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From: "Elizabeth Angela Guyver" <>
Subject: Re: [WarBrides] Real English Dark Xmas Cake Recipe
Date: Tue, 27 Dec 2005 20:50:49 -0000
References: <20051227.071902.716.26045@webmail10.lax.untd.com> <006101c60b1e$9b48c600$78a2c2cf@1wy6801>


You forgot the rotten bread and butter that seemed to eaten with
everything - even fruit to "fill you up".

Take Care

Beth
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joan Reichardt" <>
To: <>
Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 7:48 PM
Subject: Re: [WarBrides] Real English Dark Xmas Cake Recipe


>I know what you mean when you mention that dark, moist cake with the thick
> almond paste the hard white (royal) icing and the red frill around the
> edge.
> I could just see it, over all the years, complete with hard little silver
> balls that nearly broke your teeth. Having had a huge Christmas dinner at
> around 2pm - after the King's speech - all the adults relocated to a
> comfortable chair, as close to the fire as possible, and slept, while I,
> the
> only kid, lay on the black rug in front of the fire and saw imaginary
> castles and fairy dells in the flames. I was not allowed to read my new
> books on Christmas day as we always had guests, but they all snored their
> heads off and would not have known anyway!! At about 5.30pm they would
> come
> back to life and tea, mince pies and THE CAKE appeared, and it was not
> some
> dainty little sliver, but a honking great wedge that we were served.
> At about 10pm we would have supper, cold ham, cheese and pickled walnuts
> and
> pickled red cabbage and pickled onions. How anyone ever slept after that
> lot I do not know. They must have had cast iron constitutions, because
> our
> visitors always included numerous great aunts and uncles who were not
> young.
> I remember, between tea and supper, we played cards, had drinks and
> chocolates, crystallized fruits and gambled!! Does anyone remember Chase
> the Ace? I remember we started out with tuppence ha'penny and bet a
> ha'penny on each hand but that's all I know. Eventually, they all got
> bedded down - or went home somehow and I got up next morning to my
> favourite
> day - Boxing Day - when I was allowed to read my new books!!
> I also remember, during the war, cutting up prunes (with scissors) into
> different sized pieces to represent raisins and currants for the cake and
> the pudding, and there was an imitation almond paste made with mashed
> potatoes, crushed saccharine tablets and almond extract that was
> positively
> revolting. When I arrived in Canada, I think I assumed I would see a
> return
> to our pre - war Christmas, and I was in for a grave disappointment. My
> mother in law was not a good cook to begin with, and they, having come
> from
> Holland, had none of my traditions. So it was overcooked, unstuffed, dry
> turkey, overcooked, oversalted, watery boiled potatoes, and carrots and
> tinned peas, served with pale gray, greasy gravy! And, horror of horrors,
> red 'jam' (cranberries) loaded over everything! Dessert was cornstarch
> pudding, with a drizzle of corn syrup on it! No sprouts, no swedes, no
> parsnips, and NO pudding and custard, and of course, no mince pies, no
> cake.
> I survived, I was happy that we were together again and that was all that
> really mattered, but I made a silent vow that Christmas would be done
> 'properly' in the future - and it was! Happy New Year to all of you,
> Cheers, Joan
>
>
>
>
>
> 1
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <>
> To: <>
> Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 7:18 AM
> Subject: Re: [WarBrides] Real English Dark Xmas Cake Recipe
>
>
>> Thankyou Beth,
>> Would love to have that recipe, have been using one
>>
>> that is pretty good and uses honey and grape juice, found it
>>
>> in a Canadian cookbook. However it is really not as I recall
>>
>> the real English Fruit Cake, for one thing, it gets too dry.
>>
>> Don't know if you are in the USA or Canada, but I have a great
>>
>> recipe for Canadian Butter Tarts if you would like it.
>>
>> Again Thankyou, Regards, Pam.
>>
>>
>>
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