’Tis the season for fruitcakes
Fruitcake is our favorite Christmas sweet. We are happy that fruitcakes abound during the holiday season, giving us good choices.
This holiday special, fruitcake, has been in our consciousness since we were young. Christmas would always be fruitcake season. History has it that in ancient Rome, people made this mixed with promegranate, pine nuts and raisins. Then in the Middle Ages, honey and fruits were added. In the 15th Century the church banned the use of butter due to strict fasting rules. This was lifted after a few years. Making fruitcakes spread throughout Europe and the Americas, and also to the main parts of the Christian world including the Philippines.
A magazine editor in Sydney, Australia shared with us her recipe for the Ultimate Fruitcake. We tried it, but because we are a poor baker, we had to give it up. It is complicated, really. Yet it is our favorite Christmas sweet. We are happy that fruitcakes abound during the holiday season, giving us good choices.
Among these – and to our mind the best – is a line that goes by the brand name Ju.D’s. Influenced by the brandied flavors of European fruitcakes, the maker Judy Lao in 1975 did her own version. And she did it well. Her rich cake is a blend of fresh butter, glazed cherries, walnuts, raisins, orange peels, dates, honey and brandy. Super good! For these and other offerings, call tel 633-0260 or 633-1188.
Not cooking this Christmas? There are many establishments that offer ready-to-serve holiday food. One of them is Bizu with its Le Picnique Take Out Party Tray, 2017. Such delectable dishes as whole roast turkey, roast lamb leg, baked salmon Rockefeller are among the dishes you can order. But at a recent lunch at their ATC branch, we were a bit disappointed that the so-called 10-Hour Roast Beef Belly needed more tenderizing. This is surprising because in previous meals there we have always been satisfied. We were looking for their grilled chicken but sadly this has been phased out sometime ago. We had two rice versions – one with pesto and chicken and the other with seafood. Both were good.
We always get irritated when supermarket cashiers ask customers to produce the loose coins needed in their tab. One such establishment is the Supermarket at the Magallanes Center in Makati. Do they not have the patience to count the coins or are they simply opting for the easier way? This makes our BP rise.
Our recent discovery along the Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road is the All Day Supermarket in the huge Vista Prima complex. It is huge and very spacious. On one side is a long row of cooked food kiosks with a variety of dishes. The store is well stocked. Herbs like rosemary, tarragon and others are in small packs which are very practical. Unfortunately they do not have fennel seeds which we have been frantically looking for, scouring the city for this precious seed. Fresh fennel sells at P1,040 per kilo! Too much to pay for a single use.
Back to All Day, there is a paluto section where the shopper can ask the staff to cook, after buying all the ingredients, at a minimum fee of P200 a dish. For residents in the vicinity, this is an ideal place for grocery shopping. Note – it closes at 10 p.m.
Happy Sunday to all as we look forward to Christmas!