I used to make a wicked family Spanish Rice, my father and mother’s recipe. I was not a slouch at a great Yankee-style fish chowder that I learned to make while living in Maine. And I could entertain on my Down East Finnan Haddie (a Scottish dish which found a home in Coastal Maine). From my family, I also inherited a rolled stuffed flank steak recipe that was wonderful. On the list of of beverages was a rather alcoholic egg nog that deserved not a cup or a glass, but a chalice, it was that good. Over the years, since our marriage, my wife has slowly taken over the kitchen.
The one culinary item that remains my sole realm is the annual ” don’t eat and drive” Christmas Fruitcake.” My notes on it’s prep are elaborate, and are found in my venerable paperback copy of an old 1960’s Joy of Cooking Cook book. Being that no one can read my writing the process can be called “hermetic.” I taught my oldest son the recipe on year and swore him to secrecy.
Every year, in the fall, my search for the ingredients starts. I become a bit harried, hair all windblown, and bleary-eyed, as I check off the required condiments. And then I search obscure stores and online for the spices. I’m choosy. At last with everything gathered, I expell all slackers, eavesdroppers, and layabouts from the kitchen. Then { THIS CONTENT REMOVED DUE TO NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS. CONTENTS LIMITED TO CLASS THREE AND ABOVE TOP SECURITY CLEARANCES ONLY!!!!! THIS MEANS YOU!!!} And then I wrap the cakes in muslin, and we begin the process of soaking in rum until Thanksgiving! It really pretty simple.
On Thanksgiving, we unwrap the first cake, slice it, and enjoy. Next week, I am busy shipping the cakes to family and close friends. I’ve cut back production in recent years. I think I only produced 18 or 20 last year.
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The finished product sounds amazing. I’m pretty sure I’ve never tasted a fruit cake like this one. It’s possible I’ve never tasted any alcohol in a fruit cake. Maybe that’s why I thought I didn’t like them.
Look at my reply to some of the other comments. You need to add the alcohol gradually to the muslin wrappings. You want it moist, not soaked. Also, my cakes cure for around three weeks to a month before eating.
Have you ever posted the “Don’t Eat And Drive” cake recipe? I’d love to see it, please!
So, you are super duper top-level secret squirrel security clearance?
Sorry, but it’s on this one I don’t share. Except to say that I based it on two old Joy of Cooking recipes that I combined, and then went wild with dry fruits and nuts. That is why you need the rum or brandy in the wrappings afterward. The hooch keeps the final product from being hard like most store-bought cakes. But be careful to moisten the wrappings gradually. The idea is to keep the cake moist and tasty, not to have something that is literally rum-soaked.
Wow. My mom’s fruitcake was simple applesauce cake with raisins and candied fruit baked in a loaf pan. It was good toasted. Once she decided to follow a more alcoholic recipe. Honestly, it was just strange and kind of disintegrated in the brandy.
Well, the alcohol goes on the muslin wrapping a little bit by little bit over weeks. The result is a moist cake, not a soaked cake. If you overdo it, it just tastes like booze and not fruitcake, so you need to find a balance. We have one leftover from last year. I sampled it in May, and it was still good.
I think you’re an artist!
So are you!
😊
My mother passed away over 30 years ago. She had this seafood stuffing recipe that I had somewhere and I know that even when my kids were little, I used to make it. Now I can’t find it anywhere and I’ve tried to think about what it was that made it taste so good I can’t recall one thing about it!!!
I have that issue with some of my Grandma’s Hungarian recipes. Very frustrating!
One time I even put the question on my facebook page asking if anyone’s parents, who were friends with my mom, had this recipe written down somewhere. Nope, no luck
Lots of unduplicable small family recipes just never make it into cookbooks… or get passed along.
Its that whole “hindsight” thing
Yes. The only thing I have from my grandma is a carefully reconstructed Hungarian poppyseed bread recipe that I prize.
keep it close!
I am SO HUNGRY NOW!!! A man who can cook, what a dream!
Actually, there are lots of us around. In my case, both parents worked, and I had to learn early to prep and help. Not a choice.
Everyone should learn to cook, in my opinion.😊
Agreed! All of my kids have at least minimal skills from helping out in the kitchen.
Excellent!
I’m pretty confident that Pedro is a better cook than me. For the same reason as you: he had no parents around when he grew up, so he had to teach himself. I’ve got him on baking though. 😉
great post
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Eggnog and rum fruitcake, sounds good to me
In the season, there is little better!