Saving the Christmas Fruit Cake: Mission Impossible

Good morning,  Jim, er... I mean Kris. Christmas cake is an English tradition that began as plum porridge.

People ate the porridge on Christmas Eve, using it to line their stomachs after a day of fasting. Soon dried fruit, spices and honey were added to the porridge mixture, and eventually it turned into Christmas Pudding.

The general public is not excited about this tradition; it is our concern to neutralize the stigma about Christmas Fruit Cake and Christmas Pudding. Anyone not accepting Fruit Cakes will be indicted in the U.S. 

But, it might be impossible to extradite from the heavily armed thoughts outside of the old country regarding Fruit Cakes. Your mission Kris, if you choose to accept it, is to public shame anyone and their compound and onto U.S.-controlled soil and have them arrested.

As always, should you or any of your IM force be caught or killed, the secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions. This BLOG will self-destruct in five seconds. Good luck, Kris.

Fruit Cakes and Fruit Pudding is a firm fixture in our house, in my parent’s house and almost everyone I know in the old country.

In olden days, people in Britain began to make the boiled fruitcake to send to their families who had gone to the new world colonies—in Australia, Canada, etc. and to send to those who worked on the missions. The boiled cakes lasted better than the baked ones, and in those days of the 19th century, they could take many weeks or months even to cross the world by ship.

These cakes were usually sent as part of a Christmas Hamper of food and presents, and this way the tradition of Christmas cake, often eaten with a piece of cheese or apple pie, became known all over the world.

The Americans in turn were getting cakes sent from all parts of Europe by relatives in the 'Old Country.'

Not long after the Gulf War, my husband and his mates received a package from loved ones in Kuwait. It was to arrive at Christmastime.

Being a stickler myself about the rituals/traditions and especially the making, and the ’stirring’ of the annual Christmas Cakes, I included the cake in the large box for Rick’s platoon.

The boys stuck in the Gulf began taking out all the essentials… pens, playing cards, toothbrushes, cd’s, books, packaged cookies, after-shave from loved ones.  The most loving thing I could do was send over my Fruit Cake. As the box emptied and happy campers surrounding, Rick could see this ‘thing’ sticking out and prayed, “oh please, let it not be my wife’s gift of Christmas Fruit Cake”.

Such disregard for such a lovely tradition.  Of course I sent it to him!!
Because it took so long to arrive to the Gulf, it had gone a bit dry.  You see at home I baste it every week with brandy and whisky - it preserves it so well and keeps it moist. 

SECRET MISSION - THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE BOMB

Well, no need for a weapon in Iraq/Kuwait, peg the Fruitcake at the enemy and it would substitute any gun.  But, I hope he really didn’t, and ruin my idea of “The Spirit of Christmas Past”.

TRADITION/CUSTOM - IT MUST NOT REMAIN A SECRET

Christmas Pudding Day (the day of preparation always falls in November -so,  you need to hurry and begin your preparations soon) is also called Stir Up Sunday.

Stir-up-Sunday is the traditional day for everyone in the family to take turns at stirring the ingredients in the Christmas Pudding/Cake, whilst making a wish). The Pudding is made in November or early December, and eaten on Christmas Day.  Making the Pudding ahead ensures the flavors has plenty of time to develop before Christmas.

The pudding mixture is always stirred from East to West from the 12 o‘clock position and West to East by the 6 o‘clock.  Whilst stirring the pudding, each family member makes a secret wish.

Traditionally a coin, thimble or a ring is added to the ingredients and cooked in the pudding (brings wealth to whoever finds it on their plate on Christmas Day).

Except for the ungrateful lads in Kuwait, my method works because I steam my Christmas Puddings and  bake my Christmas Cakes a few weeks ahead of Christmas. On Christmas Day, I recover with greased double greaseproof paper and foil and steam for 2 hours.  I serve with hot custard. 

In truth, the fruitcake brought such a unique holiday omen to the Middle East, that the unit’s tour was extended and Rick spent Christmas with the cake.