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| A vintage ad for festive candied fruit! |
Below is another clipping from a 1967 Family Circle magazine. This one has to do with dried and candied fruits and their use in baking. In years gone by, not only candied fruit, like that used in fruitcakes and holiday breads, but also dried fruits like dates, apricots, and prunes were considered very festive flavors.
My great-grandmother's recipe for Date Cake always figured prominently in our family celebrations of Thanksgiving and Christmas during my childhood. My mother also made date-oatmeal cookies (with a candied cherry half atop each) as one of our traditional Christmas cookies. She decorated loaves of cinnamon swirl bread with candied cherries and sliced almonds, too.
I myself make little loaves of apricot cake each year as a kitchen gift. That recipe includes not only apricots but also dates, golden raisins, and orange peel.
Maybe this handy vintage chart will help you with your Christmas baking as well!
I don't see "dates" here very often, or maybe I'm just not looking. I remember my mother making stuffed dates with fondant in them. (I think that's what it was). And I also remember making date bars as a teen. I haven't had those in years. I loved them. Hmmm, now you have me wondering where I can find some dates! Fun post!
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