The countdown for Christmas has begun. Christmas is incomplete without the traditional plum cake. Preparation of the plum cake starts months ahead of Christmas. The first step towards making the cake is the mixing process, formally called the 'Cake Mixing Ceremony', a ritual religiously followed throughout the world. Coimbatore-based Le Meridien too hosted its annual cake mixing ceremony recently.
Joining hands with the in-house guests, city-based guests, management and staff of this hotel were 25 nuns who also participated in the cake mixing ceremony at this hotel this year.
About 300-kgs of ingredients of the festive dry fruits were used. The aroma of the ingredients filled the air while they were being mixed by guests. Dry apricot, almond, cashew nuts, pistachios, tutti fruity, cherries, black grapes, white grapes, orange rind, prunes, glazed dates, walnut, black current came together.
Later 50-liters of wine, brandy and rum were generously added to soak all the mixtures. Freshly ground spices were also added and tossed till the fruits and nuts are well coated. This was emptied into large containers and this mixture will be stored for two months till a week before Christmas. Arunkumar Raman, Manager, Sales explains that this mixture will be occasionally stirred to ensure the nuts soak well till they are swollen.
He also shares with us that the traditional cake will be sold over-the-counter in quantities of quarter-kg, half- kg, one-kg, two-kg, five-kg at Le Meridien.
Joining hands with the in-house guests, city-based guests, management and staff of this hotel were 25 nuns who also participated in the cake mixing ceremony at this hotel this year.
About 300-kgs of ingredients of the festive dry fruits were used. The aroma of the ingredients filled the air while they were being mixed by guests. Dry apricot, almond, cashew nuts, pistachios, tutti fruity, cherries, black grapes, white grapes, orange rind, prunes, glazed dates, walnut, black current came together.
Later 50-liters of wine, brandy and rum were generously added to soak all the mixtures. Freshly ground spices were also added and tossed till the fruits and nuts are well coated. This was emptied into large containers and this mixture will be stored for two months till a week before Christmas. Arunkumar Raman, Manager, Sales explains that this mixture will be occasionally stirred to ensure the nuts soak well till they are swollen.
He also shares with us that the traditional cake will be sold over-the-counter in quantities of quarter-kg, half- kg, one-kg, two-kg, five-kg at Le Meridien.