Why Fruitcake?

Fruitcake is the stereotypical Christmas dessert.  I've personally only had it once (never again), but it's still everywhere this time of year.  So during a conversation with my mother on the subject, and amid speculation, I began to wonder exactly why fruitcake is so traditional and popular, even though few people actually like it.  So, I did some research.  And I was surprised and slightly horrified to find that some fruitcake supposedly has a shelf life of 25 years.

Fruitcake actually started in Rome, where it was almost a delicacy, only affordable to the rich because of how rare fresh fruit was in the winter.  Add liqueur to that, and you've got an expensive dish.  Our American version stemmed from the British form of plum cake, a fruity dessert incredibly popular to eat during holidays.  Obviously, it's not nearly as rare and expensive now, so it's not as popular as it used to be.  But it's still iconic.

My personal experience with fruitcake came 3 or 4 years ago, when we visited a location famous for their fruitcake, and was handing out samples.  I sunk my teeth into a bite, even though fruitcake isn't liked all that well and I'm not a fan of trying new foods.  But I figured I might as well give it a try.

The bread was... very sweet, and the fruit was... well, something I tried not to chew too much.  All this to say, no, I don't like fruitcake.  But if you do—more power to you!

Also, don't forget to visit Faith's blog for the other participators and the giveaway!