Sweet piece of tradition

The Oberoi recently had a fruit mixing ceremony. All the ingredients, weighing 450 kgs, needed for a sumptuous Christmas fruit cake were put on a hugh tray and the guests were called to help in mixing them. It is an annual event which has been taking place for the last six years now.

The mixture consisted of fruits like black current, raisin, fig and orange peal and spices, like cinnamon powder, clove powder, ginger powder and green cardamom powder. Once the spices were sprinkled onto the mixture, bottles of brandy and rum were poured onto it. The alcohol acts as a preservative and keeps the mixture from getting spoilt. The cakes, pies, puddings and cookies are prepared only by mid-December.

“I’m in the City since 1991 and I had never attended a cake mixing event before. I enjoyed mixing all the ingredients, especially pouring the alcohol in it. I also make fruit cake for Christmas but this was fun,” said an excited Frances Rao, one of the guests. Even the children present were included and they thoroughly enjoyed themselves. All of them were requested to wear aprons and gloves so that their clothes and hands were not messed up. The Master of Ceremonies was chef Deep Bajaj.

“This is the second such event I have been to. It is a nice feeling to bring in Christmas with so much joy. I’m from Australia and I’m staying in the City for the last one year. My daughter has gone to school otherwise I would have got her as well. Thanks to these kind of ceremonies I feel at home here,” said Donna Lethborg, another guest at the event.

The majority of the guests at the event were expatriates from Overseas Women’s Club and also those who order frequently from the hotel's pastry shop.