Thursday, or Thereabouts - November 19, 2015

While the sound and light show of Christmas already plays at any mall, big box store and even small box store in town, let me remind you of the rules of this house.

No outside lights,

No indoor decorations,

No Christmas baking

BEFORE the First Sunday in Advent!

with one small exception...

The Friut Cake

This old family gem needs time to mature, in a cool dark place where rich flavours develop in dark loaves that lie sealed within the oiled paper they were baked in. As I write, glace fruits, raisins, pecans, almonds, molasses, and honey are making merry with a generous pour of a dark Cuban rum. (Okay so maybe it's several generous pours of rum!) 

I will let them continue to mingle and mellow until Saturday morning. Then I'll mix together eggs, butter, flour and warm spices to make just enough batter to hold all that happy fruit together. For two hours or more, three loaves will take up centre stage in a low oven. 

My kitchen will swell with the fragrant incense of Christmas yet to be. 

And that's more than enough decoration for this old soul in November.

©2015 April Hoeller