21 September 2006

An article about Gethsemani farms fruitcake

It seems this fruitcake was voted "best overall" by Wall Street Journal back in 1998. I haven't been able to find the original article yet, but here is an interesting article from Keeneland race course in Lexington on how the fruitcake is made. Here's another one.

20 September 2006

Death of a fruitcake lover

L. William "Bill" McNutt Jr. of Collin Street Bakery passed away on 1 September. For some reason, it was not reported in the Chicago Tribune until 17 September. Hmm. The family wanted to prevent a deluge of press? In any case, Bill McNutt was the president of Collin Street Bakery from 1967 and 1998. During that time he vastly expanded what used to be a simple bakery, focusing on mail-order fruitcakes and improving sales by creating a database and using technology to build his sales. I reviewed the Collin Street fruitcake a while ago. It wasn't the most glowing review, but I certainly won't amend it to not speak ill of the dead--after all, Mr. McNutt was not his fruitcake. I will admit that although not to my taste, it was not a literally inedible fruitcake. If you're into sweet pecan flavor, that is your cake. By the way, I learned in the Chicago Tribune article that the fruitcake is sent out in the traditional cowboy tin around the holidays. Not sure if I want to verify that--I'll have to take their word on it.

I'm not sure whether to thank Mr McNutt for expanding the love of fruitcake throughout the world or possibly for creating a good portion of the disdain toward fruitcakes. In either case, he most probably raised fruitcake awareness--whether good or ill.