Le Solstice

I know its meant to be spiritual and is the natural progression of life on this Planet, but the reason I'm happy to see the Winter Solstice arriving tomorrow is simply because we slowly start gaining longer daylight. This dark at 4 pm malarky is just not my thing. 

To see myself through December and January I have for a few years now, bought myself a pot or two of bulbs. Hyacinths in this case and some pots of cyclamen from the Fall. They have started blooming on the kitchen window sill and never fail to cheer me up while I wait out the Winter.

Newfoundland Christmas Rum Cake

Fruitcake, the much maligned Christmas staple or at least it was a staple in my parents' house and one we looked forward to. My mother made her own cakes, both light and dark versions, in November and the finished loaves were wrapped in foil and tucked away in the cold basement until Christmas. I remember how moist and delicious they were and never understood people who claimed to dislike fruitcake. 

I think some of the reason is due to the poor quality, commercially made cakes that aren't fit for much more than being door stops. The rest is like mince pies, you either like 'em or not. 

If possible, make your own fruitcake and taste the difference. I lost my mother's recipe a long time ago so I was really pleased to come across this dark fruitcake recipe from Newfoundland. I haven't made it yet, but plan to. I thought I would share it with you. 

Newfoundland Christmas Rum Cake

2 cups brown sugar, 2 cups hot water, 1/2 cup butter, 3/4 cup chopped dates, 1 box raisins 1/2 tsp each of cinnamon, allspice, cloves and mace. 1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 beaten egg, 2 tsp baking soda, 2.5 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup each chopped cherries and mixed fruit, 1 cap full lemon extract, 1 cap full almond extract and 1 cap full of vanilla extract

1 capful of rum or brandy (substitute orange juice if you don't want alcohol)

In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan combine the brown sugar, hot water, butter chopped dates, raisins, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, mace and nutmeg. Bring to a boil for five minutes. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool. Add the egg, baking soda, flour, cherries and mixed fruit and all the extracts and rum or orange juice. Mix well and pour into a 9 or 10 inch well greased tube pan. I like to line my cake pans with baking parchment as well. 

Bake at 300F/150C for two hours or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool and either slice now or wrap the cake in baking parchment then foil and store in a cool, dry place. 

Marcescence

 

That's the name for the refusal of beech and oak trees to let go of their leaves in Winter. This oak tree near me is an example of that process. The photo at the top was taken December 3rd, the one below was last week. Makes a wonderful flash of colour when everything else is dull and grey.