Christmas cake fruit mixing ceremony held in Manipal

Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration, MAHE, and Fortune Inn Valley View (FIVV) hotel together organised the fruit mixing ceremony for Christmas cake and pudding, at the Culinary Arts Hostel mess in Manipal, on Friday.

“The ceremony is an age old practice in traditional Christian households to mix dry fruits with red wine, fruit juice and alcohol at least a month before it is baked, which is followed even to this day,” said Chef Thirugnanasambantham K, Principal, WGSHA.

MAHE trustee, Vasanti R Pai, was the chief guest of the event, where 36 alumni of the 10th course were also present. Over 200 kg of dry fruits of all kinds, brought even from Afghanistan, were mixed. The entire mix will be kept away for three weeks before making cake and pudding just before Christmas.

Pro-Chancellor, Dr H S Ballal, spoke briefly about the tradition being followed by WGSHA and FIVV every year.

The venue was decorated beautifully and to bring in the festive mood, soft strains of Christmas music was played in the background. Chef Vasanthan Sigamany, gave a brief history of fruit mixing. Mounds of dry fruits and nuts were piled up on the table and after the ceremonial mixing was done by the officials, the students completed the mixing up of over 200 kg of fruits and nuts. As the fruits were being mixed by the guests wearing a chef’s apron and cap, everyone searched for coins hidden in the fruits laid out on the table. The coins are considered to bring good luck through the year.