Food did not used to be a controversial subject with me. I'd eat practically anything. Except Welsh rarebit (melted cheese on saltine crackers). And, after 20+ years of kids, pepperoni pizza had seriously lost its appeal as well.
These days, every meal is a challenge to find something that tastes ok. Lately it has been protein. Burgers, crab meat, salmon, roast beef. Cheese, which was a staple, tastes like wallpaper paste, unless it is a very sharp variety. I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I'm eating olives and dill pickles like popcorn (shades of pregnancies past)!
And of course, this is the season for baking and cooking up a storm. I made bourbon balls two nights ago with the (huge) assistance of my daughter. I had not made any for probably 20 years and it felt good to make them. My daughter also made caramels using my mother's recipe. Then, combining the recipes, we dipped some of the caramels in the melted bittersweet chocolate from the bourbon balls, and added a dusting of kosher salt to the top, just like Fran's salted caramels. I am told that they are very good, but I can't really judge their taste at present.
However, in the spirit of the season, I found the following recipe for fruitcake that I got many years ago from friends of my parents, and I share it with you so your holiday baking can be complete:
Marilyn and Randy's
Favorite Fruitcake Recipe
1 C Butter
1 C Salt
1 C Sugar
Lemon Juice
4 Large Eggs
1 C Brown Sugar
1 C Dried Fruit
Nuts
1 t Baking Powder
1 or 2 Quarts Whisky
1 t Baking Soda
Before you start, sample the whisky to check for quality. Good isn't it? Now go ahead. Select a large mixing bowl, measuring, cut, etc. Check the whisky again as it must be just right. To be sure the whiskey is of the highest quality, pour 1 level cup into a glass and drink it as fast as you can. Repeat.
With an electric mexer, beat 1 cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add 1 teaspoon thugar and beat again. Meanwhile, make sure that the whiskey is of the finest quality. Cry another tup. Open second quart if necessary. Add 2 arge leggs, 2 cups of fried druit and beat till high. If druit gets stuck in beaters, juss pry it loose with a drewsriver. Sample the whiskey again, thecking for tonsicisty, then sift 2 cups of salt or anything, it really doesn't matter. Sample the whiskey. Sift 1/2 pint lemon juice. Fold in chopped butter and strained nuts. Add 1 babblespoon of brown thugar, or whatever color you can find and wix mell. Grease oven and turn cake pan to 350. Now pour the whole mess into the coven and ake. Check the whiskey again and bo to ged.
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2 comments:
That's how Julia Child always did it. But I think she favored a Hamm's chaser.
I need your mother's caramel recipe. My evening's efforts were a total disaster!!
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