I often have prided myself on being a little bit different. Not totally odd as in dying my hair all sorts of technicolor hues (although I find nothing wrong with folks who dye their hair with all sorts of technicolor hues), or obtaining a copious supply of holes in my body for the sake of jewelry bedazzlement. Just different enough to not always “go with the flow” of conventual wisdom.
One example of this is, I actually like fruit cake. I know there a lot of people who don't like that particular holiday treat, but I do. Not all fruit cakes, mind you, just certain fruit cakes. Actually, the fruit cakes to which I am referring happen to be my mom and my grandmother's fruit cakes. My mom and Mama Patrick's fruit cakes were the same recipe, I'm sure. Those were the fruit cakes I really enjoyed and looked forward to every year during this time of year. I remember the red and green cherries and pineapple chunks with loads of pecans.
My dilemma is, both my mom and Mama Patrick are in Heaven. That's great for them, but it leaves my fruit cake desires yet unfulfilled. This year, I bought a fruit cake from the Madison Church of God. The cake was really good, but it wasn't Mama Patrick's fruit cake. I do admit, I was very spoiled in my younger years. You would be too, if you were blessed to grow up with mom's and Mama Patrick's fruit cakes every year.
It is no secret that I dearly love my sisters, especially my oldest sister. She has been better to me over my lifetime than I could ever deserve. Almost any time, she is extremely accommodating to me. Whenever I go home for a visit, more often than not, she will send me back with at least one “sack” of goodies and leftovers to enjoy at subsequent mealtimes. I never, ever want to give the false impression that I have even the slightest hint of ungratefulness. But, she doesn't like fruit cake. Not even mom's or Mama Patrick's. That's right, I am just as shocked as you must be right now. Because she doesn't like fruit cake, she won't make one. No matter how much I have pleaded over the years, she won't do it. She tells me, “Why don't you get the recipe and make it yourself?” Yeah, I'll pause for a moment while you pick yourself back up from laughing so hard. I've even offered to get the ingredients for the fruit cake, but the answer is still “no.”
I do have a cousin here in town who probably remembers Mama Patrick's fruit cake. I wonder how successful I might be in trying to convince her to try her hand at one of Mama Patrick's fruit cakes. Doesn't hurt to try, right? I wonder if she's reading this right now. I know sometimes she does.
Now, if I can just get the egg nog recipe for the egg nog we used to have at Mama Mae's every Christmas Eve, I could probably pull that one off myself. I have another cousin on that side of the family who knows that recipe. I have almost a whole month to try. In the meantime, I hope your entire holiday season is a happy one; here on the “Sunny Side.”