation by generation. They put the work where it matters. They don’t count on welfare. They believe in their hardwork. good job guys.

[@SelenaAnderson-n3r]

wow!! such a great video shedding light on a great family business. It’s nice to see and hear about what goes on behind the scenes! Definitely going to stop and try the mooncakes soon :)