Manipal ushers in Christmas season with Cake Mixing Ceremony
Pics By Ankith Shetty
Manipal: The Manipal ushered in the Christmas season with what is called the cake mixing ceremony – soaking dry fruits in alcohol weeks before it takes the shape of cakes and pudding for Christmas.
Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration, MAHE and Fortune Inn Valley View together organized the fruit mixing ceremony for Christmas cake and pudding on Friday at the Culinary Arts Hostel mess here. “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 is followed even today,” said WGSHA Principal, Chef Thirugnanasambantham K.
MAHE trustee, Vasanti R Pai, wife of Chancellor, Dr Ramdas M Pai was the chief guest at the function where 36 alumni of the 10th course were also present. Over 200 kilograms of dry fruits of all kinds, brought even from Afghanistan, were mixed. The entire mix will be kept away for three weeks before making the 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. Also present on the occasion were, Vice-Chancellor, Dr H Vinod Bhat, Pro Vice Chancellors, Dr PLNG Rao and Dr Poornima Baliga, Registrar, Dr Narayana Sabhahit and others.
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 kilograms 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.