Family of burgers, desserts, shakes and fries pay homage to the autumn moon. 

As we say goodbye to the sunny days of summer, it’s time to turn our attention towards the moon. Here in Japan, the moon is particularly bright and beautiful during the autumn months, when people gather to celebrate autumn harvests and take part in Tsukimi (“Moon Viewing”) events.

It’s not just the sky where the moon shines bright in autumn, though, as a number of fast food chains join in the festivities with their own moon-viewing collections. And one we look forward to gazing at every year is the lineup from McDonald’s, who go all out with burgers, fries, desserts and shakes all dedicated to the bright orb.

▼ Say hello to this year’s “Tsukimi Family”.

“Tsukimi” is the term used whenever an egg is added to a dish like soba, udon or curry, due to the fact that the colour and shape of the cracked egg (raw or fried) resembles a full moon.

The highlight of the McDonald’s Tsukimi collection is always the burgers, which contain the moon in the form of a fried egg, and the main star of the show is the classic Tsukimi Burger, with and without cheese.

▼ The Tsukimi Burger (340 yen [US$3.09])

▼ The Cheese Tsukimi (370 yen)

▼ For breakfast, there’s the Tsukimi Muffin, priced at 330 yen and only available until 10:30 a.m.

While the above muffin and burgers have been gracing the menu for a number of years, this year, we get to welcome a new member of the family: the Noukou Torori Tsukimi (“Rich Melty Tsukimi“), priced at 420 yen.

▼ Th Rich Melty Tsukimi appeared on the menu last year with scrambled egg, but this year it contains cheese sauce and fluffy buns made with cheese.

Also part of the Tsukimi Family this year is fries with limited-edition Yuzu Shichimi (“Seven Spice”) Mayo seasoning, which costs an extra 30 yen with an order of fries. While it may not have a direct connection to the moon, McDonald’s says this spicy citrus seasoning has a Japanese flavour that’s especially suited to this year’s Tsukimi burgers.

On the dessert menu, there’s the Tsukimi Pie for 150 yen, which has become a firm member of the family in recent years, tantalising the taste buds with its red bean and mochi sticky rice filling.

And the Tsukimi McFlurry (320 yen), which made its debut last year, when it received a warm response for its warabimochi (bracken starch dumplings), kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup) sauce, and crushed cone bits flavoured with kinako (roasted soybean flour).

New to the menu for 2021 is the Tsukimi McShake (130 yen for a small, 210 for a medium), which is said to contain the elegant sweetness of wasanbon (refined Japanese sugar), combined with kinako.

▼ The toasty sweet taste of autumn in a cup.

Like previous years, the new McDonald’s range also comes with a family-centric commercial that tugs at the heartstrings, showcasing the relationship between a daughter and her father and their reconnection under the full moon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo5xBqnagdo

All the menu items in the McDonald’s Tsukimi range will be available from 8 September until mid-October, except for the McFlurry, which will be available from 15 September until mid-October.

It’s a tasty way to pay homage to the moon, and the good news is, there should be even more Tsukimi burgers from other fast food chains coming our way shortly!

Source, images: McDonald’s Japan
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