Fruit Cake is made with chopped candied fruit and/or dried fruits, nuts, and spices. Sometimes it is soaked in liquor. Fruitcake is a Christmas-time tradition, served at the holiday table or sent as a gift.
The earliest recipe dates back to ancient Rome, and it contained pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, raisins, which were then mixed into barley mash. Is it just me, or does that sound delish to you too?
Egyptians buried their loved ones with fruitcake for their journey into the afterlife. During the Middle Ages, honey, spices, and preserved fruits were added. There are many versions of fruitcake around the world. For example, Germans have a version called Stollen, and Italians have a version called Panforte. Saturday, December 27th is National Fruitcake Day!
And what goes hand in hand with Fruitcake? Eggnog of course! Eggnog is a traditional beverage served during the holiday season. Eggnog is a dairy-based drink made with milk/cream, sugar, and whipped eggs. There are versions of this holiday favorite that include pumpkin. Some like to add vanilla or liquor, lots of liquor. Any of the following liquors can be found in Eggnog: whiskey, brandy, rum, bourbon, sherry, or port.
Eggnog is traditionally topped with a sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon; but modern versions are topped with chocolate shavings, whipped cream, or meringue. The drink started in England and made its way across to America, where we added Rum. George Washington loved eggnog and had his own version; he made it with rye whiskey, rum, and sherry, holy moly!
Eggnog is a combination of a few words. Rum was called ‘grog during Colonial Times and the Middle English term for a small, carved, wooden mug was Noggin. Egg and ‘grog in a noggin,’ say that fast 10 times. This was later shortened to Eggnog.
Happy Holidays!
Chef Jacquie XO
