Manipal: Fruit mixing for Christmas cakes at WGSHA

By Snehalatha, Udupi
Bellevision Media Network

Manipal, 05 December 2012: The annual ritual of mixing fruit to bake Christmas cakes and pudding was organized by Welcomegroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration (WGSHA) at Welcome Group Academy of Culinary Arts Bakery, Manipal, here recently.

 
The colorful dry fruits laid up on a table was mixed and soaked in rum and brandy and put away for a couple weeks before it is baked.

 
It is a centuries old tradition to mix dry fruits to honor the god of agriculture Dagda. Every member of the family used to mix the fruits. Symbolically, here the vice chancellor, Dr K Ramnarayan and WGSHA principal P Gopalakrishnan and staff, along with other officials of the university did the mixing.

 

 

The fruits when soaked in liquor will develop a rich and exciting flavour and will be used to make tasty Christmas cakes and puddings. The cakes are believed to be endowed with the magical powers of the Dagda. It is also believed that it is possible to make a wish with the first mouthful eaten. If the wish is kept a secret, it will be granted in the coming year.

 
Associate Professor, Bakery, in WGSHA, Vasanthan Sigamany said that charms hidden in the cakes, such as a silver coin, a ring and a thimble, act as indicators of the fortunes of those who find them when eating their portion of the dish. The coin promises riches, the ring suggests marriage and the thimble hints at a saintly, perhaps single life.