All set for Xmas cake mixing in Ooty

Ooty: Cake-mixing ceremony at Hotel Gem Park on Thursday evening set the tone for Christmas festive spirit in the hills.  It has brought to fore the ancient tradition and the art of cake mixing associated with Xmas.

The unique ceremony saw tourists and locals joined hands with the hotel staff to pep up the Xmas spirit.

It was a ceremony of different sort to see bottles of different kinds of liquors and wine poured over mounds and mounds of dry fruits, nuts and spices to prepare the right mix for producing the cakes with aroma and flavor.   Stating that preparations begin weeks in advance and the first step towards making the Xmas cake, called as “Cake Mixing Ceremony”,  Mr. A. Ismail Khan, resident director of Gem Park, said this ritual religiously followed world over, had its European origin in 17th century.

This ceremony is traditionally believed to be a harbinger of good tidings and happiness, he noted.

B.R.Pradeep Kumar, manger, food and beverage section of the hotel said cake-mixing for Xmas is a different kind of culinary art which needs expertise as well as skills to make up the right blend.

“ The ingredients consists of nuts and dry fruits like raisins, cherries, dates, spices and honey which are mixed with the blend of liquor.  The liquor will enable the fruits and nuts to get puffed up besides imparting aroma to the cake and making it soft”  he noted.

K.Surender, the chief chef of the hotel said  this  mixture will be stored in a vat container till the Christmas week and cakes are then made from this mixture.