The anticipated journey of the season has started, and its destination is Christmas, an occasion for family reunions, festivities and traditions. One of the liveliest traditions of the festive season is the mixing of the ingredients of the Christmas cake. This is an age-old tradition followed in Christian households, which over the years has been adopted by many hotels and patisseries and observed with much fanfare. “We try to make the event a special occasion,” says the Food and Beverage Manager Mr. Ravisundar of Hotel Fortune Pandiyan. “We have been conducting the cake-mixing ritual for Christmas ever since the hotel opened. The ceremony is a special one each year, but this year is extra special as it is the 50th year,” he beams.
The cake-mixing ceremony was eloquently and elegantly arranged at the ‘Jasmine’ hall of the hotel, which was decorated to the nines in tinsel and streamers, complete with a fully-decorated Christmas tree in a corner with gifts under it. Christmas songs and carols played in the background to help set the jolly atmosphere.
The ceremony began with the distribution of aprons and plastic gloves for everyone to wear. While some people chose to wear a toque, the traditional chef’s hat, others decided to honour the festive mood of the occasion by wearing Santa hats.
In the centre of the hall was placed a large steel table covered with a plastic sheet that contained a mélange of dry fruits, nuts and spices. Around 165 kilos of the fruit mix was used consisting of raisins, glazed red cherries, orange peel, tutti-frutti, black currants, dates, dried apricots, figs and prunes, walnuts, cashew, almond flakes, pistachio and powdered cardamom, cinnamon, star anise and cloves.
The National head of Marketing & Sales of the Fortune Park Hotels Limited, Mr. Vijay Jaiswal, started off the mixing by pouring a bottle of liquor into the dry fruit mix. Rest of the staff joined in singing “Merry Christmas”.
The dry fruit mixture was hand blended with many more bottles of alcohol, about 8.5 litres.
”We ask our staff and the VIPs who are staying with us to join in,” informs Mr. Sujith Chamukutty, the General Manager. “We believe in the phrase ‘the more the merrier’. We also follow the pot luck custom by dispersing a few coins in the mixture. Whoever gets a coin is said to be blessed with good fortune.”
“The mixture is let to ferment and soak in the alcohol for around 45 days,” shares the Executive Chef P.C. Kuila. The more number of days the mixture is let to soak, the better the flavour of the cake. But since Madurai’s climate is hot, 45 days is enough for the flavour to attain perfection. The maida (refined flour) and the alcohol-soaked fruit mixture are taken in one is to quarter ratio. While eggs are used for binding the mixture, chocolate sauce, fruit jams and orange pulp on top help in mellowing. “We start mixing the batter, baking and selling the cakes around December 20,” adds Mr. Kuila.
There was also a star presence at the gathering. Catherine Tresa, the leading lady of the recently released Madras , joined the celebrations. “This is so much fun,” she gushed.
The Fortune Pandiyan’s Christmas cake has its own twist with an extra dash of ginger, pistachios and almonds.
The finished delicacy, priced at Rs.700/kg, will be available for sale at the Fortune Pandiyan’s pastry outlets on New Natham Road and at the Airport counter. For corporate bulk orders and other details, call 82201 36666.
