Fruitcake

[wondersofwine]

My parents favored bourbon so I had little experience with Scotch. On a trip to Scotland many years ago I asked for a single malt scotch at the hotel bar to take into the lobby. They asked if I liked a "peaty" scotch and I said I was still experimenting but would try one. They asked "Do you want it neat or on ice or with water?" I said "neat" and they said "You can come back tomorrow."

Last spring my father's former boss, Cliff Hillegas (of Cliff's Notes fame), died. I knew Cliff liked a particular Scotch but couldn't remember if it was Glenfiddich or Glenlivet. I was visiting Cape Cod around that time and one evening had a shot of Glenlivet (neat) and the next night a shot of Glenfiddich in Cliff's memory. Mostly I stick to wines or gin or vodka cocktails (rum drinks in Hawaii).

[winedope]

if you haven't given up onthe idea of making a fruitcake, you may now. Most involve quite a bit of time, and if you are going to go through all this, you might as well make a good one. Emeril Lagasse and the Frugal Gourmet both have excelllent, workable recipes for the home cook. The downside is that to get a really good finished product involves 2-4 weeks (after baking, the cake requires several soakings of liquid- generally bourbon) so if you wanted to have a fruitcake to give or eat for this Christmas, you'd better get crackin' soon.