The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something I've never been able to
understand. It's one of those Christmas treats that we eagerly anticipated
for weeks before the big day. Even after gorging ourselves on roast goose
with chestnut stuffing and bread sauce, Brussels sprouts, roast parsnips and
potatoes, etc. followed by Christmas pudding with brandy butter, we looked
forward to sherry trifle, mincepies and the crowning glory, the Christmas
cake. It was mixed and baked many weeks ahead of the holiday and attended
frequently with lovingly dispensed shots of brandy. It was a harbinger of
what was to be. Every time it was unwrapped, it was a reminder that
Christmas was closer. A week or two before the holiday it would receive
it's crown of golden marzipan paste and a coating of royal icing. A few
dragees and the odd decoration and girded with a seasonal wrap it was set to
be the centrepiece of the Christmas table. Smell pieces were served and
savoured by all.

As I said, I don't understand why Americans wouldn't like it. Maybe it's an
anti-Brit thing. It's full of sugar and carbohydrate and that should be
attractive!

Maybe there's not enough fat! Perhaps if it was battered and deep-fried it
would gain acceptance (memo to McDs in Scotland: add to Mars bar menu).

Or could it be the 'Royal' icing (a reminder of the colonial days)? Maybe
Mel Gibson mentioned it in 'Braveheart'.

Perhaps the association with wedding cake, given the 50% divorce rate, has
something to do with it but I think they have comparable divorce stats in UK
and I think they still like the cake.

Who knows? Americans are such an odd bunch!

Robin

"jacqui{JB}" > wrote in message
...
> "Daisy" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> > I read a newspaper article yesterday written
> > by a non-USA person, who had experienced
> > life in a Brtitsh-style culture for a while. The
> > article was all about fruit cakes.
> >
> > Apparently fruit cakes (the genuine version please
> > people LOL) are virtually unknown in the USA.
> > I didn't know that.
>
> I think the writer of the article didn't do his homework. Fruitcakes
> of various kinds, including the traditional British-style cake, are
> widely known, if often reviled, in the US.
>
> -j
>
>
>