Of all the many holiday traditions that have evolved in this country throughout the years, none is quite as unfortunate as the continuing denigration of that traditional treat popularly known as the fruitcake. Fruitcake bashing has become a disturbingly popular pastime, nay, a culinary archetype, that has little actual basis in fact. The editorial board of the Crusader has deemed it appropriate this holiday season to come to the defense of this beleaguered dessert treat, which is not only not thoroughly disgusting, but which has a fascinating history to boot.
     The discovery centuries ago that fruit could be effectively preserved by soaking it in concentrated sugar solutions inevitably led to a glut of sugary, preserved fruits from all over the world, and not many ideas on what to do with it all. The custom of incorporating all that fruit into a cake with nuts was a logical result of this historical development. Prior to the 1700s, crusaders and hunters carried fruitcake to sustain themselves during long periods of time away from home. It wasn't until the 18th century that fruitcake became a staple of ceremonial celebrations throughout Europe, including religious holidays, harvest celebrations, weddings and birthdays. Tea time in Victorian England was simply not complete without the presence of a savory fruitcake in its midst. This long and rich history has led to the common misperception that fruitcake is a purely symbolic food that no one is seriously expected to actually eat.
     To make matters worse, fruitcake has been subjected to intense abuse by some of the greatest writers in history. Charles Dickens for instance once opined that "fruitcake is a geological homemade cake." In the 20th century, "fruitcake" became a slang pejorative term for a mentally unstable or eccentric person. And despite this singular lack of respect, this mean spirited descent into sheer demagoguery, the fruitcake endures, year in and year out, with quite steady sales to people from virtually all walks of life. Why is this, if there are no people out there actually partaking of this time honored food?
     The time has come at last to abandon the irrational habit of mindlessly belittling the fruitcake, a dessert as worthy of respect as any other, particularly at this time of the year. Would we on the editorial board of the Crusader actually deign to eat some fruitcake, given the opportunity? Hell no. But this personal preference in no way detracts from the enjoyment that countless people in this country and around the world derive from the fruitcake in all of its various and endlessly fascinating varieties.
     Fruitcake is not evil, only the pernicious attempts to discredit it are.

     We live in a dark world, a world with war on the horizon, the constant threat of terrorist attacks, deepening economic uncertainty, and unrestrained fruitcake bashing. It is always a comfort to gather with our family and friends at this time of the year to share the magic of the holiday season, but even more so now, given the tenor of the times.
     Our sincerest wish is that we can all come to appreciate the true meaning of this wonderful season, whatever our personal beliefs in the matter, and so come together to share our strength and love with each other in ways previously unknown. This world has always been a pretty scary place, and it is precisely these kinds of beautiful traditions that we maintain, without fail, that reflect the decidedly better and admirable side of our nature as human beings in the face of the unknown.
     May we never surrender these glimmering rituals and customs of the heart, these lovely manifestations of the human spirit, these timeless ethics of hope, peace and love that transcend personal belief and prejudice, and quite deservedly bring us one step closer to the divine.

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Chuck’s Corner News From Around the Block and Around the World by C.H.Bueker C.H. Bueker is away on holiday, and will return in January 2003.

 

by J. Beaver
    The "Huntley Finkley Report" was a primitive precursor to the Joan De Arc Crusader, making a single appearance one day in the summer of 1965. An actual copy of this rare document is reproduced below in its entirety, for the nostalgic pleasure of our readers and in an effort to preserve the journalistic history of our street:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________JDA

 

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