Advent Activity Calendar - December 8

UPDATED***

Scripture Reading:

Isaiah 7:14

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."

Country in Focus: England

Tradition: Fruit Cake

Activity: Work on your goody bags. Make miniature fruit cakes.

Materials: This will depend on which recipe you follow. We are using this one.

Directions: Again, this will depend on which recipe you follow. We are using this one. Updated!!!*** You can watch this video called "A Bunch of Fruitcakes" of our crazy family making our fruitcake.



Background:

Fruitcake has been popular since the Middle Ages. But it was the colonization of the Americas that turned it into something practical to give as an affordable gift. Access inexpensive sugar changed the recipe dramatically. The original recipes called for honey, barley mash, pine nuts and pomegranate seeds.

After the colonization of North America, candied fruit replaced the pomegranate seeds. Soaking the cake in rum was added as well. However, this depended on the preference of the person making the cake. Some families would not have added alcohol at all. Martha Washington's recipe called for sherry.

There seems to be two camps on fruitcakes: love it or hate it. Done well, fruit cake does not have to be an over dry, brick. But it does take care. There are many recipes to try. Allrecipes has several. I think it would be fun to try out. We are going to make a few to give to people who are in the "love it" camp.

Good luck and God bless!