Indian medium pacer Jhulan Goswami and left-arm spinners Ekta Bisht and Rajeswari Gayakwad were busy smelling popular liquors here.
Literally all the Indian women cricket players, who are here to play against the visiting West Indies team, a three-match series, were carrying “a bottle” and posing photographs to a battery of lensmen. If you thought they were having a drinking binge then you are wrong.
They were taking part in the age-old tradition of cake mixing which began at The Gateway Hotel. They along with bakers, chefs mixed dry fruits, cherries with liquor amidst bonhomie and gaiety.
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“They (the women cricketers) are our star guests and we want them to be part of the grand annual event. They thoroughly enjoyed and contributed their mite towards cake-making,” said sales manager Shabul Hassan.
He said around 30 bottles of liquor was poured into 250 kg of ingredients used for the cake preparation.
“We will keep the mix for preservation for 45 days before starting the preparation,” he added.
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Tradition
He said the longer the dry fruits were left to soak and ferment in the liquor, the better will be the final output — the cake. Mr. Shabul said it was a tradition at the hotel to welcome the holiday season with a fruit soaking ceremony ahead of Christmas.
“Preparations of Christmas cake begin months in advance and cake mixing the first step towards it.”
He said sale of cakes and other bakery items will reach a new high during the Christmas and New Year.