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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Monday, November 17, 2008 The Forum: Look for white fruitcake recipe By Judyrae Kruse Herald Columnist With the holidays now moving up on us at an ever-accelerating rate, Bev Haggard has visions of a certain fruitcake dancing in her head. "I am looking for an old but easy recipe for a white fruitcake,'' she says. "It has only eight ingredients, and I have lost this wonderful California recipe. Maybe your readers can find this easy recipe for me.'' How about it, Forum folks? If you can share the how-to, but ONLY if you have this exact, just-eight-ingredients, white fruitcake recipe, please send it to Judyrae Kruse at the Forum, c/o The Herald, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206. As you know, we are always happy to receive your contributions and requests, but please remember that all letters and e-mail must include a name, complete address with ZIP code and telephone number with area code. No exceptions and sorry, but no response to e-mail by return e-mail; send to kruse@heraldnet.com. Speaking of the holidays, for Patricia Robinson and others hoping to make a persimmon pudding for dessert on Thanksgiving or Christmas, Everett cook Mary Jo Castleberry tells us, "This is an answer to a recipe request for persimmon pudding. It's not exactly the same as the one described, but I do have this recipe for Dymple's delight persimmon pudding.'' You'll notice Mary Jo's recipe calls for a 20-ounce can of persimmon pulp, not something readily available around here, as far as I know. If you know otherwise and can suggest a source for this necessity, please get in touch with me at the above address. Meanwhile, in lieu of the canned persimmon pulp, since other similar recipes call for pulp made from fresh fruit, it would seem logical to assume that 20 ounces of fresh persimmon puree would substitute successfully for anyone who has a supply of fresh persimmons and a kitchen scale. And it's a snap to make our own pulp, too, as we learned from a recipe supplied by Arlington cook Anna Y. Pritchard in a previous Forum persimmon pudding column: Cut the persimmons in half crosswise, then scoop out the fruit and puree in a blender or food processor. If you're not going to use the pulp right away, you can stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice into each 2 cups of the pureed fruit to keep it from darkening. DYMPLE'S DELIGHT PERSIMMON PUDDING 11/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder Pinch salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 can (20 ounces) persimmon pulp 2 eggs, beaten 11/4 cups buttermilk 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 cup cream 1 tablespoon honey 4 tablespoons butter, melted Whipped cream (optional) Sift flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl; set aside. Combine persimmon pulp and eggs and set aside. Stir together the buttermilk and baking soda; set aside. Add the persimmon mixture to the flour mixture, a portion at a time, alternating with a portion of the buttermilk mixture, beating well by hand after each addition. Add cream, honey and melted butter and beat well. Pour into a buttered 10-inch square baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serve with whipped cream, if desired. Makes 10 to 12 servings. Bits and pieces: If cookbooks figure in your Christmas gift-giving plans, here's news from longtime Forum contributor and cookbook author Dianne Berst of Marysville. She says copies of her "I Like Cookies!'' are still available, for $15, plus $1.70 for tax and $3.30 for postage and handling, for a total of $20 per book. And her popular "Sharing Our Best'' has been reprinted and is now available again. Price per book including tax is $10.85, plus $3.15 for postage and handling, for a total of $14. "To have either book sent via Priority Mail instead of the slower Fourth Class Media Mail,'' she says, "add $1 to the total cost and indicate on your order 'Priority Mail.''' Cookbook orders, along with your check or money order in the appropriate amount, should be sent to Dianne Berst, 6111 70th St. NE, Marysville, WA 98270. The next Forum will appear in Wednesday's Good Life section. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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