Celebrating hearty holiday traditions

But tedious tasks like this must be performed with a satisfying meal, or in The Westin’s case, an expansive spread of varied delicacies
Celebrating hearty holiday traditions
Celebrating hearty holiday traditions

The holiday season is upon us — the time for mouth-watering sweets, colourful decor, that expensive sari you’ve been eager to drape, friends, family, wanted and unwanted guests. It’s also the time for familiar cooking traditions, like the annual cake-mixing ceremony at The Westin Chennai Velachery.

But tedious tasks like this must be performed with a satisfying meal, or in The Westin’s case, an expansive spread of varied delicacies. Eclectic counters at their Seasonal Tastes restaurant offered appetisers (live pasta, artisanal breads, cheese, salads and cold cuts), Arabic bites (hummus, baba ganoush, pita bread), hearty Indian mains (milagu rasam, murgh biryani), and aesthetically pleasing desserts (apple upside down, kiwi mousse, and baked cheesecake).

The cake-mixing ceremony featured two large containers of nuts and dry fruits such as figs, cherries, cashews, and peppers with jugs of spiced wine, rum, brandy, and whiskey. Donning aprons, masks, gloves and hair nets (safety first), we poured in all the liquor and began mixing the ingredients with our hands.

This mixture, however, will not be tasted till Christmas. “This (nuts and dry fruits) soaks in for a couple of months (45-60 days). At the time of Christmas, we use these soaked ingredients in the plum cakes that we make. The whole festive season, we’ll be using this particular mix in everything.

Like the muffins that we have for breakfast then will also contain this. That is why I asked everyone here to come back (to taste the mix they have created in the Christmas feast)... what you will be eating will be something you helped us prepare,” explained executive chef, Biju Philiph at the event.

Now, we can’t wait for Christmas to devour the cakes we joyfully helped prepare!

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