Ok, who else doesn't like fruitcake? Maybe I've just never had one that was really good, but I've never been able to tolerate the stuff. Back in the 80s, my Mom used to order them from Mary of Puddin Hill, and they weren't too horrible, but they were still chock full of nasty, plastic-like, candied fruits. My Dad loves fruitcake, even the cheap rectangles of the stuff they sell at the drug store starting the day after Thanksgiving.
One year, I thought I'd make homemade fruitcake - heavy on the nuts and booze, light on the fruit and cake. The recipe I used resulted in two huge rings, each of which I wrapped in booze-soaked cloth and stored in the bottom of our spare fridge. After several weeks of faithful re-boozing, I discovered that they had started to grow mold - the fridge was far too humid a spot to cure fruitcake. Both went in the garbage. What a waste!
Oddly enough, considering I really don't like raisins, I do enjoy a good Christmas pudding. I've made those from scratch before with much success. This year, I ordered one online, a Duchy Originals organic pud. I popped it in the microwave for 3 minutes and served it with Bird's Custard (also prepared in the nuker). HRH Prince Chuckles makes a good product! The pudding was extremely moist and flavorful and better than the several home-made varieties I've eaten in the past.
So who out there actually likes fruitcake? Who gave or received them as gifts? How about Christmas pudding?
4 comments:
* tried to comment y'day but it didn't take.
Regular Fruitcake? Yuck.
But a pal that was marrying a guy of Scottish descent had a 'wedding fruitcake'. As it was sliced open (white icing) many eyed it warily and refused, but it was great.
And now I know what to look for in a fruit cake - go for the ones with dates, almonds & figs, and avoid any showing cherries or orange peel. Ta da!
Hi Minx -
I'm sort of new to your blog (was pointed here at Thanksgiving by a friend) but had to answer your fruitcake question. I'm not generally a Food Network kind of gal but I made fruitcake using Alton Brown's recipe (sort of) and it was delicious. I used dried cherried, cranberries, raisins, and apples along with chunks of candied ginger then boozed up the loaves with ginger brandy. They were great and there wasn't a fluorescent cherry in sight. You might give it a try.
Looking forward to your next Top Chef recap.
Marion
Ugh, ugh, UGH! I hate fruitcake . . . the idea is okay, but I've never met an execution of that idea that is edible.
There is a "famous" fruitcake company not too far from where I live that is supposed to make really good fruitcake, but even that is not tolerable to me.
I am of Twiggy's generation and I have been on a diet my whole life. At one point I used to eat every other day and have only 1000 calories on my food days. I am used to being hungry all the time.
My mother and I made fruitcake for a couple of years in a row and I thought it was delicious. So I guess real food was a treat to me.
(By the way, I always kept my fat thighs, even with starvation and I ruined my metabolism so now I am on thyroid meds.) You just can't fool the body. It does what it wants to do.
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