What ever happened to the Christmas fruitcake? If you’re a certain age – like me – born in the 40’s, 50’s or even early 60’s, you remember the Christmas fruitcake. You either liked it or hated it, but it was always there – sometimes well into Easter. I kind of liked it in moderation – as too much fruitcake was a place you never want to go. But, these days – where’s the fruitcake. I haven’t had any in years and I kind of miss it.
Now there was two kinds of fruitcakes – plain and spiked. As a child, we never got access to the spiked kind. If we did, we may have grown to like fruitcake more. But, I can understand why our parents kept it away from us – sugar and booze – a bad combination for already hyper children during the Christmas season.
The last time I had some really good fruitcake was from the wife of an old photographer friend who if you were lucky – you got on her Christmas list for fruitcake. That was almost 20 years ago. It was the best. It wasn’t the kind that you could use to change tires on your car. It was wonderful. In fact, Linda and I thought of it as happy cake – as a few portions would soon put a grin on your face. Now, I don’t even know anyone who goes to the trouble to make good fruitcake – because for years fruitcake was the subject of many a Christmas time joke. People complained about Christmas fruitcakes so much – those who use to make them gave it up. And now we have a generation or two of young folks who know nothing of fruitcake. Too bad.
I miss fruitcake!