SEASON’S EATINGS

Like fruitcake, summer sausage mean holidays are here

Forget candy canes and eggnog. For anyone who grew up in the era when it was still cool to hang out at malls, this time of year is all about that Hickory Farms kiosk in the middle of the walkway between stores. Bustling shoppers have been stopping to grab a vacuum-packed stick of savory sausage from that stalwart producer for generations now.

Summer sausage is a term that refers to any type of sausage that can be stored without refrigeration until it’s opened. These sausages have a bright and tangy backbeat thanks to a fermentation process that drops the pH levels to a point where they are safe for long-term storage at room temperature.

The history of exactly how summer sausage wound up a winter holiday staple is a little more murky, but some speculate it stems from a Midwestern tradition of laying out the best of what your homestead produced during the year to wow friends and family with a generous spread.

Those sausages are just one of many foods that appear in stores and markets across the country during the holidays. Consider any of the following seasonal staples if you need to get into the jingle bells spirit.

Fruitcake

While fruitcake is the most maligned of all holiday foods, there’s a reason it keeps showing up on shelves: Countless people are secretly fans of the stuff. And for good reason. This dense, sweet cake studded with dried fruit is often marinated in a bath of brandy or other potent spirit.

Whether you’re a loyalist to household brands such as the Georgia-based Claxton, the Texan producer Collin Street Bakery or any other baker, don’t let anyone shame you into hiding your fruitcake passion this year.

Fruitcake is widely available in the bakery section at most grocery stores right now.

Glühwein

Countless bottles of this German mulled wine will be consumed around Christmas. The name translates to “glow wine” thanks to the joyous feeling it provides. Fortunately, Glühwein generally has a significantly lower alcohol content (usually around 8% to 9% alcohol

Paul Stephen / Staff A selection of foods that signal the start of the holiday season includes fruitcake, pannetone and peppermint bark.