Countdown to Christmas begins at Crowne Plaza with Cake mixing
- 10 Oct 2017
- FWD Admin
- Features
The Christmas fever took off at Crowne Plaza, Kochi with the U-17 football teams taking part in the cake mixing ceremony
Entering the lobby of the Crowne Plaza at Kochi on the afternoon of October 9, one drifted into a heaven of heady aroma. For, it was the occasion of the cake mixing ceremony in time before Christmas.
The cake mixing affair is an annual traditional event that happens every year at the hotel. Tables were laid out together to form a long platform for the fruits and dry fruits mixture to be blended with spices and liquor. Guests and media were invited to participate in the fun ritual. But the highlight of the day was the special guests – the Under 17 international football teams’ members, who are staying in the hotel, as they gleefully partook the combining of the ingredients.
“The preparations begin two and a half months in advance,” said Shuvendu Banerjee, general manager. “After the mixing, it will be kept in storage for fermentation. And then over the period of the next one month, we will start making the cake as we get a lot of bulk orders. Mid-November onwards the cakes will be out in the market. This year, there will be around 1,200kg of cakes that will be produced.”
Executive sous chef Kalesh K S, heading the pastry department in the production of the cakes said, “It’s the kick-start of the Christmas season. We cook the fruits with red wine. Then it is mixed with liquor and spices. After that it is preserved for one to one and a half months, prior to making the Christmas cakes.”
The rich, thick mixture includes black and white raisins, figs, and dates as the major ingredients. The black raisins are imported from Afghanistan, while the white raisins are of the Sultana variety from India. “Around 1,500kg of dry fruits are combined with 250l of homemade red wine; 200l of honey, and 200kg of sugar. All this is cooked together and later we add spices and 30l of liquor,” said Chef Kalesh. Around 11 chefs have contributed to the making of the cakes.
