# I Have an Awful Confession.... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 20, 2018, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-awful-confession/824871 "2018-11-20T23:06:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-awful-confession/824871/61 "2018-11-27T03:22:07Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > There’s another Trappist monastery in Conyers, Georgia, where the monks make fruitcake. Pretty good, but not as dense and fudgy as I like them. [These](https://poorrockabbey.com/product/dried-fruit-cake-lg/)are pretty close to what I like, though they’re not _dark_ fruitcakes. I don’t recall what their Jamaican Black Cake is like. I was sent a variety pack last year by my brother… who came to visit after Christmas and swiped the Abbey Cake to take back with him because a co-worker’s daughter was named Abby. Nice gift, bro! Though that one has walnuts, so I’m not heartbroken. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-awful-confession/824871/62 "2018-11-27T03:27:57Z")
Oooh: here’s another brand: [https://bienfaitcakes.com/products/bourbon-fruitcake-no-nuts](https://bienfaitcakes.com/products/bourbon-fruitcake-no-nuts) Well-made indeed! 🙂 I might just have to order one of these. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2018, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-awful-confession/824871/63 "2018-11-28T04:02:08Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > Another member of the “nuts are not fruit” brigade. I like nuts fine, by themselves, to munch on. Not IN things. Especially not in baked goods. Especially not when said goods are named FRUITcake. I dunno. If you don’t like nuts in something, that’s fine. But not to like it because the name does not indicate it is weird. Sort of similar to an old friend who liked sweet-and-sour sauces just fine but refused to eat them just because there was nothing sour about them. Said it was false advertising. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2018, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-awful-confession/824871/64 "2018-11-28T21:49:40Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Oooh: here’s another brand: [https://bienfaitcakes.com/products/bourbon-fruitcake-no-nuts](https://bienfaitcakes.com/products/bourbon-fruitcake-no-nuts) > > Well-made indeed! 🙂 I might just have to order one of these. Ooooo. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2018, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-awful-confession/824871/65 "2018-11-29T21:45:40Z")
> [@swampspruce](#): > > … > Except Panettone. That stuff is the Devil’s Dessert, along with Durian fruit. I’ve never met a panettone I’ve liked yet and still, I should love it as I like the ingredients, but No. It sucks. > … I love panettone. As another doper suggested, it’s wunnerful in French toast. I buy one every year for a breakfast casserole I make on Christmas day. But one household member dislikes raisins, and is allergic to cranberries (Trader Joe’s used to carry a cranberry-orange panettone). Then last year I found a cherry-balsamic panettone at Whole Fods. Yummmmm. Sadly, when I looked there this year, they had none - and even Amazon lists it but “unavailable” :mad: (World Market supposedly has it but I dunno). ---
**Author:** ![EscAlaMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/escalamike/32/4177_2.png) [@EscAlaMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EscAlaMike)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2018, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-awful-confession/824871/66 "2018-11-29T22:21:40Z")
I don’t know that I have ever tried fruitcake (it seems like I would remember if I had), but I would try it if given the opportunity. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2018, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-awful-confession/824871/67 "2018-11-29T22:24:51Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > I love panettone. As another doper suggested, it’s wunnerful in French toast. I buy one every year for a breakfast casserole I make on Christmas day. > > But one household member dislikes raisins, and is allergic to cranberries (Trader Joe’s used to carry a cranberry-orange panettone). > > Then last year I found a cherry-balsamic panettone at Whole Fods. Yummmmm. Sadly, when I looked there this year, they had none - and even Amazon lists it but “unavailable” :mad: (World Market supposedly has it but I dunno). They also have a chocolate panettone. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2018, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-awful-confession/824871/68 "2018-11-29T22:28:25Z")
Tell you what’s really nice with fruitcake… a white crumbly cheese such as Wensleydale (Gromit!) or Cheshire. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2018, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-awful-confession/824871/69 "2018-12-11T22:02:26Z")
So I’m half way through a Sobey’s marzipan topped dark fruit cake, accompanied by either a nice cuppa or a coffee. I’ve never really thought about it before but I think I may get a bottle of Port and try pairing that up… I may just order that Bein Fait upthread as well. That looks really good. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-awful-confession/824871/70 "2018-12-12T01:03:33Z")
> [@RobDog](#): > > Tell you what’s really nice with fruitcake… a white crumbly cheese such as Wensleydale (Gromit!) or Cheshire. Try Wensleydale or stilton with some rich ruby port. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2018, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-awful-confession/824871/71 "2018-12-17T16:19:20Z")
> [@swampspruce](#): > > So I’m half way through a Sobey’s marzipan topped dark fruit cake, accompanied by either a nice cuppa or a coffee. I’ve never really thought about it before but I think I may get a bottle of Port and try pairing that up… I may just order that Bein Fait upthread as well. That looks really good. I ordered an assortment of the Bien Fait cakes for my brother who also loves fruitcake. I’m hoping he’ll reciprocate next year. Though if he does, I’m hiding them from him if he visits. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2018, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-awful-confession/824871/72 "2018-12-17T19:03:49Z")
I remember in Bangkok, some Western-oriented grocery stores – I’m thinking Villa Market in particular – had all sorts of British goodies on display. The best fruitcakes were the ones from scotch distilleries. Glenfiddich had some nice ones. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2018, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-awful-confession/824871/73 "2018-12-17T19:14:58Z")
Never had a store-bought that I cared for, but have had some home-made that were totally worth it. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2018, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-awful-confession/824871/74 "2018-12-17T19:27:10Z")
> [@BeeGee](#): > > You know about Collins St. Bakery in Corsicana, right? > [https://www.collinstreet.com](https://www.collinstreet.com) This is the only one I like. My mom started sending them to us years ago (well, she’s been gone for _years_ so it was really years and years ago), and I was surprised I liked them. I love nuts\*, and this is a very nutty (pecans) fruitcake. And it only has pineapple and cherries. I **HATE** candied citron. I tend to love citrus, but this candied citron (green and yellow) is simply vile. It tends to take over the flavor of the entire cake, and my palate is flooded with its nastiness. Yuckity. - I prefer chocolate chip cookies with nuts, too – a nice medley of toasted walnuts and pecans. My paternal grandmother lived in a house when I was a really little kid (until the interchange between the I10 and the I405 freeways wiped it out) with walnut trees. We loved to take the fallen walnuts and throw them down hard against the concrete driveway to crack them. Good memories! ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-awful-confession/824871/75 "2018-12-21T22:57:02Z")
The Washington Post has several very different-looking fruitcake recipes this year. I’m sorely tempted by the cherry / chocolate one, or the Guinness one: > **[Dear America: It’s time we gave fruitcake another chance](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2018/12/17/dear-america-its-time-we-gave-fruitcake-another-chance/?utm_term=.19456bc3e838)** > > There are really good ones out there. Promise. And [this one,](https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/panama-fruitcake/15537/?utm_term=.bf01eae3360b)from 2 years ago, sounds just about perfect. I would think you could substitute better fruits than the candied stuff that one calls for, but I really, really wanna try this one. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-awful-confession/824871/76 "2018-12-22T03:59:14Z")
My grandmother made fruitcake every Christmas. Fresh out of the oven, it wasn’t too bad. I loved my grandmother’s cooking, but the fruitcake was my least favorite thing. My grandmother’s potato salad, on the other hand, was the best! (But that’s for another thread.) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-awful-confession/824871/77 "2018-12-22T04:37:13Z")
Has anyone here tried these fruitcakes? The proceeds support a camp for people with disabilities, and I’ve always heard they’re delicious. All of the sales locations listed here are in Iowa. [http://www.campcourageous.org/?page\_id=1594](http://www.campcourageous.org/?page_id=1594) I’ve had mincemeat pie once in my life; I was about 10 years old at the time, and my parents tried to talk me out of it because they were afraid I would insult my grandmother, who had made it. To their surprise, I loved it! To me, it was just a raisin pie; I couldn’t detect any meat in it. IDK if she made it herself or used a prepared filling. A woman at a meetup I go to said that her daughter had made some kind of cake that was supposed to be “soaked in brandy” once a day. She thought that soaking it meant exactly that - taking it out of the pan and submerging it. :smack: Of course, it totally fell apart, and they ended up having ice cream topping, I guess. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-awful-confession/824871.md?page=3)