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When I was a kid, Christmas meant a visit from relatives in Montana and Idaho. Some would drive to Seattle, but my Grandma would always take the train. On the day of her expected arrival my parents would call the train station repeatedly to get the latest expected arrival times because winter storms and packed trains usually meant that the train would be late. But when she finally did arrive there was lots of baggage to carry home and I always knew that somewhere in those bags Grandma had stashed a couple of Northern Pacific Fruitcakes.
Today, the Christmas fruitcake has become a joke and a paragon of bad cuisine. But when I was a kid, there wasn't anything I wanted more than a slice of Christmas fruitcake. Yes, there were some weird chunks of peculiarly colored and nasty tasting stuff that had to be picked out of a slice before it could be eaten, but that was just part of the pleasure I took from eating the fruitcake. I remember always picking out the green chunks that I despised and trading them for the red chunks that my brother reviled. And my parents used to soak the adult fruitcakes overnight in plenty of brandy and bourbon. I never remember them having any complaints about their portion of the fruitcake.
This year, I researched some online recipes for the Northern Pacific Dark Fruitcake and I decided to give the recipe a try. Right now, in my oven, there is a Christmas fruitcake cooking at 300 degrees and I'm going to present it tomorrow at the family Christmas dinner. I did make some alterations to the recipe (no garish glazed fruit, fewer nuts and I replaced the booze with honey). I also cut down the recipe to make only 1 loaf (or brick, if you are a fruitcake hater). And just in case this fruitcake is a disaster, I've also made a cheesecake and an apple pie for Christmas dessert.
posted
I remember fruitcake as the only food I could swallow whole. I hated it with a passion and figured out that if I chewed it, it would linger on my teeth and in my mouth a whole lot longer than if I simply swallowed it whole, in small bites. Taking a bite then a sip of milk didn't help either as I was left with a mouthful that was too large to swallow resulting in teary bug eyes, milk spurting from my nose and a lot of attention I did not want. These days I don't mind it, as long as it's covered with a hot rum sauce.
This sure sounds like an invitation to me, I'm coming too and I'll bring the rum sauce.
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Merry Christmas to all Amtrak forum friends, Laurie and the staff.
One other railroad Christmas tradition was the lighting of the huge holly tree north of Baltimore on the Baltimore and Ohio RR. What great publicity it was for the Royal Blue line in the 40's and 50's and still not a bad idea for CSX.
Be sure and use the link in the text. It'll take you to the recording of the ceremony.
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Enjoyed this recording, Mr. Palmland - even if so politically incorrect nowadays. Oh, it's Soooo "PI" to have nowadays religious themed music known as Chirstmas Carols played over public media, but so "correct" to have "All I want for Christmas is you..." played ad nauseam.
Other railroads had choral ensembles as well. Coming to mind is the New Haven Railroad Choir performing "PI" works at Grand Central.
But off the rails, here is a Wall Street Journal Opinion piece published yesterday. Political Correctness, so holds the columnist, has been taken simply too far:
This is the year Christmas died as a public event in the United States.
We know this after touring the historic heart of public Christmas—Fifth Avenue in New York City.
For generations, American families have come to New York in December to swaddle themselves in the glow and spirit of Christmas—shops, restaurants, brownstones, the evergreen trees along Park Avenue, bar mirrors and, most of all, Fifth Avenue’s department-store windows. You couldn’t escape it, and why would you want to?
A friend, an ardent atheist, would be inconsolable if he couldn’t sing Handel’s entire “Messiah” with 3,000 other revelers this month at Lincoln Center. Even if the only god you worship is yourself, December in New York has always been about the bustling good cheer flowing from the Christian holiday.
I can only hope that members of other faiths, or if of any faith, around here will allow me the privilege to say "Merry Christmas".
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
Merry Christmas, everyone! (I know I am late, but I hope you-all had a great Christmas, and -- I want to quote a post on FaceBook that showed a teddy bear holding up a sigh. which reads:
"I don't want much for Christmas. I just want the person who is reading this to be healthy, happy, and loved"
That is my Christmas wish for each and every one of you.
Merry Christmas!!
P.S. -- Vincent206 -- I don't like fruitcake, but I very much enjoyed your story. And your family is fortunate to have a guy like you who loves to cook. THREE desserts? I'll be right over to help dispose of the apple pie! I'm sure you'll need to help! <G> Ahhhh..... the Good Old Days of passenger trains!
Posts: 211 | From: California | Registered: Dec 2004
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posted
I had to re-read your post, Vincent, and see you did cut down the recipe and didn't make a 10 lb. loaf! I assume "Northern Pacific Fruitcake" refers to the old Northern Pacific passenger train. With 10 lbs. of fruitcake, they probably could have provided the dining car with fruitcake for the entire round trip.
You mentioned you deleted the liquor. I see it only takes 1 tablespoonful of brandy. That doesn't seem like a lot for a 10 lb. fruitcake. Do not some fruitcakes contain more brandy and/or rum? But, what do I know. My idea of cooking is to throw something frozen into the microwave.
A belated "Merry Christmas" and the more inspirational "Happy Federal Holiday" to all.
Richard
Posts: 1909 | From: Santa Rosa | Registered: Jan 2004
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It actually turned out pretty tasty, although next time I will omit the candied pineapple. The rest of the candied fruit was just fine, however.
The NP Fruit Cake recipe can be found in Dining By Rail, a collection of dining car recipes, compiled by James D. Porterfield. According to Mr. Porterfield:
quote:In one representative year, 1949, the railroad sold 4,004 3-pound fruit cakes and 637 5-pound cakes, or more than 7 1/2 tons of them, to train patrons.
For those of you hoping to stop by Seattle for a bit of the Christmas leftovers, we've finished all the good stuff and there aren't any empty beds available, either--I'm currently sleeping on the fold-out couch in the living room. But feel free to let me know if you're in town, I know a few good places where we can meet for lunch.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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posted
I read something about fruitcake a few days ago, about how so many seem to dislike it in the US. But then I read more about it, how it was joked about on some US chat show, and now I understand a little more. Except the green bits: those are just weird.
I also noticed on forums that there is a little confusion over (British) Christmas Pudding and (British) fruit cake: let me just say they are very different indeed! Just after Christmas my grandmother would have all us kids over to stir the pudding and make a wish. Lots of alcohol involved (for the pudding!) and she'd put the mix into ceramic pudding bowls to... cure?... over the following 11+ months. Then it would be reheated in the bowls in a bowl of water, emptied upside down onto a plate, a spoonful of hot brandy poured over it, and lit and brought to the table. It would be served with brandy cream or custard. Mmmm.
-------------------- Geoff M. Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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posted
Now there's a question... I would lean towards "pudding" as it's not really any more than a sponge cake with a few raisins.
I don't know if you have them here (I don't like them) but the manufacturer of Jaffa cakes had a similar argument as to whether they were cakes or biscuits (read: cookies). One is taxed if chocolate covered; the other not. They're like a cross between a hard cake and a very soft cookie with orange paste. Article
-------------------- Geoff M. Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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I love Jaffa cakes. They aren't easy to find in Canada; we have to go to shops which specialise in British comestibles. It was easier when we had Marks & Spencer stores across the dominion. On our almost-annual trips to the UK we always return with a load of "goodies", mostly from M&S.
Several years ago I recall people referring to some of the trains as "Jaffa cakes" because of their colour-scheme.
Posts: 216 | From: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jul 2000
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