The 2016 Chinese Delicacy DIY Workshop was held at the Xihu Hotel on September 22, with the participation of over 20 international scholars and teachers. Jointly organized by the SCUT International Office and Xihu Hotel, the workshop invited chefs to demonstrate the making of Chinese moon cakes and dumplings, and provided our foreign teachers a chance to try their hand at making their own.

Around 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the foreign teachers stepped into the Xihu Hotel lobby, where you could see dustless glass windows and tidy tables covered by white tablecloths with various ingredients on show. After a brief opening remark by the International Office’s deputy director, the chef started his deft performance of moon cake making. Mixing wheat flour with water, softening the dough through kneading, wrapping lotus seed paste filling, and eventually molding, a delicately-made traditional moon cake appeared. Our foreign teachers may not be as nimble as the chef, but they definitely weren’t lacking in enthusiasm as they eagerly awaited the opportunity to make their own masterpieces. Soon afterwards, the hand-made traditional and snowy moon cakes with different colors and patterns presented themselves on the table, all the while our foreign teachers were fully immersed in the joys of making these delicious delicacies.

While the traditional moon cakes were put in the baking oven and snowy ones sent to the refrigerator, the chef started his performance of dumpling making. With the chef’s skillful demonstration and patient elaboration of the process, our foreign teachers soon picked up the technique for making dumplings. In the end, all the hand-made dumplings were boiled and were served as a delicious dinner for the participants. Upon leaving the hotel, every foreign teacher received two boxes of moon cakes (one traditional and one snowy) as gifts for the Mid-autumn Festival.

The DIY workshop is an annual event of the International Scholars Club, organized by the SCUT International Office. Through initiating various cultural activities, the Club aims to spread Chinese culture among SCUT foreign teachers and therefore enhance cross-cultural exchange and cooperation.

Edited by Susan, proofread by Paul Winning

International Scholars Office

South China University of Technology