Fruitcake--monstrous or marvelous??

David

CBC Radio had a few people on the other morning debating the merits or lack thereof of Christmas Fruit Cake. Now I come down very heavily on the "marvelous" side of the equation---but only if the cake is very dark and very moist, I firmly believe the current tendency to "lighten" everything will one day lead to the extinction of many a fine traditional food andfruit cake would be one of the first to go (right after plum pudding). Any thoughts dear readers??
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Rainey · Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:22 pm Post subject:

I genuinely *like* fruitcake too, David. And of all the things that can go in a fruitcake, candied citron is my fave! But I wonder if there's a more calorie-laden food?! So, in the end, I'd brave the disapproval of all and sundry but the calorie count of even a very small fruitcake (that I'd, no doubt, end up finishing myself) is more than I can handle. I'm reduced to hoping for an invite to someplace where they're serving up a good one. Wink

PS I used to *love* those CBC segments where listeners record their memories. One of my favorites: the worst birthday present your mother made you take to a birthday party. So sweet and funny! I was humiliated again along with every single listener! And I was sooo impressed with how bright and literate the listener contributions always were.

I thought CBC had redesigned their programming tho. I had heard they were modeling their day after the commercial stations so they would fit in as background workplace music rather than the more nostalgic, the avant-garde and that which requires more active listening... Glad to think they're still working in those wonderful interactive segments!

madameshawshank · Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 5:46 am Post subject: fruit cake..plum puddings..

David Dear! what's > MARVELLOUS!!! Give me a dense as all get out fruit cake...absolutely has to be moist...I don't see the point in eating something that simply crumbles from your mouth...

At the moment I can hear the "double the mixture" plum pudding boiling away...1.7 kgs of fruit, 10 cups breadcrumbs, 10 eggs, ...spices..great fun! Do you know of the tradition of having a piece of 12 different Christmas fruit cakes. When you do that, the coming 12 months should be a walkover. It's a good luck thing.

My cake for my father is still in the tin from yesterday...I came across some baking tips from the head of the Country Women's Association...she suggested to wrap the outside of the tin with 10 layers of newspaper, and to place a magazine on a tray, then the cake tin...to prevent the cake browning too quickly ..before the inside has cooked. I was a little wary! My dad was a little worried..."you're not cooking it in my oven are you?"...I used a newspaper folded over so the bottom of the tin covered the wad of paper.

The cake smells scrumptious. As soon as I took it from the oven, I poured a liberal amount of whiskey over it...then immediately wrapped the tin in foil, then tea towels, then a big towel for good measure. This process keeps the steam in to keep the cake moist.

I loveeeeeeeeeee Christmas baking. German Christmas Star Cookies tomorrow, for friends. Fruitmince pies for my dad on Saturday...and my dears..all this in Oz heat.....
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"I've never accepted the external appearance of things as the whole truth. The world is much more elaborate than the nerves of our eye can tell us." - James Gleeson

brighidsdaughter · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 233 Location: Canton, TX USA

Fruitcakes I hate: dry, overcooked, with candied fruits in totally unnatural colors (bright green candied pineapple, anyone?)

Fruitcakes I love: dense, moist, smelling of spices, well-aged with the spirit of one's choice, full of candied citrus peel in natural colors, dried fruit, nuts, candied ginger.

melinda · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 256 Location: Richmond, VA, usa

not a fruitcake fan....why not just have cake with real fruit on top????

David · Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 6:41 pm Post subject:

No madame shawshank, I've not heard of the 12 different chrismas cake tradiotion! Sounds tremendously excessive and perfectly delightful. Many of my Ukrainian friends still do the tradional 12 meatless dishes on Christmas Eve though.

Rainey---what CBC did was split into 2 stations, CBC 1 is mostly talk radio, the one you remember so well, and CBC 2, known as "the classics and beyond" is more or less a classical music station with shows of other styles tossed in around their schedule. Glad you enjoyed it, it has been a lifesaver at times!
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Mats · Joined: 17 Dec 2004 Posts: 5 Location: Toronto, Canada

David · Posted: Fri Dec 17, 2004 5:28 pm Post subject:

Mats! That is a brilliant simile. Thank you!
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Erin · Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2004 7:54 pm Post subject:

As a matter of fact I just made fruit cake for my neighbors! I don't use candied fruit that you can see through, but an assortment of dried fruit, ginger and finely chopped nuts. The cake is very moist from the rum and farm fresh cider. I also use fresh whole spices that I blend and grind specially. This cake was fun to make and wonderful to eat!

My grandmothers cake had the nasty fruit and whole nuts, I mean who wants to bite into an entire brazil nut in their cake! I still ate it though, because she soaked those things with so much liquor you could be arrested for driving!
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goddess · Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 6

I am of the firm belief that there is only 1 fruitcake in existence, and it just keeps getting sent around from person to person

swan · Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 11:14 am Post subject:

very easy, to live in a country without a fruitcake tradition... Smile

David · Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 4:54 pm Post subject:

But goddess, it would never make it past me! We started eating our first Christmas cake on Sunday, served up with a generous slice of sharp aged Canadian cheddar.
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Julianne · Joined: 21 Dec 2004 Posts: 3 Location: London, England

I love the stuff. I've just cut into my "white" fruitcake, which is based on a creme fraiche batter and loaded with sultanas, dried cherries, apricots, almonds, and undyed glace cherries (which aren't fashionable, but do have their purpose) before being soaked in kirsche. It is SO moist, and SO fragrant...but then, I like dried fruit in almost any form.

Rainey · Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 7:28 am Post subject:

However you feel about fruitcake you'll be charmed, I'm sure, by our favorite monkey's fruitcake adventure. http://www.himonkey.net/holiday/xmas/fcw/index.html

I know you'll enjoy seeing monkey and maybe it will bring monkey back to play with us a bit! Wink

Erin · Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 12:49 pm Post subject:

I had my first taste of my own fruit cake last night, and it was good.
_________________
"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."