Written by For our prompt of “Fruitcake” today, I made a sketch of a little mouse having a slice. Fruitcake is rather iconic during the Christmas season, but I don’t remember tasting it until I was an adult. The first experience was not particularly favorable in that I really didn’t enjoy it. It was one that appeared at a party once and I felt obliged to try some. From the strange candied things on top to the texture and the flavor, I was not a fan. Later, however, I tried another version that I thought was actually quite yummy. Proof that it’s always good to try things more than once as one never knows if the second try might be more appealing. Though I did enjoy that second slice, it still wasn’t a cake that I would insist on having during the season. The winner of that contest still goes to my beloved pecan pie. But, I figured a little mouse would be far less picky than I am.
Philippe has made an oatmeal banana bread loaf a couple of times these past two weeks. It’s delicious, but so healthy that it almost fails to qualify as a treat. Thankfully, he received a box of goodies from his boss that included some homemade cookies. I only had one double chocolate chip cookie, but it was pure heaven. I’m sure that’s all the calories I need at my age, but my inner child did backflips when I took a bite. There’s actually a little stack of chocolate chip cookies sitting in front of me now, so I might have another for dessert this evening. Philippe is busy working on rendering an animation for work and so there’s some sort of vegetable soup simmering in the InstaPot. I think it smells light and healthy enough to justify a cookie later on, or at least that’s what I like to tell myself.
I’ve actually been rather good this holiday season and not indulged in very many treats at all. I’d love to say that it’s my incredible will power, but it’s more just my husband not making or buying anything of the sort. But, when cookies arrive magically on your doorstep, it would simply be a crime not to indulge just a little bit. I’m enjoying each little evening as we finally take a bit of break, but the days have been really busy for both Philippe and I this week. Last night we almost forgot to do our countdown ritual, we’ve been so harried. But we did, and Philippe performed a fabulous new card trick. Phineas seems to be doing his usual thing of just supervising whatever silly thing we’re trying to complete. This only happens for a moment before he gives up on us entirely, sniffs his disapproval, and wanders back to the couch to sleep. Though things have been nuts around here lately, there’s still lots of fruit to be found, like a slice of fruitcake.
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mmmm I actually am one of those that likes fruitcake, although I prefer the dark kind, I would share with the little mouse :). Delightful Charlie.
Thanks so much, Zoie! 😃💕 Yeah, I think the dark kind is much better!
Charlie did you know where those gelatinous awful candies come from? Yellow, red, green ones like atop that cake you sketcned. Those are all the bits and pieces of toys that break so Santa gets his elves to package them up and give them to the bakery. Ewwwww those are grossssssssss.
I haven’t had fruitcake for years. But. Today I had a cookie. A friend who bakes gave me a tin of those yum yum.
hehe! Yeah, looks like where those candies much come from. They look cool and are fun to sketch, but ewww is right! 😉
I understand just how happy that little mouse is. My mother always made the most wonderful fruitcake at Christmas..one of those wonderful Christmas memories!
Aww yay! That a wonderful Christmas memory indeed! 😃💕
Wonderful Charlie! Fruitcake comes in many forms. My sister’s were hard doorsstops filled with weirdly colored candles. One of our daughters not so tactfully suggested maybe she shouldn’t go through the trouble of making them. I made it once with two colors of raisins and just enough candied cherries for color. The cake was dark and moist, soaked with rum. A small piece was enough.
Thanks so much, Karen! 😃💕 hehe! Soaked in rum is the best way to go I think! And it strikes be that the less colorful and even a bit uglier versions might taste the best of all! hehe
Fruitcake. Not a fan. That said, my favorite holiday story is A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote and it centers around fruitcake. Go figure. And if you have never read this story, find it online and read it. I think after all this time reading your essays I know you well enough to say that you will adore it. It even has a little dog in it for Phineaus.
Oh wow! I haven’t read that, but I’ll definitely have to check it out! 😃💕
I don’t like most fruitcakes, but one year I received one from Corsicana, Texas (the fruitcake capital of the world) and it was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Mostly it was made of pecans with just enough of everything else to hold it together. That was some 50 years ago, so they probably aren’t as good now.
Oh wow! That does sound really delicious indeed! Yum! 😃💕
Charlie, after waiting for cookies, you only eat one? No! Rip into them like a monkey 🐵 on a cupcake. haha haha haha 😂😂😂 I do honor your willpower and wisdom to watch your portions, but it’s Christmas. Santa 🎅 takes those empty calories back with him to the North Pole. He does like to leave the ones that stick to my big Texas butt. haha haha haha 😂😂😂 Enjoy your cookie. I don’t keep them in the house because they whisper my name late at night and I just can’t seem to tell them no. 😁😁😁 I know you encouraged me to try fruitcake. Maybe one day I will. My mother loves it! Cute painting, Charlie. 💜
Haha! Yeah, I was tempted to rip through them, but they weren’t even my gift! lol I had to hope Philippe would share the cookies! And you should try fruitcake just to see… I think it’s always fun to taste new things! 😃💕
haha haha You see where my thinking was? I didn’t even consider that the cookies were for Philippe! haha haha So sorry, Charlie. 😀 If we lived closer, I would bake you cookies. Any kind that your heart desires. They would, of course, go through very thorough quality assurance testing. I would force myself to make sure that the cookies were safe for you. Wink,wink. haha haha haha 😂😂😂😂
Great doodle, Charlie.
Thanks so much, Gary! 😃💕
Ok, my Auntie made the brick shaped fruit cake and because we loved the fudge she made, we neglected it for years. Come to find out it was extraordinary! It looked like stained glass when you sliced it and it was moist, and delicious. Hope they’re all enjoying it in heaven!
Oh wow! That’s awesome that it was extraordinary! Sounds yummy! 😃💕
Amazing!
Thanks so much, Vinny! 😃💕
Mmmm!! Looks delicious. 🥧
Thanks so much! 😃💕
You are welcome 😊did you have a look at my watercolour I added?
I took a quick peek! Lovely! I didn’t have time to comment though. 😊
Thank you. 😊
Hello Charlie,
Im not at all a fan of fruit cake but the one you’ve made looks scrumptious! And yaaayyyy!!!! The Cookie Fairy kept her promise and visited you after all! Though she couldn’t get Phillipe to bake them for you, she seems to have done the next best thing! Sorry… that’s the little girl in me jumping with joy. 🙂 I hope you have tons of double chocolate cookies to enjoy and a lovely pecan pie comes your way soon!
Love,
Mugdha
P. S. I see you’re having a crazy work week too… so you deserve even more cookies to keep you cheered up. 🙂
Thanks so much, Mugdha! 😃💕 And yessss!! The Cookie Fairy arrived! You did it!! Thank you! It was just a few cookies, which is probably for the best. But they were soooo delicious!
Fruitcake – ugh! I’m sure there is some logical reason it was invented but I can’t think of a good one for eating it. Now, chocolate chip cookies – those are good anytime.
And, just so you know, your painting of the fruitcake makes it look delectable. I’m glad the mouse finds it a treat.
Hehe! Thanks, Sharon! 😃💕 Yeah, the kind of fruitcake that looks the prettiest to sketch is I think the least appetizing in real life! lol