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Chennai is a city which embraces every religion and celebrates every festival. And Christmas, the festival of cheer, smiles and giving, is embraced by people of all faiths.

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CHENNAI: Chennai is a city which embraces every religion and celebrates every festival. And Christmas, the festival of cheer, smiles and giving, is embraced by people of all faiths. And what’s a festival without food? Hotels in Chennai began their preparations months ago and you can see that in the form of hampers and special menus. Sooraj R Mohan visits a few well-known hotels in the city to take a look at what they are packing and serving for the special day.

Courtyard by Marriot

The Muffin Tree has a Platinum Gift Hamper, which has an assortment of handpicked goodies, like plum cake, ginger bread house with candy, Nutella, and imported preserves and homemade chocolates. Olives, olive oil, and pasta comprise the savory assortment. A handpicked bottle of imported water, imported red wine, and imported whiskey are all a part of this hand-crafted hamper. It is priced at Rs 5,000+taxes. “The mini version of these hampers, gold and silver variations, are available at Rs 4,000 and Rs 3,000 respectively (plus taxes),” says Harikaran Sethi, food and beverage manager, Courtyard by Marriot.

For details, call: 66764000

Park Hyatt

This season, Park Hyatt offers a collection of well-loved traditional and novel goodies at the ‘Ginger Bread House’. It also offers a special festival takeaway menu, which is an add-on to the usual offering. One of the highlights is the traditional Christmas turkey which weighs around 5-7 kg and serves up to seven people.

Roast butter ball with cranberry sauce

The cost of this special turkey preparation is Rs 3,000 per kg. Another main highlight of the menu is glazed ham which weighs up to 5 kg and serves up to nine people. The ham feast is priced at Rs 15,000 each. These two dishes are prepared under request. Apart from the main course servings, they also provide sweet treats from plum cakes to earl grey bitter chocolates cakes. The price ranges from Rs 350 to Rs 1,000.

Under the hamper collection, they have two varieties:

• Santa’s Hamper, which has a plumcake, homemade Christmas stollen, traditional cookies jar (small), fruits and nuts dark chocolate bar, Luna Argenta prosecco brut. It is priced at Rs 7,000+taxes.
• Deluxe Hamper comes with panettone plumcake, homemade stollen, traditional cookies jar (large), fruits and nuts, dark chocolate bar, chocolate pralines, assorted macaroons, Santa Cristina Cabernet Shiraz. It is priced at Rs 10,000.

For details, call: 71771234

Savera Hotel

From kids to grown-ups, there is a hamper for all at Savera Hotel. Apart from the popular ginger bread
house, they have attractive hampers.

• Kids hamper comes with a plum cupcake, five chocolate bars, cinnamon muffin roll, marble cake,brownie, macaroons, and assorted cookies. It is priced at Rs 525.
• Boutique Special comes with a plum cake, eight chocolate bars, stolen, cinnamon muffin roll, marble cake, brownie, macaroons, assorted cookies, marzipan fruits, apricot Linzer, plum pudding, rich almond Dundee and lemon apricot cake. Priced from Rs 1,049, the Boutique Special comes in five varieties. The quantity in each hamper differs.

For details, call: 28114700

Taj Coromandel

La Patisserie in Taj Coromandel has a range of festive goodies starting at Rs 3,500. “This year, we have introduced liquor addons to the hampers like champagne from GH Mums and Red Wine from Jacob  Creek Reserve and Shiraz,” says Ravi Varma, pastry chef, La Patisserie. The list of hamper collection is as follows...

• Wise Man’s Gift comes with ginger bread, cashewnut and raisin milk chocolate bars, meringues and  plum cakes. This is priced at Rs 3,500+taxes.
• Season’s Greeting Hamper contains assorted roasted nuts, chocolate fudge, almond chocolate bars, chocolate chip cookies, candles, plum pudding and plum cake. This is priced at Rs 5,500+taxes.
• Indulgence Hamper, priced at Rs 10,000+taxes, includes assorted roasted nuts, macaroons, hazelnut  chocolate bars, chocolate and almond cookies, chocolate brownie, flaky almond and chocolate disk,  gooey liquor chocolate bar, candles, stolen bread, plum pudding and plum cake.
• Festive Hamper has flavoured nuts, macaroons, hazelnut chocolate bars, chocolate and almond cookies,  chocolate brownie, flaky almond and chocolate disk, gooey liquor chocolate bar, assorted cheese,  flavoured marzipan, mudpie, stolen bread, candles & decorations, Devotie leather card holder, a pack of  assorted tea, plum pudding, and plum cake. This is priced at Rs 25,000+taxes.

They have also introduced special pastries like rum chocolate torte (rum flavoured chocolate mousse with gouache filling), red berry eclairs, (classic French eclair filled with raspberry ganache, blueberries and strawberries), pistachio opera (pistachio sponge lined with French buttercream and chocolate ganache), Baba-aurum (Ccassic French yeast cake saturated in rum syrup, and topped with fruits and double cream), and baked cheesecake with winter fruits.

Anise, the all-day diner, will present Christmas Eve brunch and dinner buffet and Christmas brunch. Savour Greek style lamb soulvaki and murgh gouler kebab, house-smoked smorgasboard with kale, Swiss chard and quinoa salads at the salad bar along with roasted purple potatoes and white asparagus.

Want to customise your hamper? Call: 66002827