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Holiday & Winter Sangria Recipe For National Sangria Day

It’s ironic that National Sangria Day is celebrated in the gray cold of winter*, when it’s traditionally considered a summer drink.

But December 20th is National Sangria Day, and more sangria fans have been enjoying it year-round.

As the recipe below shows, you can easily turn sangria into a winter refreshment. Get seasonal with the inclusion of apple cider, cinnamon and oranges, with an optional maple syrup sweetener.

Sangria is a wine punch or cocktail† that originated in Spain long ago, with roots in ancient Rome (here’s the history of sangria).

There are countless recipes for sangria, made with red, white, or rosé wine, including sparkling wine; and with different spirits, juices and fruits.

Here’s a recipe with holiday flavors from Discover California Wines, a trade association for California wine grape growers and vintners.

> The history of sangria.

> More sangria recipes.
 
 
START WITH THE WINE

Discover California Wines recommends two California red wines that are especially good with this recipe:

  • Grenache: Versatile and medium-bodied, Grenache (greh-NOSH) is one of the most widely planted grapes in the world. Its range of flavors includes cherry, blackberry, red raspberry, and hints of earth. Americans don’t know enough about grenache, so we’ve included more information below.
  • Pinot Noir: Pinot Noir’s juicy cherry flavors and floral notes complement hints of earth and leather for a wine that is at turns delicate, rich, silky, subtle. A cool-climate grape, it does exceptionally well in California’s breezy coastal regions.
  •  
    Wine Institute’s site has a “meet the grapes” section where you can choose the varietal and learn about it, see what foods pair with it, etc.
     
     
    RECIPE: HOLIDAY & WINTER SANGRIA

    In addition to this sangria combines holiday flavors of wine, apple cider, orange slices, and cinnamon sticks.

    To give it an especially holiday flavor and aroma, use whole cloves to stud the orange slices used for garnish.
     
    Ingredients

  • 1 750-ml bottle medium-bodied red wine, such as Pinot Noir or Grenache
  • 2 cups apple cider
  • 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 apples, sliced
  • 1 orange, sliced
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • Optional: maple syrup to sweeten
  • Garnish: apple slices, orange slices and cinnamon sticks
  • Ice cubes
  •  
    For The Glass Rim

  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • Orange wedge
  •  
    Preparation

    1. COMBINE the wine, cider, juice, apple slices, orange slices, and cinnamon sticks in a large pitcher and stir to combine. Taste and add 2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup to sweeten if desired.

    2. COVER and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes up to 5 hours, or overnight. When ready to serve…

    3. RIM the glasses. Place the brown sugar on a small plate or shallow bowl. Moisten the rim of each glass with an orange wedge and dip it in the brown sugar to coat (twist the glass in the sugar).

    4. FILL glasses with ice and fill with sangria. Top with fresh apple and orange slices and a cinnamon stick for garnish.
     
     
    MORE HOLIDAY SANGRIA RECIPES

  • Cranberry Sangria Recipe
  • Holiday Sangria With Ruby Port
  • Pomegranate Sangria Recipe
  •  
     
    WHAT IS GRENACHE?

    Grenache (French) or Garnacha (Spanish) is a grape varietal not well known in the U.S.

    If you’ve had a Châteauneuf-du-Pape, you’ve had Grenache.

    Grenache is the second most widely planted red wine grape variety in the world, according to the Wine Institute.

    It grows well in hot, dry conditions such as those found in Spain, where the grape most likely originated, in Aragon**.

    That lets it thrive around the globe, from the Italian isle of Sardinia, the south of France, Australia, California’s Monterey AVA and San Joaquin Valley, and Washington State, among others.

    In fact, there’s a rumor that there are some 12,000 acres of Grenache vineyards in China [source].

    Tablas Creek winery in Paso Robles, California, is largely responsible for the quality of Grenache in California. The worked with the great Château de Beaucastel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape beginning in 1989, to bring in cuttings of superior Côtes du Rhône wine grapes to the U.S.
     
    The Flavors Of Grenache

    The flavor is generally spicy, berry-flavored (raspberry and strawberry), and soft on the palate. Dig hard and you may find a white pepper spiciness.

    Depending on where it is grown, you may also find anise, black cherry, cinnamon, and citrus rind, with subtle aromas of orange rind and ruby-red grapefruit.

    As the wines age, they tend to take on more leather, tobacco, and tar flavors.

     


    [1] The recipe for this Holiday Sangria is below (photo © Discover California Wines).

    Cranberry Sangria
    [2] Spiced Cranberry Sangria. Here’s the recipe (photo © McCormick).

    Christmas Sangria
    [3] Star fruit (carambola) is a festive holiday garnish (photo © Stick A Fork).


    [4] This version is made with Ruby Port. Here’s the recipe (photo © Sandeman).


    [5] Pomegranate Sangria. Pom Wonderful).


    [6] A glass of grenache (photo © Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar).

     
    Versatile and medium-bodied, its great range of flavors allows it to pair with a wide range of foods, from grilled shellfish to charcuterie to poultry, beef, lamb and pork. We like it with ham and roast duck.

    Try it with spicy foods, too. Grenache wines have a relatively high alcohol content, which helps to offset the heat.

    In addition to red Grenache wines, look for:

  • Grenache blanc, its white wine relative (called Alicante Blanca and Garnacha Blanca in Spain), is also characterized by high alcohol and low acidity, with citrus and/or herbaceous notes.
  • Grenache is also made into a dessert wine‡, of which Banyuls is the best-known in the U.S.
  •  
    Who Loves Grenache?

    While the grape may have originated in Spain, the most famous Grenache-based wines in the world come from the Rhône Valley of France, where it is a major component of the wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Côtes du Rhône.

    Beginning in our college years, we began to try both of those wines, which were prominently featured at the local steakhouse.

    The reputation of Rhone wines led vintners around the world to make their own grenache-based wines.

    But you don’t have to reach to Europe to enjoy a bottle of Grenache…or to Spain, or Australia.

    Check out the wines from California and Washington for starters.

    And for a fun learning experience, put together a tasting with bottles from all of the main growing areas. Try to compare apples to apples: 100% Grenache varietal, vs. grenache blends (there are more of the latter).

    While most bottles of Grenache are very affordable, the great ones will cost you.

  • Bottles of Château Rayas and Domaine du Pegau in Châteauneuf-du-Pape sell for close to $600.
  • In Priorat, in the Catalonia region of Spain, Clos Erasmus and Álvaro Palacio’s “Ermita Velles Vinyes” are cult favorites, selling for about $300 a bottle.
  • Sine Qua Non, made in Santa Barbara County, can run upwards of $500 a bottle [source].
  •  
    But, head to your local wine store and check out the bottles starting at around $15.

    ________________

    *To be accurate, December 20th is actually the last day of fall. But it feels like winter!

    †When spirits are included, sangria becomes a cocktail. Spirits or liquor (they’re the same thing) are fermented, distilled beverages. Liqueur is made from a base of liquor, sweetened and usually flavored. Here are the differences among the different spirits we think of as “liqueur.”

    ‡Rasteau, Maury, and Banyuls are grenache-based fortified dessert wines from France, where they are called vin doux naturel. The production of vin doux naturel is similar to the production of Port.

    **From Aragon, it spread throughout the vineyards of Spain and the Mediterranean. By the early 18th century, the varietal had expanded into Languedoc and Provence. Here’s more of the history of grenache.
     
     

    CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

     
     

      

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    FOOD FUN: Christmas Ginger Cake With Gingerbread


    [1] A dazzling Christmas ginger cake with gingerbread house cookie decor (photo © Bruna Branco | Unsplash).


    [2] A homemade gingerbread cake, decorated with gingerbread men and cranberries (photo courtesy Violife | Facebook).


    [3] This simple but elegant layer cake from Molly Yeh is a white-iced layer cake covered with coconut, and garnished with marzipan evergreen trees (photo © Molly Yeh | My Name Is Yeh).


    [4] Pastry chef Duff Goldman made green and red layers, covered in white buttercream. You can simplify it with a two-layer cake (photo © Charm City Cakes).

    Cranberry Christmas Wreath Cake
    [5] Another way to use sugared cranberries: a cranberry wreath cake, baked in a ring pan. Here’s the recipe (photo © The Baker Chick).

     

    Here are two approaches to baking a Christmas gingerbread cake with a garnish of gingerbread cookies.
     
     
    FANCY GINGERBREAD CAKE

    The first example (photo #1) is the work of a pastry chef, but can be tackled by a home baker with the time to decorate a village of gingerbread house cookies.

  • You don’t have to make a gingerbread cake. Chocolate or yellow cake work equally well.
  • You can substitute store-bought gingerbread cookies.
  • Fresh rosemary and stemmed cherries rim the top of the cake.
  •  
    It’s so beautiful, it’s a shame to cut into it (and devour it).

    But the photo helps keep the memory alive.

    As to where to find stemmed cherries in the winter: We have no idea! This cake may have been made and photographed in the summer, to promote a baker’s upcoming holiday wares, or for a magazine article (the shoots can take place months ahead of a magazine’s publication).

    As a substitute for fresh, stemmed cherries, try:

  • Tillen Farms Maraschino Cherries With Stems On. These are superior maraschino cherries, made with sugar (instead of corn syrup) and natural color (as opposed to artificial). We use them as called for in cocktails. You can find them on Amazon.
  • Cranberries. You can use raw cranberries, but they’re inedible. If you make sugared cranberries, they’re a delight. Here’s the recipe.
  •  
     
    THE ANYBODY-CAN-MAKE-IT CAKE

    The second version of gingerbread cake (photo #2) is charmingly homemade.

    Depending on how much effort you want to put into it, you make the cake from scratch or buy a cake mix.

    Frosting. Don’t be tempted to buy canned frosting. It’s a chemical jumble that doesn’t taste good—you can tell immediately that it’s from a can.

    Here’s what’s in a can of Pillsbury Supreme White Frosting: Sugar, Palm Oil, Water, Corn Syrup, Corn Starch, Canola Oil, Artificial Flavor, Salt, Mono And Diglycerides, Artificial Color, Polysorbate 60, Modified Corn Starch, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Soy Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Antioxidants (Ascorbyl Palmitate, Mixed Tocopherols, Chamomile And Rosemary Extracts).

    Here’s what’s in delicious homemade buttercream frosting: butter, confectioner’s (powdered) sugar, milk or water and vanilla extract (here’s a recipe).

    Cookies. You can also buy the gingerbread men.

    Garnish. Use fresh rosemary to pass for evergreens and cranberries to add a pop of color (consider making sugared cranberries)..
     
     
    GINGER CAKE VS. GINGERBREAD CAKE

    These terms are used interchangeably and can be confusion.

    Both can refer to a layer cake, a loaf cake, a bundt cake or other variation. But here’s the difference:

    A ginger cake can be any cake flavored with ginger spice.

    A gingerbread cake, on the other hand, uses a specific mix of gingerbread spices, as are used for gingerbread cookies.

    These include allspice, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, in addition to ginger.

    Plus, a gingerbread cake should include molasses, just like the cookies.
     

    GINGER COOKIES VS. GINGERSNAPS VS. GINGERBREAD COOKIES

  • A ginger cookie is a soft, molasses-type cookie that is flavored with ginger and other spices. It is larger than, and otherwise differs from, a gingersnap.
  • A gingersnap, unlike the fancier gingerbread, is a small, thin, plain round cookie with a hard, smooth texture like a gingerbread cookie. It is a smaller version of the traditional German Christmas cookie known as Lebkuchen*, a spice cookie or cake.
  • Like gingerbread cookies, hard gingersnaps break with a “snap.” Gingersnaps contain a larger amount of ginger, and thus are spicier, than the chewier ginger cookies.
  • Gingerbread is a decorated cookie, made in different shapes from people to animals to houses, hearts, flowers, carousels…any way the baker wants to create them.
  • Gingerbread cookies vary by size and are typically iced and decorated. As with gingersnaps, they derive from German spice cookies, Lebkuchen.
  •  
     
    > THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CAKE
     
     
    > THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF COOKIES
     
     
    > THE HISTORY OF CAKE
     
     
    > THE HISTORY OF COOKIES
     
     
    > THE HISTORY OF GINGERBREAD
     
     
    > THE HISTORY OF CAKE PANS

    ________________

    *Lebkuchen derives from the German word Kuchen, cake. The origin of the first syllable is uncertain. The German word for spice is [das] Gewürz.

     

     
      

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    GIFT: Gourmet Dried Mushroom Sampler & How To Use Dried Mushrooms

    People who love to cook will appreciate this gourmet dried mushroom sampler from Melissa’s, an online purveyor of fine fruits and vegetables.

    Their Mushroom Medley Sampler contains individual packages of five gourmet mushrooms:

  • Chanterelles
  • Morels
  • Oyster*
  • Porcini
  • Shiitake
  •  
    When these varieties on hand, there are many opportunities to add great flavor your cooking at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

    See our favorite ways to use them, below.
     
     
    HOW TO USE DRIED MUSHROOMS

    To reconstitute them, simply blanch them in boiling water for 2 to 5 minutes, or soak them for 30 minutes in lukewarm water.

    For even more flavor, soak the mushrooms in wine or consommé.

    The liquid, drained of the rehydrated mushrooms, is known as mushroom liquor.

    Reserve the liquor to add even more flavor to your dishes.

  • Add to a soup or braising liquid, replacing an equal amount of water.
  • Add to a vegetable stir-fry, to prevent the vegetables from drying out.
  • Use as a vegetarian/vegan substitute for chicken broth.
  • Use it instead of water to cook grains.
  •  
     
    ANYONE WHO TURNS ON A STOVE CAN USE DRIED MUSHROOMS

    Dehydrated mushrooms are not just for the pantry of a good cook. They’re a hit with:

  • Dieters (mushrooms have 15 calories/cup).
  • Vegans/vegetarians.
  • Anyone seeking a more sustainable, plant-based diet.
  • Anyone who wants to eat healthier
  •  
    Mushrooms contain protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Check out the various health benefits.
     

    OUR FAVORITE WAYS TO USE WILD MUSHROOMS

    The flavor of dried mushrooms is slightly more concentrated than that of fresh mushrooms.

    As a result, they add more flavor than fresh mushrooms.

  • Breakfast: Sautéed mushrooms in frittatas, omelets and scrambled eggs; on toast with shaved parmesan and herbs.
  • Lunch: Sautéed atop burgers, grilled cheese, panini; gourmet mushroom pizza; quiche.
  • Dinner: Add to braises (photo #7), ragouts, sauces and stews, along with the mushroom liquor; plus risotto and other grain dishes.
  • Side: Sautéed atop or to the side of grilled or roasted chicken, fish (photo #6), pork, steak; gratins.
  • Pasta: Sautéed as a topping or mix-in for any pasta (photo #3), including mac and cheese.
  • Soup/Stew: Add to the soup base, or use as a garnish (photo #4).
  •  
     
    > GET YOUR MUSHROOM SAMPLER AT MELISSAS.COM.
     
     
    > THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MUSHROOMS
     

    A BRIEF HISTORY OF MUSHROOMS

    Mycophagy, the act of consuming mushrooms†, dates back to ancient times. People foraged for them in fields and forests.

  • Edible mushroom species have been found in 13,000-year-old archaeological sites in Chile.
  • Ötzi the Iceman, the mummy of a man who lived between 3400 and 3100 B.C.E. in Europe, was found in the Alps carrying two types of mushrooms [source].
  •  
    But as civilization and cuisine in the Western Europe of the Middle Ages, mushrooms fell off the radar as a culinary focus.

    Mushrooms Become Fashionable

    They were still gathered by country folk to supplement their diets, but mushrooms were not on the tables of the well-to-do.

    Until the middle of the seventeenth century.

    Then, a melon grower outside of Paris accidentally “discovered” the potential of growing and selling mushrooms.

    He (or his wife) poured out some water that had been used to wash wild mushrooms they had gathered.

    In a short while later, a crop of mushrooms sprouted in that spot of soil.

    It was the start of the era of the cultivated mushroom. The farmer evolved from melon grower to mushroom grower—a much more profitable undertaking since mushrooms became the hot new ingredient among the chefs of Paris. Other farmers joined the fold.

    The “champignon de Paris” became a must-have for cooks and their employers, and for home cooks.

    A couple of centuries later, Americans embraced the mushroom.

    One of the first English language mushroom cookbooks, published in 1899, is Kate Sargeant’s One Hundred Mushroom Receipts [source].

    Mushrooms have remained an important part of Western cuisine. They have found their way into cuisines around the world.

    Today, more than 20 species are commercially cultivated, in at least 60 countries.

    The biggest producers are China, the U.S., Poland, The Netherlands, and India being were the top five producers in 2013 [source].

    Today, the most commonly consumed variety of mushroom is the button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus. It comprises about 40% of the mushrooms grown around the world.

    It’s easy to grow‡. While it adds flavor to recipes and can be eaten raw in salads or on crudité plates, it is also the blandest mushroom.

    Mushrooms Are Not Vegetables!

    Some mushroom biology:

    Because they have no leaves, roots or seeds and don’t need light to grow, mushrooms are not a true vegetable.

    Botanists have given mushrooms their own kingdom in the taxonomy of organisms that is separate from plants and animals: Fungi.

    Vegetables, fruits and other plants are members of the Plantae kingdom. Here’s more about it.

    But you don’t have to remember the details: Just enjoy mushrooms often.

    A meaty portobello cap is a great substitute for meat.

    In fact, because of the way they are grown indoors, mushrooms are one of the most sustainable foods on the planet [source].

     


    [1] A sampler of gourmet mushrooms from Melissa’s (photos #1 and #2 © Melissa’s).


    [2] Close-up on some of the medley packages.


    [3] Gourmet mushrooms turn a plate of fettuccine into something special (photo © DeLallo).


    [4] You can make an intensely-flavored mushroom soup, or use the mushrooms to garnish another puréed vegetable soup (above, cauliflower soup) or a consommé (photo © Quinciple).


    [5] A first course: wild mushroom tarts (photo © Mackenzie Ltd).


    [6] Poached halibut with clams and morels (photo © Le Bernardin | NYC).

    Mushroom Stroganoff
    [7] A vegetable braise with pacchieri, large pasta tubes (photo © Sun Basket).

     
    ________________

    *While dried mushrooms are typically re-hydrated, oyster mushrooms can be used in recipes without rehydration.

    †We’re not addressing medical, mind-altering or poisonous mushrooms here.

    ‡Some mushrooms are very difficult to cultivate, or totally resist cultivation and only are gathered wild. These include the chanterelle, hedgehog, lobster, morel and porcini mushrooms. Hen-of-the-woods and oyster mushrooms must be gathered wild.

      

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    KITCHEN GADGET: Churro Maker


    [1] Churros made with the San Diablo Artisan Churro Maker (photos #1 and #2 © San Diablo Churros).


    [2] This tube-shaped device turns the dough into churros, ready to fry or bake.


    [3] Party idea: a Fiesta Churro Bar, with DIY sauces and garnishes. Here’s the recipe (photo © BHG).

    Churros With Chocolate Fondue
    [4] How about spicy churro fondue? Here’s the recipe (photo © McCormick).

     

    We love churros. Every time we’re at a restaurant that serves them, they’re our dessert.

    It’s no longer just at Mexican restaurants, either. Churro-loving chefs of modern cuisine have added their interpretations of churros to their menus, often with fusion flavors, like black sesame and espresso custard.

    And creative home cooks add their own takes. A few examples:

  • Churro cake (a cinnamon vanilla cake with cream cheese frosting—recipe).
  • Churro cake pops.
  • Churro cookies (recipe).
  • Churro French toast (recipe).
  • Churro ice cream sandwiches.
  • Churro pancake stacks filled with dulce de leche.
  • Churro popcorn, topping the corn with butter seasoned with sugar and cinnamon and vanilla sugar.
  • Conventional churros filled with everything from custard (a riff on éclairs) to spiced pastry cream.
  • Check out the Fiesta Churro Party Bar, below.
  •  
    But our recommendation today is an easy way to make classic churros at home.
     
     
    INTRODUCING SAN DIABLO ARTISAN CHURROS’ CHURRO MAKER

    How about an all-in-one gadget to make and customize your perfect churro (photo #2)?

    It’s the creation of Scott Porter, founder of San Diablo Churros.

    A churro lover and caterer who developed a full line of at-home churro products, his products now include Take & Bake Churros, frozen dough, signature sugar toppings and fillings, and the churro maker.

    Now at your fingertips: churros anytime—for the family, for guests, for your next coffee break.

    Just make the dough, load it into the tube-shaped churro maker, press out the churros and fry them up.

    Nine different nozzles let you have fun with shapes. You also start off with 40 recipes.

    But beware: You may have more friends and neighbors dropping by to snack on your churros!

    Tip: Churros are best enjoyed warm. If they cool to room temperature, give them 30 seconds in the microwave.

    And be prepared to party on June 6th: National Churro Day.

    More Churro Options

    You can also buy San Diablo Artisan Churros’ Take & Bake Churro Kit—ready made and ready to bake and eat. There’s a choice of sauces: dulce de leche, Nutella and sweet cream.

    There’s even an option made with gluten-free dough.
     

    PARTY TIME: A FIESTA CHURRO BAR

    How about a Fiesta Churro Bar (photo #3)?

  • Set out a platter of churros, dark and white chocolate sauces, dulce de leche and garnishes (chopped nuts, crushed toffee, mini chips, sprinkles, etc.).
  • Let guests dip and garnish their own.
  • Here’s the recipe from Better Homes & Gardens.
  • We’d also add ice cream!
  •  
     
    CHURRO RECIPES

  • Baked Churros
  • Chocolate Churros
  • Churros With Spicy Mole Fondue
  •  
     
    > THE HISTORY OF CHURROS

     

     
      

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    BOOK GIFT: Fruit Cake ~ Recipes For The Curious Baker

    Wait! Don’t run! We’re not talking about Aunt Patty’s brick-in-a-box.

    Here’s a stunner of a book by Jason Schreiber. He’s a favorite food stylist of Martha Stewart (she wrote the foreword).

    It’s not the cookbook you might imagine. The book could just have easily been called Fruit with Cake, or Cake and Fruit, or even Rad Fruitcakes (note that fruitcake and fruit cake are both accepted spellings).
     
     
    75 EXCITING FRUITCAKE RECIPES

    In the book, Jason shares 75 recipes he’s created for fruited cake delights that are beautifully imaginative and wildly tempting.

    You won’t find anything usual or expected in Fruit Cake; every recipe is new, exciting, and something most of us would never have thought of.

    Divided into six chapters, each contains a multitude of answers to specific baking fancies and desires, depending on your mood, your stomach’s mood, or your desire to impress.

    Do you want a snack now, no waiting? Chapter 1, “Constant Cravings” has little delights that are simple to make: Hazelnut Plum Snacking Cake, Raspberry Tea Cake, Banana Tiramisu…

    They all are “fruit with cake,” and all perfect for an afternoon break.

    No Forks Needed

    Onward through the “Out of Hand” chapter: treats that need neither fork nor knife (our favorite: “Strawberry Tamales de Dulce,” sweet, gingery tamales with jam and cream).

    The “Showstoppers” chapter presents an out-of-this-world world of roulades, multi-storey layer cakes, plus single layer dwellers like “Ume-Shiso Watermelon Frozen Yogurt Cake” made with dried and fresh red shiso leaves, and “Guava Crepe Cake.”

    “All Rise,” applauds the heights of “Bourbon Peach Kugelhopf,” “Blood Orange Bee-Sting Cake” and their like. They make your kitchen pulsate to that aromatic yeasty beat.

    Want a happier-than-ever-after ending? Find it in “Soaked.”

    Big and boozy, be warned: In Jason’s own words, “some of these cakes pack a punch, so you might want to designate a driver to take you home.”

    Or just stay home and drown yourself in “Flaming Figgy Pudding,” “Stout Cake,” or “Fig, Port, and Chocolate Cake,” for starters.
     
     
    A COOKBOOK STAR

    Yet the best treat in Fruit Cake is the person who conceived it.

    Jason Schreiber’s voice is light but highly and accurately informative. It’s also friendly, clever, and often downright funny.

    His introductory and final notes on basic techniques, kitchens, and tools are dead-on.

    He gives you everything you need to become a professional-quality baker. Read, and you will be fully informed.

    Sprinkled throughout are delightful reminiscences, nutty poems, and great little tips.

    There’s glorious, unusual colorful photography with a retro vibe that manages to also be oddly “today.” It perfectly reflects the author’s approach to contemporary, imaginative baking, and thinking about baking.

    Fruit Cake is a wildly wonderful keeper. Go stain those pristine pages!

    Great for gifting, or for your own baking adventure, get the cookbook from your local bookstore or from Amazon.

    – Rowann Gilman
     
     
    > DECEMBER 27th IS NATIONAL FRUITCAKE DAY
     
     
    > THE HISTORY OF FRUITCAKE
     
     
    BEVERAGES WITH FRUITCAKE

    Here are classic pairings for classic fruitcake—the ones with dried fruits, winter spices and alcohol.

    Consider pairing them with other cakes-with-fruit, like those in the Fruit Cake cookbook.

  • We love a good cup of black tea with our fruitcake, or a spice tea like Masala chai and Constant Comment (which is also available in a decaffeinated version and a green tea version).
  • Port is the wine of choice, but other libations include sweet oloroso sherry; Madeira, 5 or 10 years old (e.g. Bual); and whiskey aged in sherry casks, like The Macallan.
  • Also for your consideration are fruity or sweeter beers and seasonal fruit cake beer, cranberry ale, pumpkin ale and May wine.
  •  
     
    MORE FRUIT CAKE FUN

  • Sour Cream Fruitcake Recipe (light and airy)
  • Fruitcake Milkshake Recipe
  • Our Favorite Fruitcake From Robert Lambert and here (available during the holiday season)
  •  


    [1] Every type of fruitcake you can imagine—except the regifted bricks of fruitcakes you may have experienced. Get your copy from Amazon or your local bookstore (all photos © William Morrow, publisher).


    [2] This delectable version pays homage to the fruitcakes of the Middle Ages. The earliest known recipe for fruitcake dates to ancient Rome.


    [3] Three fruitcakes that great-grandma never envisioned.


    [4] Need a quick fruitcake fix? This version is no-cook!


    [5] This fruitcake is topped with fresh strawberries.

     

      

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