Christmas is weeks away, but the fervour has already started. Following the tradition of soaking ‘the Plum’ to mature before it is baked was concluded here on Friday at Taj Vivanta.
As per the tradition that started during the medieval period, Christians followed weeks of frugality and fasting from any kind of indulgence till Christmas arrived. Whole lot of various dried fruits and nuts are soaked in alcohol, especially wine, whisky and brandy to mature. Sometimes the maturity period is more than a year to bring that rich indulging taste.
Abiding by the tradition, Taj Vivanta hosted the ceremony of cake mixing to usher in the Christmas with a sumptuous plum cake.
“This is the first time I have participated in a cake mixing ceremony. The fun lies in adding alcohol to the dry fruits and mixing it. I felt like a child with no restrictions on me, just spray the spirit and get intoxicated with the smell of it. I can’t wait to have the matured plum cake, but sadly I won’t be here in the country to taste,” observed Dr. Natarajan, a guest from London, who participated in the cake mixing ceremony.
With a mix of 17 varieties of dry fruits, more than 20 bottles of liquor, there comes a rich plum cake that would be available to buy from December 21 to Jan 2.
“The entire mix would be stored in an airtight container for 20 days to allow it to mature. The alcohol adds a crisp tart taste to it while the fruits make it viscous. Once it is ready we mix it with the last year’s mature cake mix and bake it to bring it to the perfect traditional plum cake,” said the executive chef, Sarath Chandra Banerjee, whose association with Taj has been for more than 22 years now.
As per the tradition that started during the medieval period, Christians followed weeks of frugality and fasting from any kind of indulgence till Christmas arrived. Whole lot of various dried fruits and nuts are soaked in alcohol, especially wine, whisky and brandy to mature. Sometimes the maturity period is more than a year to bring that rich indulging taste.
Abiding by the tradition, Taj Vivanta hosted the ceremony of cake mixing to usher in the Christmas with a sumptuous plum cake.
“This is the first time I have participated in a cake mixing ceremony. The fun lies in adding alcohol to the dry fruits and mixing it. I felt like a child with no restrictions on me, just spray the spirit and get intoxicated with the smell of it. I can’t wait to have the matured plum cake, but sadly I won’t be here in the country to taste,” observed Dr. Natarajan, a guest from London, who participated in the cake mixing ceremony.
With a mix of 17 varieties of dry fruits, more than 20 bottles of liquor, there comes a rich plum cake that would be available to buy from December 21 to Jan 2.
“The entire mix would be stored in an airtight container for 20 days to allow it to mature. The alcohol adds a crisp tart taste to it while the fruits make it viscous. Once it is ready we mix it with the last year’s mature cake mix and bake it to bring it to the perfect traditional plum cake,” said the executive chef, Sarath Chandra Banerjee, whose association with Taj has been for more than 22 years now.