Solstice Fruitcakes

Today was fruitcake day; since the '60's I have been making a delicious fruitcake with dried fruit soaked in brandy or rum, and nuts. Now it is a Holiday tradition at our house--the fruitcake...and today the house smelled lovely as the spicey aroma of baking fruitcake filled the air. This is some of what Wikipedia says about fruitcake: "The earliest recipe from ancient Rome lists pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, and raisins that were mixed into barley mash. In the Middle Ages, honey, spices, and preserved fruits were added and the name fruitcake was first used. In the 18th century, Europeans were baking fruitcakes using nuts from the harvest for good luck in the following year. The cake was saved and eaten before the next harvest. Fruitcakes proliferated until a law in Europe restricted them to Christmas, weddings, and a few other holidays. Even so, the fruitcake remained popular at Victorian Teas in England throughout the 19th century." Now, for many people, fruitcake is the worst of Holiday food (they seem to really despise it)---and it is the subject of many holiday jokes, but in our family it is consumed with gusto. While the fruitcakes baked, I also created some wreaths, and began the holiday decor. For me, the Soltice is the most important holiday this month---a celebration of the return of the light! and the movement of the seasons---so our holiday decor always includes numerous candles and fresh greens from the outdoors.