On Fruitcake

For years our Grandpa Randy would give our family a Collin Street Bakery De-Luxe Fruitcake. I loved it. I still do. It's moist, lots of pecans and it's kitschy (per professional bakers who say anything containing glazed cherries is kitschy). Now that Grandpa Randy is gone, the De-Luxe is a big tradition. I look forward to ordering a tin of fruitcake every year. I cut small slices and eat it as a snack after lunch all season. Incidentally, I also have a gym membership. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to devour it as I do. Sharing: no one has ever accepted a serving. Most people just don't like fruitcake. Most have never tried it but base their decision on the old cliche.

I have tried other fruitcakes and found them to be either dry, [more] chemical saturated [than I'm used to]. Some have this...hmm... whatever that currant aftertaste is... or are so sweet they make my teeth ache. I love homemade and my mom did that a few years. But I always go back to the De-Luxe. The minute I put the first slice in my mouth I can see Grandpa Randy sporting his Sunday best standing in the doorway with a bag of gifts in one hand and the fruitcake tin in the other. I can hear The Christmas Waltz by Peggy Lee and smell stuffed mushrooms baking. The house was warm and the as the door closed it sent a puff of cold air felt on my ankles. It's weird how the mind takes a picture, glad that it does. I must have been ten or eleven.

Whether you like fruitcake or not this is a a tres interesting blog to browse at Christmastime if you are in the market for a fruitcake or want to know more about it without actually partaking in more than just a distant, casual interest. To be honest, I love just looking at fruitcakes. They look more like Christmas to me than any other food or dessert out there. They just sparkle. I'm no food snob.

It doesn't matter what you like at Christmas, they have gourmet eggnogs,fruitcakes and stollen made with top shelf , organic ingredients that make you feel good when you gobble it all down. But it really doesn't matter, this is the season of silver garland, kitschy elves and plastic nativity scenes with smudgy faces poorly painted on the Holy Family, it's all good.