Posted on 12/12/2010 10:02:23 PM PST by freedumb2003
OK, I have had it with the jokes about fruitcake.
I LOVE fruitcake and, to be frank with all, I have not had a really good one for YEARS, and I blame all the anti-fruitcake jokes for all this time.
I can't even find the good old dark, dense, fruited-candy, nutted (pecans at front), rum/brandy soaked fruitcake that I loved so much 20 or 30 years ago. The ones that had cheesecloth over them to keep the dampness (and booze) in. Real fruitcake is more macho than Chuck Norris in a Bruce Willis film!
Not to worry about "regifting" them -- those of you who know of what I speak know that even close family were close indeed if we would "share" them!!
The only person who ever was allowed to make fruitcake jokes was Johnny Carson -- because he was Johnny Carson.
But I am serious -- the "Political Correctness" of food has ruined the fruitcake: which used to be the centerpiece of the yuletide.
I would give my best figgy pudding for a real fruitcake! I am searching for a fruitcake of gold! And I am gettin' old.
Have you ever considered your tastebuds may have changed and the ‘not so good’ fruitcakes you have tried recently are really what the rest of the world has been tasting all along?
Well, your search has ended. The fruitcakes from Corsicana Texas have to be the best in the world. Here ya go:
Assumption Abbey in Ava Missouri makes wonderful fruitcakes, according to a classic recipe. Here’s a link:
http://assumptionabbey.org/fruitcakes.asp
I have eaten many of these fruitcakes, given them for gifts, and the way I love them best is cut in small slices with cream cheese spread on them... Heavenly!
http://allrecipes.com/Search/Recipes.aspx?WithTerm=fruitcake
This website (’Allrecipes.com’) has several fruitcake recipes.
Collin St. Bakery--famous for their fruitcakes.
>>Have you ever considered your tastebuds may have changed and the ‘not so good’ fruitcakes you have tried recently are really what the rest of the world has been tasting all along?Have you ever considered your tastebuds may have changed and the ‘not so good’ fruitcakes you have tried recently are really what the rest of the world has been tasting all along?<<
Yes, and I have reject that idea. The fruitcake of late have been softer and lighter.
And emblazoned with “To Serve Man...”
:) (but I am serious about the answer)
My mom makes the best fruitcake, but have not found anything else I would pay good money for.
I’m with you, I love fruitcake, no raisins, please. My mom made the best fruitcake, she made both black fruitcake and white fruitcake, if you like fruitcake, you would have loved hers.
I use plenty of rum and lots of nuts and fruit....have you noticed how expensive that candied fruit is this year?....that's why I'll wait til after Christmas to buy it...it'll be shoved in some discount basket at Albertsons.....
Hi, Frank!
You know what I mean, right?
I am having my sanity and taste buds challenged.
The dark, dense, ones — I think today’s cooks don’t know what to do with candied fruits... (I think we all agree on what do with the booze, although I prefer for me, as the final recipient, for it to go into the product).
I love fruitcake, and have since a kid. (Although I’m guessing not the stuff with too much/any booze in it?) Made for a great treat on backpacking trips.
I still have candied fruit I bought years ago after Christmas. Unfortunately, my mom never followed thru on her promise to make fruitcakes for us when she got back from a trip, and now, she’s no longer around to make them.
>>I’m with you, I love fruitcake, no raisins, please.<<
What is the point?? It is like asking for a martini, no vodka please...
I’m a fruitcake lover too. I’m sure that I’ve consumed over 90% of all the fruitcake that’s ever come into my family’s house .. LOL
Love your descriptions of “real” fruitcake. Makes my mouth water!
I like the pecans and the candied fruit, but I absolutely do not care for the raisins. Maybe that’s why so many don’t like them, it’s the raisins!!
I just ate some fruitcake cookies...which I like better that cake.
Thank you so much for the link, dear FRiend. I’ve got it bookmarked, and will be making sure that my wife gets us one for Christmas. Yum!
>>I still have candied fruit I bought years ago after Christmas. Unfortunately, my mom never followed thru on her promise to make fruitcakes for us when she got back from a trip, and now, she’s no longer around to make them.<<
Well, they last forever and maybe this is a chance to invoke your Mom’s spirit. Maybe my silly little thread may do some lasting good if you choose to take those out and fulfill your Mom’s promise. There are various types of “closure” — multiplying love through food is a wonderful way of doing so.
I miss my Mom, lo these 11 years. If she were to leave such a trail for me to pick up, I may try to do so.
Bless you and may God comfort you in your loss.
You better order tomorrow!
>>Love your descriptions of “real” fruitcake. Makes my mouth water!<<
Fruitcake lovers of the world UNITE!!!! :)
I am the only United States soldier in history that would trade his canned peaches for the canned fruitcake (C-Rations). The fruitcake calories were more, and I was always starving, the truth is that most of the guys would give you their fruitcake anyway, I don’t recall anyone else ever eating it.
That's what I like.
Yeah, you do owe me now. After looking at the pictures, I have to order one, too!
;-)
>>The fruitcake calories were more, and I was always starving, the truth is that most of the guys would give you their fruitcake anyway, I don’t recall anyone else ever eating it.<<
Clearly, God gifted discerning pallets to us Chosen Few...
I can’t remember ever liking any commercial fruit cake.
I do however remember many killer home made ones.
Especially the ones with dark rum in them!
They would last months in the pantry.
Sliced thin with a bit of fresh whipped creme and good hot black coffee.
YUM!
>>my husband and all his family LOVES fruitcake and I love making it...although I wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole....LOL<<
You are child of God indeed: blessed are the fruitcake makers for their households will be filled with joy (OK, I just made that up, but you can tell your family it is almost-verse).
Beatrice Nebraska has what you seek:
http://www.beatricebakery.com/
They used to put so much rum and booze in ‘em the church ladies demanded a separate non-alcoholic version even though it all cooked out in the baking process anyway. Very good.
Hear! hear!
I think fruitcake gained its unjustified evil reputation in “polite” circles during Prohibition.
Done right, with plenty of booze, it is a glorious desert.
(I, though, am even more partial to a proper—steamed—Christmas pudding with generous amounts of hard sauce.)
>>(I, though, am even more partial to a proper—steamed—Christmas pudding with generous amounts of hard sauce.)<<
Got a quick, bachelor-doable recipe? (I am not a bachelor but a) am a “Road Warrior” on the road more than not and b) want to make it easy for all on the thread)
:)
>>They used to put so much rum and booze in ‘em the church ladies demanded a separate non-alcoholic version even though it all cooked out in the baking process anyway.<<
Then they were doing it wrong! ;)
Of course I also like Plum Pudding served flambe. That used to be a family tradition with the oldest son in the family preparing it from scratch for Christmas dinner.
I was the youngest of 3 so never learned how to do it, so I cheat and get he store bought stuff.
Of course I'm the ONLY one who eats it...sigh.
I ate it. I would usually wait till I had some canned fruit, pour the juice in the fruitcake can and let it soak for a while. Good for breakfast.
That sounds pretty good, my problem was that as a huge calorie burner, I couldn’t afford the luxury of keeping my fruit, and I would trade it for more solid foods.
Had to check out anything called “free-range fruitcake.” Visions of liberals aimless wandering the wilderness aimlessly scratching with sticks ... maybe ...
... but the cake sounded pretty good.
I look forward every year to my aunt’s gift of an Assumption Abbey fruit cake. I’ll have to try the cream cheese. I usually have a piece for breakfast with a cup of coffee.
http://www.gethsemanifarms.org/
“The Wall Street Journal rated Gethsemani Farms fruitcake as the “best overall” in quality and value. These dense, moist and spicy cakes have a truly delicious and distinctive flavor because they're handmade with only the finest, freshest ingredients... and seasoned with fine Kentucky bourbon.”
I recommend them highly.
I shall try them — thanks for the referral.
My wife, too, loves it. That does not, however, prevent me from making bad jokes about it. Except.when.she.is.in.a.really.bad.mood :)
>>That does not, however, prevent me from making bad jokes about it. Except.when.she.is.in.a.really.bad.mood :)<<
Such jokes are, IMHO, part of the fabric of American!! Tell her that, even she is in a really bad mood, it is her American duty to suck it up and laugh (yeah, that’ll work!).
I like fruitcake too. I will check back for recipes.
If anyone has (I know this sounds strange) eggless fruitcake recipes, post ‘em!
Years ago a friend made an eggless fruitcake using apricot nectar as a liquid (maybe to replace eggs), and had interesting dried fruits like dried cranberries (I think) as well as the more usual ones. It was delicious.
Now I’m getting hungry.
Dang...you're probably right. I really can't do it tomorrow. I'd better call and tell them to save me one! LOL
Yeah. I love their cakes, too.
Now with dentures . . . sigh.
Only good fruitcake I ever had was in, wait for it......
C-rations......
Or maybe I was just really hungry,,,...
Plum pudding.....served hot and with a good dose of brandy on top that is subsequently ignited....
Me too, but developing kidney stones put a stop to it.
:(
Good rant... Must have fruitcake.. now...
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