October 21st marks the official start of Christmas Season this year as far as Elite Hospitality Group is concerned, with the annual Pre-Christmas cake mixing event held at the famous Al Noor Tent –Elite Resort & Spa. It was such a fun activity for our invited quests from the members of the Media Professionals in the Kingdom, the Church and community. |
| COO Mr. Sarosh Aibara (Center) with the Elite Staff |
The mixing of these dried ingredients of the Christmas Plum cake or the “Elite Christmas Cake” has become a tradition within the Elite Hospitality Group.
This practice is being done in Elite for the last decade. It started out as an in house activity with mixing the non alcoholic mix with the then Elite Suites Property which was one of the Pioneering Non- alcoholic Hotel operations in Bahrain. Initially only the Department heads from Elite Suites were involved in the process.
Thereafter with more properties joining the Elite Group more Department heads from the other units were invited and joined the process of mixing.
With Elite Resort & Spa opening in 2007 the traditional alcohol marinated cake mix started to be prepared at Elite. Hotel resident guests & patrons of Elite were invited to join in starting the Seasons festivities.
From then on, Elite Resort & Spa become a name to be reckoned within Food & Beverage offerings at the Group. In 2009 onwards the scale of the activity was upped, and since 2011 Media was invited to participate and announce the start of Festivities at Elite Hospitality with a string of Seasons activities planned across the Units.
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Non-Alcoholic Mix (With Pastor Jim & Chef Sultan)
In order to ensure that teetotaler Patron /Guests do not miss out on our offering, the non – alcoholic mix and the cake & puddings made with it are definitely planned for, prepared and offered.
Executive Chef Sultan shared how this whole process is being done:
The “Mix” which was prepared is left to macerate under its own bulk; with regular mixing to ensure the blend thoroughness (the weight Bulk helps to weigh down crushing the lower part of the mix ever so gently and this is turned over and over in the next three fortnights before the “Mix” is used with other cake ingredients to give– NO, it is no longer the “Plum cake” but turns out to be the Elite Christmas Cake)
What started out as probably a Plum Pudding/pie has metamorphosed into as many variations as many cooks/kitchens there are. Starting out the Humble dried Plums & Raisins Pudding has gone on to take in a lot of ingredients, all mostly the dried fruits variety- commonly almonds, raisins, Currants, dry cherries, with some candied Peels to add zing, spices to add zest and with the theme running the more the merrier, imaginative mixes take in a plethora of good stuff – to mention a few- dries figs, dried apricots, pumpkin seeds, and list could go on.
The “Mix” becomes better with time-The Longer it macerates, the better it becomes (within reasonable limits of course) recommended to be done for about 45 days.
The Elite Festive X’Mas Cake has the Following goodies in the “Mix”
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