My father made the best fruitcake, light with french brandy and the
citron tasted great. I tried making it and the citron tasted
terrible. I just want to buy one for now - anyone know of a good
merchant?

where are you? I make fruitcake to sell and it is delicious. I know I
know, I'm biased, but I do have many repeat customers. I'd be happy to ship
one off toyou. Mine is a dark fruitcake though, not light. Wendy
----- Original Message -----
From: "ggg" >
Newsgroups: rec.food.baking
To: >
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 1:29 PM
Subject: Where can I buy a delicious fruitcake?


> My father made the best fruitcake, light with french brandy and the
> citron tasted great. I tried making it and the citron tasted
> terrible. I just want to buy one for now - anyone know of a good
> merchant?
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"ggg" > wrote in message
...

> My father made the best fruitcake, light with french
> brandy and the citron tasted great. I tried making
> it and the citron tasted terrible. I just want to buy
> one for now - anyone know of a good merchant?

Well, some years ago (back in ... ye ghods, 1980? ACK!), when I was in high
school band, we sold very good fruitcakes as a fund-raiser. The original
Texas Manor Fruicakes are available online now and, if they're anything as
good now as they were then, I'd say it's a pretty nice fruitcake -- not too
dark, not too light.

http://www.yahoocake.com/cgi-bin/yah...ml?id=pz7N3eMB

ObDisclaimer: I haven't ordered from this vendor, nor have I tasted this
fruitcake in 25 years, so I can't personally vouch for either. Sorry.

When you're ready to make your own fruitcake again, you might consider
making your own candied peel, if you can't find anything decent in the
stores. I'm on a constant quest, myself, to find candied peel in "caps,"
rather than small pieces, to see if it really is "better" (for whatever
quantity of better there is where candied peel is concerned ).

-j

On Wed 30 Nov 2005 11:28:16p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it
jacqui{JB}?

> "ggg" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> My father made the best fruitcake, light with french
>> brandy and the citron tasted great. I tried making
>> it and the citron tasted terrible. I just want to buy one for now -
>> anyone know of a good merchant?
>
> Well, some years ago (back in ... ye ghods, 1980? ACK!), when I was in
> high school band, we sold very good fruitcakes as a fund-raiser. The
> original Texas Manor Fruicakes are available online now and, if they're
> anything as good now as they were then, I'd say it's a pretty nice
> fruitcake -- not too dark, not too light.
>
> http://www.yahoocake.com/cgi-bin/yah...ml?id=pz7N3eMB

Wow, my high school band sold these, too. I was a senior in 1963, so you
can tell how long it's been since I've tasted these. Although my mom made
her own fruitcake, we also bought at least one of these each year. They
were wonderful.

Thanks for reminding me!

> ObDisclaimer: I haven't ordered from this vendor, nor have I tasted this
> fruitcake in 25 years, so I can't personally vouch for either. Sorry.
>
> When you're ready to make your own fruitcake again, you might consider
> making your own candied peel, if you can't find anything decent in the
> stores. I'm on a constant quest, myself, to find candied peel in
> "caps," rather than small pieces, to see if it really is "better" (for
> whatever quantity of better there is where candied peel is concerned
> ).

I've been making my own fruitcake for a long time, but I may just try a
Texas Manor Fruitcake soon, if no other than nostalgic reasons. :-)

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________________________

A chicken in every pot is a *LOT* of chicken!

Wayne, would you consider sharing your fruitcake recipe? If so, please
post.

Shirley in AZ

ty this makes me want to bake since I don't like raisins. The
pineapple one looks good.

On Thu 01 Dec 2005 02:13:13p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Shirley
Ward?

> Wayne, would you consider sharing your fruitcake recipe? If so, please
> post.
>
> Shirley in AZ

I'd be glad to Shirley. Actually, this year I made 5 different fruitcakes,
4 of which were new to me and I have not yet tasted. The following recipe
was my grandmother's, although I admit to tweaking it a bit. I've been
making it since 1963. You may, of course, reduce the quantities (keeping
the same proportions), if you don't want this much cake. 'Hope you enjoy
it!

DARK FRUITCAKE

2 cups golden raisins
1 cup dark raisins
1 cup currants
2 cups dried apricot halves, snipped into ½" pieces
2 cups dried figs, halved, stems discarded
1 cup pitted prunes, snipped into ½" pieces
1 cup whole pitted dates
4 cups English walnuts, in halves or large pieces
2 cups pecans, in halves or large pieces
2 cups candied cherries (red and green, if possible)
2 cups candied pineapple slices, cut in wedges
1 cup candied lemon peel
1 cup candied orange peel
1 cup candied citron
Grated zest of 3 oranges
Grated zest of 3 lemons
1/2 cup chopped candied ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon mace
1/2 teaspoon ground doves.
1 cup molasses
2 cups brandy
1/2 cup orange liqueur
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound (4 sticks or 2 cups) butter
3 cups dark brown sugar
8 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

The day before you make the fruitcake, combine all the dried fruits, the
nuts, and citrus zests in a large mixing bowl or kettle. Sprinkle on the
candied ginger and the spices, and toss well to mix. Add the molasses,
brandy, and orange liqueur, and mix well. Cover and let stand overnight,
stirring once or twice. (The mixture may sit for several days, if you wish.
Stir it occasionally, and add a little more brandy if it has been
absorbed.)

The day you make the cakes, preheat the oven to 275°E Grease four 9 x
5 x 3-inch loaf pans, line the bottoms with waxed paper, grease the paper,
then roll flour about the pans to coat them lightly and evenly. Knock out
excess flour.

Sprinkle 1 cup of the flour over the fruit mixture and stir well. Combine
the remaining 3 cups flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt,
and sift them together onto a piece of waxed paper; set aside. Cream the
butter, then add the brown sugar and beat well. Add the eggs two at a time,
beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Add the
combined dry ingredients and beat until the batter is thoroughly blended
and perfectly smooth. Pour the batter over the fruit mixture (you might
need to do this in a large tub or a clean dishpan if you have made the full
recipe) and mix well until all of the pieces of fruit are coated with
batter-your clean hands are the best tools for this.

Divide the batter among the prepared loaf pans, filling them within 1/2
inch of the top. Bake the cakes for about 2 hours: each cake will rise just
above the rim of the pan, the top will crack slightly in several places,
and there will be a faint line of shrinkage around the edge of the pan. An
ice pick or long wooden skewer inserted in the center of a cake should come
out clean, or with just a slight residue of sticky fruit, but no raw
batter. Remove the cakes from the oven and place them on a rack to cool for
about 30 minutes. Turn out of the pans, peel off the waxed paper, and let
cool top side up on a rack. If you wish, pour an additional tablespoon or
two of brandy over the cakes as they cool.

To sto Wrap each one first in plastic wrap, then in a secure wrapping of
foil, and keep in a cool place. Or, if you wish, you may first wrap each
cake in a brandy-soaked cloth, then in foil, and store as directed above.
The cakes will keep for months. To serve, cut in thin slices with a long
serrated knife.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________________________

A chicken in every pot is a *LOT* of chicken!

Sounds so good! Let us know how the other fruitcakes turned out when you
sample them! I order from Corcicano (sp?) TX each year. Haven't made my
own for a long long time, but wish to try again. Need to mark the calendar
to remind myself each Oc tober.

Thanks for sharing Wayne.

Shirley in AZ

In article >,
ggg > wrote:

> My father made the best fruitcake, light with french brandy and the
> citron tasted great. I tried making it and the citron tasted
> terrible. I just want to buy one for now - anyone know of a good
> merchant?

Collin Street Bakery, Corsicana, TX. The best.
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 12-1-05, Oodles of Noodles

On Fri 02 Dec 2005 10:46:25a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Shirley
Ward?

> Sounds so good! Let us know how the other fruitcakes turned out when
> you sample them! I order from Corcicano (sp?) TX each year. Haven't
> made my own for a long long time, but wish to try again. Need to mark
> the calendar to remind myself each Oc tober.
>
> Thanks for sharing Wayne.
>
> Shirley in AZ

We'll be sampling the other cakes at Christmas. I post results.

You're welcome...

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________________________

A chicken in every pot is a *LOT* of chicken!

I generally make my own using my late mother's recipe. When I do buy
them, I order from Collins Street Bakery in Corsicana, TX. Carol

Our life may not always be the party we would have chosen, but while we
are here, we may as well dance!

In article >,
"Shirley Ward" > wrote:

> Sounds so good! Let us know how the other fruitcakes turned out when you
> sample them! I order from Corcicano (sp?) TX each year. Haven't made my
> own for a long long time, but wish to try again. Need to mark the calendar
> to remind myself each Oc tober.
>
> Thanks for sharing Wayne.
>
> Shirley in AZ

Collin Street Bakery.
Corsicana TX
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 12-6-05, Skyline Aglow - the 35mm picture

On Fri 23 Dec 2005 10:46:54a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it ?

> On 3 Dec 2005 03:23:02 +0100, Wayne Boatwright
> > wrote:
>
>>On Fri 02 Dec 2005 10:46:25a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Shirley
>>Ward?
>>
>>> Sounds so good! Let us know how the other fruitcakes turned out when
>>> you sample them! I order from Corcicano (sp?) TX each year. Haven't
>>> made my own for a long long time, but wish to try again. Need to mark
>>> the calendar to remind myself each Oc tober.
>>>
>>> Thanks for sharing Wayne.
>>>
>>> Shirley in AZ
>>
>>We'll be sampling the other cakes at Christmas. I post results.
>>
>>You're welcome...
>
>
> Free Range Fruitcake
> Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
> Show: Good Eats
> Episode: It's a Wonderful Cake
> Difficulty: Easy
> Yield: 10 slices
>
>
> 1 cup golden raisins
> 1 cup currants
> 1/2 cup sun dried cranberries
> 1/2 cup sun dried blueberries
> 1/2 cup sun dried cherries
> 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
> Zest of one lemon, chopped coarsely
> Zest of one orange, chopped coarsely
> 1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped
> 1 cup gold rum
> 1 cup sugar
> 5 ounces unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks)
> 1 cup unfiltered apple juice
> 4 whole cloves, ground
> 6 allspice berries, ground
> 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
> 1 teaspoon ground ginger
> 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
> 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
> 1 teaspoon baking soda
> 1 teaspoon baking powder
> 2 eggs
> 1/4 to 1/2 cup toasted pecans, broken
> Brandy for basting and/or spritzing
>
> Combine dried fruits, candied ginger and both zests. Add rum and
> macerate overnight, or microwave for 5 minutes to re-hydrate fruit.
>
> Place fruit and liquid in a non-reactive pot with the sugar, butter,
> apple juice and spices. Bring mixture to a boil stirring often, then
> reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool
> for at least 15 minutes. (Batter can be completed up to this point,
> then covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room
> temperature before completing cake.)
>
> Heat oven to 325 degrees.
>
> Combine dry ingredients and sift into fruit mixture. Quickly bring
> batter together with a large wooden spoon, then stir in eggs one at a
> time until completely integrated, then fold in nuts. Spoon into a
> 10-inch non-stick loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Check for doneness by
> inserting toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out
> clean, it's done. If not, bake another 10 minutes, and check again.
>
> Remove cake from oven and place on cooling rack or trivet. Baste or
> spritz top with brandy and allow to cool completely before turning out
> from pan.
>
> When cake is completely cooled, seal in a tight sealing, food safe
> container. Every 2 to 3 days, feel the cake and if dry, spritz with
> brandy. The cake's flavor will enhance considerably over the next two
> weeks. If you decide to give the cake as a gift, be sure to tell the
> recipient that they are very lucky indeed.
>

That sounds very unusual and very delicious! I shall add it to my
collection to try.

Thanks for posting, and have a very happy holiday!

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
__________________________________________________ ________________
And if we enter a room full of manure, may we believe in the pony.