Next fruitcake is from.....

The American South. Texas, to be exact. This time, a recommendation from a reader, Eilenberger from Palestine, TX. Here we go--it's fruitcake time!

Review: Kirkland Fruitcake

Avoid.

Just had to get that out there. Review coming soon, after I choke down another piece in order to give it one more chance to taste good. I'm not hopeful, though.

Next up: College of the Ozarks fruitcake

A reader had alerted me to this fruitcake last year and I had mentioned it then but didn't get to it. I think it's about time I got around to it. They actually have an interesting list of other products they sell, and I'm sorely tempted to try the summer sausage as well as some of the corn-meal. So I'll be ordering this one soon!

Just plotting out my next fruitcakes for the holiday season. I've already reviewed an "other" fruitcake, and since College of the Ozarks is in Missouri, that will qualify (sort of) as a "southern" fruitcake--though of course I'll determine that when I taste it. I shudder to think of which mass-produced I'll be reviewing, but have been considering the Costco fruitcake, recommended by some readers.

Finally, I may just be beginning to run out of monastery fruitcakes, but there's one I haven't done yet: the Genesee abbey in New York. Their fruitcake looks fine, and is available from their site as well as the Monastery Greetings site.

So all that should keep me busy!

Gorgeous home-made fruitcakes

Hello, I'm back! It seems like the previous fruitcake season (which for me, remember, begins around May and continues through January or February) took a heavy toll--I was happy to be without them for a few months.

Before the Christmas holidays, I was contacted by Veda, who lives in New York City. This woman has got it going on when it comes to fruitcake. I tell you people, home-made cakes are the best. I don't often accept home-made cakes to review, but Veda sent me her two specialty items: a dark and a light fruitcake (the latter she calls a Dundee cake).

These cakes were both beautiful and delicious. Veda works very hard on making beautiful, quality cakes, and annually sends 300 pounds of fruitcakes around the world to family and friends. She spares no expense on the quality of the ingredients and actually has a room dedicated in her house for storage of these lovely things before shipping them off.

Veda was nice enough to provide me samples of and recipes for both of her cakes. Recipes, reviews, and photos to follow soon!!

College of the Ozarks fruitcake

Hi - a reader alerted me to the fruitcake and other products produced by the students of College of the Ozarks located in Missouri. Interesting premise for this college: every student works to pay their way through the school. It's a Christian college that has been described as "stone cold sober" by the Princeton Review, so I'm guessing I won't find any alcohol-soaked cakes, but it looks like an interesting fruitcake to check out, so I'll add it to my list. They also offer apple butters, grits, etc.