Countdown to Christmas 8 - Where in the world?

from http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/barker/christmas/christmas.html
Christmas Cake in Four Quarters

Where else in the world is the Christmas fruitcake? Here are just a few of the more well known....

Germany: Stollen is a traditional fruitcake for Christmas. It is loaf shaped and dredged with powdered icing sugar. The most famous recipe is the Dresden stollen sold at the equally famous Christmas markets. However, I tasted an absolutely scrumptious stollen just a couple of days ago (right in the heart of Newcastle NSW Australia) and that's what inspired this blog post.

Italy : I think they like fruitcake in Italy? Panforte is a heavy Tuscan cake , from the traditions of 13th century, heavily spiced and baked in a shallow pan. Panettone is a another sweet fruit cake, made with dried and glace fruits. Also well known is the fruitcake from Genoa. I remember it filled with lots of glace cherries, but I am not sure if this is what is called Pandolce.

Ireland: Barmbrack was traditionally eaten at Halloween - a fruitcake with special charms which predicted the fortune of the person who ate the slice of cake.

"Barmbrack is a traditional Irish cake eaten on holidays. After pouring into the prepared pan, it is tradition to add objects to the barmbrack which symbolize certain things for the person who receives each in their slice. Thoroughly clean objects before adding them to the barmbrack. These objects can be pressed into the bottom of the loaf after baking instead: coin-wealth or good fortune; ring-will marry within the year; bean-poverty; pea-will not marry within the year; matchstick-unhappy marriage; thimble-single for life." from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/162072/irish-barmbrack/

Portugal : Bolo Rei ( the King's cake) has its origins in France, but is now a popular cake for Christmas. It is usually made with a hold in the centre - a crown - with lots of crystallized fruits and nits. A fava bean ( broad bean) is usually placed inside the cake and whoever receives the bean makes the bolo rei for the following year. The story of the bean dates back to the Magi, who supposedly met a baker on their way to greet the Baby Jesus, and he gave them a cake with a bean baked inside . The baker told them whoever got the bean had to give Jesus the first gift.

Spain : Bollo de Higo ( Fig bun) is a traditional fruit cake with figs, other dried fruits and nuts, shaped by hand into a roll. I have never tasted this, but others say it is a little like Italian panforte.

I am sure there are many other countries who have a fruitcake tradition, and of course I will devote a whole post to the English tradition later in the blog, but these are the ones I think are most known....

However, I came across the digital book :Christmas Cake in Four Quarters (1871) where the story wanders from England, to Jamaica, to India and to New Zealand.... so something for you to follow up if you are interested in the multi-cultural experiences of Christmas fruitcake.
Tomorrow :? It will be a surprise for you and me!

"Temari Or Not Temari?" Tutorial

Background Information: Temari (literally translated “hand ball”) is a Japanese folk craft that is alleged to have originated in China and was introduced to Japan five or six hundred years ago. Traditionally, the balls were constructed from wrapped kimono fabric remnants and silk threads. They were made by mothers and grandmothers for children to play with. Nowadays, decorative embroidered temari represent a highly valued and cherished gift symbolizing friendship and loyalty. Recently I've wondered if your don't use traditional techniques whether you should call what you create "temari". That is an ongoing debate but today I share what I do to make a "non-traditional temari".... 1.I start with a polystrene ball ( traditionally the balls were wound silk scraps or other organic materials) and begin to wrap with approx 4 ply wool, turning the ball as I wrap. 2. I then wrap another layer of wool in a similar fashion , this time a 3 or 2 ...

Countdown to Christmas 7- Fruitcake Lady

from Facebook Page /The Fruitcake Lady There are not many people who can say they showed Mel Gibson and Tom Cruise how to make fruitcake on TV. Marie Rudisill (1911-2006), known as the Fruitcake Lady was an author, a celebrated cook and a minor TV personality. She was well known on US television as a 90+year old who appeared regularly on "The Tonight Show" hosting an" agony aunt" segment, giving advice on all kinds of life's issues. Her forthright answers and wicked sense of humour endeared her to audiences although she was outspokenly intolerant and irrationally biased. The Fruitcake Lady's other claim to fame was that she was the aunt of Truman Capote, highly acclaimed author, and this connection was used in her own writing. Her published works included: Truman Capote , The Story of His Bizarre and Exotic Childhood by an Aunt Who Helped to Raise Him (1983) Sook's Cookbook : Memories and Traditional Recipes from the Deep South (1989) ...

Countdown to Christmas 15 - Diamonds Forever!

How much would you pay for a Christmas fruitcake? The world's most expensive fruit cake has been estimated at $1.65 million. Yesterday, I wrote about the less than positive term "Christmas cake as it is applied to unmarried women, so again it amazed me that in Tokyo, this most exquisite and expensive Christmas cake was created. It took six months to design and another full month to construct. The beautiful cake is fully edible ... that is except for the 223 real diamonds used as decoration. This cake was part of an exhibition called Diamonds: Nature's Miracle and was one of 16 exhibits showcasing creative ways with diamonds . Apparently, the cake was auctioned, fetching $1.65 million US. While there have been other very expensive diamond encrusted cakes since this one in 2005 with estimated values of up to $75 million, this Japanese designed cake was the forerunner of the extravagant diamond studded wedding cakes in the higher price r...

Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

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