Fruits, spirits and festive fun in Chennai
The hotel prepared nearly 60 kilograms of dry fruits and nuts, including almonds, pistachios, cashews, black currants, apricots, dates and raisins
DOU's cake mixing
CHENNAI: Across the city, hotels are ushering in the festive season with their annual cake-mixing ceremonies. What begins with bowls of fruits, spices and spirits quickly turns into a celebration of community and tradition.
At The Westin Chennai Velachery, the celebration was as spirited as ever.
Executive Chef Saravanan says he is thrilled to be part of the tradition again this year. The hotel prepared nearly 60 kilograms of dry fruits and nuts, including almonds, pistachios, cashews, black currants, apricots, dates and raisins. To build aroma, the team added dry ginger powder and cinnamon.
“We get the best flavour when everything blends beautifully. This event brings together our patrons, well-wishers and the entire hotel team in a truly festive spirit. High-quality rum, whiskey, brandy and vodka were used to soak the fruits, enriching the mixture," he shares.
Dou in Nungambakkam kept the momentum going with its event titled Dou You Wanna Mix. Chef Peter Tseng, culinary director at Pricol Gourmet Enterprise, says the ceremony holds a special place in their calendar.
“It is a wonderful tradition to celebrate with our regular guests. This is our second year hosting the cake-mixing at Dou,” he says.
For Peter, the magic lies in the details.
"Fruits are soaked in alcohol to intensify their flavour, and the spices are chosen with care so the final cake has a perfect balance. Our spice mix, sourced from organic farms in Kerala, includes nutmeg, ginger powder and other spices," adds Peter.
