Love Actually

The nip in the air, the warmth of the blanket, the comforting afternoon sun, colourful cardigans, steaming hot coffee, huggable nights and baking.

Winter feels warm when the oven is on. For Baking is Loving. 

The knowledge that Christmas is around the corner perks us all up.

I love Christmas. 

It's a birthday, celebrations and loving and giving.

Growing up it was about baking, the house looked and smelt like a bakery! 

The chopping of nuts and dry fruits, weeks ahead of  D-Day, heady essence of cut fruits mixed in potent brandy, the high we got when we inhaled the aroma wafting through the house on baking day!

Rich cake, fruit cake, date cake. Christmas cake.

Several variations, all drunk.

Once I left my parental home and set up my own and started my own baking rituals, in the land of plenty baking a Christmas cake was a pleasure!

The ingredients we had to painstakingly search for to buy and clean in a small town in TamilNadu, now were so easily accessible. 

I stuck to the traditional SriLankan Christmas Cake.

Customised it to suit my taste, chopping and mixing with a dose of love. 

It is indeed a labour of love.

and Cost!

But that seems insignificant when you know this cake is going to be causing so much joy and giggles among friends and relatives.

Its November, my fruits have been chopped, the spices have been ground and mixed. I have been generous with my brandy and love the weekly overdose! The reds, yellows, gold, green, black and whites all comfortable in each others company.

Osmosis in your kitchen! 

Another month of soaking and mixing and the nuts will be plumped up ready for the cake! 

Dense, yet moist, rich flavours, a touch of spice and soft and crunch balanced well! 

The preparation is hard work, it's a good workout for the arm and the long vigil on baking night requires proper planning and ample snacking and TV time. 

And then 10 days of basting the cake readying for Christmas night! 

This birthday boy gets the best cake for sure!

Fire up the Oven! 

Christmas comes but once a year and it's truly the season of loving!