- Frances
송편
Korean Thanksgiving, or Harvest Moon Festival, falls on Sept 15 this year. While there are many gastronomical treats representative of Korean Thanksgiiving, 송편, songpyeon, a glutinous rice cake, best evokes the flavor of this three-day holiday. Songpyeon contains stuffing made with ingredients such as sesame seeds, black beans, mung beans, cinnamon, pine nut, walnut, chestnut, jujube, and honey.
Songpyeon is also significant because of the meaning contained in its shape. The shape of the rice skin shape is a full moon, but once it wraps the stuffing, its shape resembles the half-moon. Korean legend has it that half-moon shape is an indicator of a bright future. Therefore, during Chuseok, families gather together and eat half-moon-shaped Songpyeon under the full moon, wishing themselves a brighter future. Wishing everyone a bright, happy future.