With the winter setting in, it is time to look ahead to cakes and ale. Ibis Kolkata Rajarhat is gearing up for the baking season by setting aside the mix for cakes.
A cake-mixing ceremony was held recently which occasioned the hotel’s lawn to be done up with a variety of breads, cheese and bottles of wine. On the mixing tray nuts, dry fruits and spices were mixed by gloved hands in a blend of brandy, whisky and red wine. “There is enough in the tray to make 45 to 50 plum cakes of 650 to 700g each,” said executive chef Avisek Chand.
A decor to add cheer to the occasion at Ibis Kolkata Rajarhat
Sudeshna BanerjeeAfter the ceremony, the mix would be packed off in a sealed container to be fermented and aged. This will allow the nuts to soak in the juices and liquor, he added. The mix, he pointed out, would have to be moistened intermittently to avoid dryin
Bread and cheese on display
Sudeshna BanerjeeGeneral manager Amita Mishra referred to the custom of cake mixing in Europe to welcome the harvest season dating back to the 17th century. “In villages, an entire family would come together and part of the mix would be preserved for the next year too. The objective behind the ceremony is coming together and looking forward to a prosperous new year with renewed hope, leaving the past behind,” she said.
