Have you ever tried something new and regretted it?
I like fruitcake! I’ve eaten some good ones and some bad ones. Mom made something she called a Danish loaf. It was baked in a bread pan and sliced like banana bread. One time, I had been sent to the “cave” to get a jar of peaches. I watched as she put several in the batter and squished them in with her bare hands. I used bare fingers to reach in and get one to pop into my mouth.
I could see what was being put together and knew that Danish loaf was always a holiday treat. The dates had been cut up, the raisins had been plumped in hot water.
The jar of hazelnuts were out. Our family always went hazel-nutting in the fall. My sister was at the table sorting black walnuts. Diced apples and apple butter were already in the batter.
It was truly a fruit and nut cake.
In a magazine I found a recipe for a simple fruit cake. Why not? A lady from church had brought small cakes of a homemade fruit cake to the bazaar and every year I watched for more, but she said she just didn’t have time. Well, time is something I have plenty of - sometimes!
I was roaming the aisles looking for candied fruit and mince meat when Dorothy Lynch said it was probably too early, but she had some she would share with me. One evening after taking the grandson to football practice, my housework was caught up (ha-ha!) and I didn’t have a book started, it was time to be daring.
I had all the ingredients.
There were a couple ofitems I wanted to add. It seemed like the bazaar ones had some pineapple in it and I had a jar of maraschino cherries, doubled up on the nuts, black and English walnuts and pecans. Did I dare add more pineapple?
Why not? After all, it was “my” fruitcake. Too much extra liquid? Add extra flour. What was an experiment if you didn’t experiment.
After stirring it together, my batter actually looked like someone had barfed!
Oh dear, what have I done?
What will I tell Dorothy?
Well, I’ll bake it; it’ll be easier to throw out.
It came out of the oven looking beautiful! Something like a picture in a magazine. I had baked it in a cake pan because it was runny. The top was a crusty golden brown. I couldn’t wait to taste it. I cut a small chunk to cool. Nothing!
How disappointing! There was the texture of the nuts,the feel of a cake, a hint of candied fruit and yet every time I passed it, I’d cut a slice. I finally cut it in bars and slid it in the deep freeze. It’s the nuts that saved it. I’ll take Dorothy a slice.
But, the lesson here is to remember to give thanks for being able to try something new and the world doesn’t end if it doesn’t work.
Don’t forget the Brightwater United Methodist Church is having a free Thanksgiving dinner at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 15. Everyone is welcome!
I was busy with something else during the bazaar and didn’t get to see all of you then - so, I’ll look forward to seeing all of you at the Thanksgiving dinner!
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Editors note: Edyth Lammey has been a resident of the area for nearly 40 years.
She can be contacted through The Times at 451-1196 or [email protected].
Opinion, Pages 4 on 11/07/2012