Cake Mixing At The Heron Portico

Here’s a question for all foodies out there… Do you know how fruit cake is made? Did you know a healthy amount of rum and other alcohol goes into the batter? We didn’t either… rather we did’not expect the amount that the Heron Portico Hotel used in making their fruit mix for their annual Christmas cake.

Heron Portico (recently renamed Portico after Indian hotel group, Sarovar took over their management) had their annual cake mixing ceremony last Friday in front of invited guests, various media houses, hotel staff and management. Cake mixing, as we were delighted to learn, is a many centuries old tradition practised by different ethnicities all over the world. This practice was started in the 17th Century by the British and has since been adopted by most if not all the countries that were once British colonies.

Ingredients for this festive cake include dried fruits such as raisins, black currants, candied cherries, dates and dried plums. These are then soaked in rum, whiskey and brandy which Heron Portico had quite the selection to choose from. The mixing was done on a large table so that everyone could be included. After a round of toasts, mixing and pictures taken, the large mixture was placed in a tub and taken back to the kitchen for storage. It will be left in storage for about 2-3 weeks to allow it to ferment giving the fruit cake (when it’s finally baked) that tangy yet sour taste.

 

After the mixing ceremony was done, the hotel brought out snacks, bitings and sweet mocktails for everyone. An open cocktail bar was at hand for those ready to get in the weekend mood it being a Friday night. All in all, cake mixing turned out to be quite a fun event for first timers like us. UP magazine will definitely be making this an annual thing and we may even start our own tradition, thank you Heron Portico for an educative yet fun Friday evening.