The much maligned fruitcake

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

This gross stuff apparently is candied cherries, pineapple, citron, lemon peel & orange peel. Love how it's deemed 'extra fancy'

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[E_just_E]

Never, never, NEVER use the red and green school paste fruit...does anyone even know what fruit it's supposed to be?

Cherries Candied Red and Green.

 

[diane]

This gross stuff apparently is candied cherries, pineapple, citron, lemon peel & orange peel. Love how it's deemed 'extra fancy'

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Cherries Candied Red and Green.

Oh! Really? That's what it is? Well, no wonder people don't like fruitcake!

 

[MRB1863]

Before sampling and liking a "homemade" fruitcake, they were not favored by me. I didn't much care for those sold in stores. These fine recipes and others like them have changed my view, and and now look forward to a GOOD slice of fruitcake around the holidays. The standing story around our house (because of the commercially produced variety) was that there was actually one fruitcake in the world and it kept getting passed around each holiday.

 

[diane]

Before sampling and liking a "homemade" fruitcake, they were not favored by me. I didn't much care for those sold in stores. These fine recipes and others like them have changed my view, and and now look forward to a GOOD slice of fruitcake around the holidays. The standing story around our house (because of the commercially produced variety) was that there was actually one fruitcake in the world and it kept getting passed around each holiday.

When I was a kid there was an old gent who kept passing us that fruitcake... Only it came to grief at our house - we were hungry and would eat anything that didn't bite back!

 

[Legion Para]

 

[Legion Para]

 

[Legion Para]

 

[Legion Para]

 

[bdtex]

With all due respect Anna Elizabeth Henry, I have seen fruitcakes which could be used as solid shot in a Napoleon twelve pounder and they tasted the same.

Beat me to it. Good for siege mortars too.

 

[Allie]

My husband really likes fruitcake, the heavier the better. Preferably so saturated with booze that you can't drive home after without risking a DUI.

 

[E_just_E]

You know that fruitcake that looks, feels and smells like a brick? That grocery and big box store $4.99 thing that looks like this and everyone is joking about it:



There is actually a decent use for it:

Canapes.

Slice in thin slices like the one that is sitting on that couch up there, toast until crisp (the more the merrier) and top it with some (good amount) of creme fraiche or plain whipped cream cheese and put some berries on top. It is not that horrible. If you are a bacon fiend, sub that for the berries. Will likely work. When thin and crisp it has the texture and taste of dehydrated biscotti...

Another potential use (which I have not tried but I think that it will be good) is in homemade granola. Crumble it on a cookie sheet, add oats and nuts, mix well and bake at 350 until all roasted.

 

[Rob9641]

I found a box of Christmas cards about 20 years ago - on the front was a psychic waving over a crystal ball and saying "I see handfuls of jewels in your future!" You open it and inside it said, "It's a fruitcake." I bought that box and sent the same card to my stepson every year until they ran out (he wasn't a fruitcake fan).

 

[John Hartwell]

Fruitcake trivia - there are actually only seven fruitcakes in the entire world, people just keep giving them to each other

Actually, they stopped making fruitcakes in 1914. After each Christmas the Magical Fruitcake Fairy goes all over the world and collects the leftover ones for recycling next year. A century later and there are still more than enough left to meet demand.

 

[E_just_E]

This looks great. Let's see if it will work

http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/free-range-fruitcake-0134090.embed.html

(new window, hit the play symbol, 6 min video)

Might try to make this next week

 

[diane]

View attachment 86550

OH NO! We're sorry...

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Bumping this thread for fruitcake month

 

[Greyfalcon]

Fyi, one of those rare things that actually taste better when you zap it in the microwave for a minute.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

You know that fruitcake that looks, feels and smells like a brick? That grocery and big box store $4.99 thing that looks like this and everyone is joking about it:

OK . . . while I understand the much maligned fruitcake is the Rodney Dangerfield of holiday sweets,
I've got to defend the Claxton Fruitcake Company.

Their product is over one hundred years old. They must be doing something right !

Actually it's quite tasty.

It's really good with a quick dip into some hot coffee, cold milk, or the spirit of your choice.
One can't go wrong with Rum, Bourbon or a good Tennessee Whiskey.

So . . . if anyone sees this Claxton fruit cake "brick" at the big box store, spend four dollars and ninety-eight cents !

It's well worth it !

 

[alan polk]

I'm glad to have come across this thread. I too despised fruitcake until I came across a WWII veteran I interviewed in college. One day on our 3rd or 4th interview, his wife fed us an incredible meal, then for dessert served fruit cake. I was never going to turn down their hospitality, but I literally kind of puked in my mouth when I was informed we were about to eat fruit cake.

Out of shear kindness and courage I took a bite. My goodness! It was one of the best thing I'd ever eaten! I later asked her what she did to it. And like others here, her response was loads of liquor. I just can't remember what kind though. (No joke intended!).

She sent it to me for years every Christmas through the mail. Unfortunately, the veteran and his dear wife have gone to their Reward and away from us, but I've oftened wondered if her recipe still lives on today with her kids!!