Rich

What is fruitcake? Why is it such a big deal?

Just recently I was asked about the history of fruitcake, and I had to make some guesses, but here's what the Smithsonian has to say:

...the modern fruitcake can be traced back to the Middle Ages as dried fruits became more widely available and fruited breads entered Western European cuisine. ...variations started springing up: Italy's dense, sweet and spicy panforte dates back to 18th century Sienna; Germany's stollen...has been a Dresden delicacy sense the 1400s....

In the 18th and 19th centuries, due to the cost of the materials, fruitcake was a grand indulgence. And it still is! Some years I catch all the ingredients on sale. Bonus!

How it became associated with Christmas and how it fell from grace are both mysteries; however, the nail may have been ...driven into the coffin in the early 20th century when mass-produced mail-order fruitcakes became available, creating the regrettably classic image of a dry, leaden cake encrusted with garish candied fruits and pecans.

Leaden? Dry? I say, "Fie on thee!"

I think the first time I had fruitcake was about 10 years ago when my sister was visiting me. We pulled out the Joy of Cooking (classic cookbook!) and made our grand baking plans. And why not include fruitcake? Wasn't it supposed to be delicious? Wondrous?

So began my tradition of baking fruitcakes. I love them. And what's not to love? I start with premium dried fruits - dates, cranberries, golden raisins, cherries, currants - and then I soak them in good quality rum. Seriously? What's not delicious about that? :-D

 

Then I cream together a rather large amount of butter and brown sugar, and add a good number of eggs. Oh, the luscious combination of butter and sugar ... and to add the richness of eggs to that? A classic batter. Delish.

Then I mix it all together (along with a few other things), line my pans with parchment and more butter, spoon in the thick concoction, cover it all with foil, and bake it slowly, allowing my house to fill with amazing smells. Ooooh!

The result?

Rich, sweet, fruity, buttery cake that I slice thinly and serve on beautiful china. It is worth the effort. It is divine to eat. I love it!

Still not convinced? Stop on by ... and we'll share some together with a nice pot of tea. I'm always up for a challenge. Changing your mind, that is... ;-)

Beauty

I am surrounded by beauty. 

Friday evening I went to a madrigal dinner that a very good friend was in. I've never before been to a madrigal, and oh how I enjoyed it! The costumes, the humor, and the music. Oh, the music! The voices were rich and full, the songs beautiful, the warmth of the evening warmed my whole heart. When I got home late that evening, I stood for a moment in my back yard in the cold, the snow, the quiet night and just took a moment to breath it all in. A special moment, an early Christmas gift.

Saturday I taught two lovely young ladies how to make jam - pear preserves, specifically. Laughing, talking, working together, the house filling with the sweet smell of sugar and fruit, the windows steaming from the boiling pots. Such fun! And such a privilege to be friends with these ladies. One of them told me recently that, even though I'm not that much older than her (she's being kind) I have a very motherly spirit. She said she doesn't see me as a mother figure - just a friend - but that motherliness touches her. Wow - that speaks right to the depths of my heart! Such affirming words. Another gift.

Sunday - we hosted a party for a newlywed couple who wanted to share their leftover wedding cake with friends. I make chili and coleslaw, they brought beer and bread, and about 20 people crowded into my little house and spent the afternoon together. It was downright jolly. I love it when my house is filled with friends - the sound of their voices, their laughter, just their presence is a gift to me.

And then this morning, I woke up unusually early. I needed to clean-up some from yesterday's party as my sister is coming over to bake today! Yay and fun! :-D I stood at my sink washing dishes, and at just the same moment, Harry Connick's "Ave Maria" began to swell and the sun broke through the clouds, golden morning sun lighting the snow and bare trees outside my kitchen window.

My heart feels so full this morning. I feel like I'm being given daily gifts - music, a peaceful home, friends, family, winter's beauty, affirming words. What a miracle for me to feel so much peace and joy. I am thankful.

December 1

We sang Christmas carols in church on this first Sunday of Advent, and it gladdened my heart.

To be honest, as many of you know, the holiday season has for many years not been a time of great joy for me. It has been a season of much hurt, stress, and sadness. There are lots of reasons for this, but much of the time it has centered around Tim and my loss of children and the loss of both my parents. These have left holes in my heart that are only highlighted this time of year by the innumerable family-centric events. Every commercial on television, every church event, every party it seems involves families celebrating together.

But this year feels different.

Just a week ago, Tim and I were involved in an event that highlighted these very losses. I came home feeling really down, teary, sad. It wasn't a good night. But as I closed my eyes for sleep, God spoke such words of comfort and tenderness to me. He reminded me that my life isn't an accident. He reminded me that the losses I've sustained are, in fact, a part of his plan, part of his master weaving of my life, and they are part of what makes me who I am and allows me to live the life I lead - to be involved in so many people's lives, to walk alongside friends who are hurting, to love friends in a special way when their hearts are broken.

Perhaps it seems odd that this was a comfort, but it indeed was. A deep comfort. It reminded me of the great things about my life, the many friends I have, the time I have been allowed to spend with friends - the kind of time that mothers of small children just don't have. What a gift that has been to me! How it has filled up the empty places of my heart in a real and palpable way!

And so this Sunday, I rejoiced in the truth of these lines we sang:

You are so good to me
You heal my broken heart
You are my Father in heaven....

How blessed I am that the God of the universe, my Father in heaven, loves me, cares enough about me to mend the broken places, fill all my needs, take my earthly father and mother's places, and walk with me through all of life.

The ultimate gift.