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Civilized society stands divided into two distinct camps: Those who adore fruitcake, and those who detest it. On the fruitcake issue, the middle ground stretches out forlornly deserted, across which each side glares at the other. On only one issue do the two sides agree: they're both charmed by the Ultimate Fruitcake Recipe. Example: Those readers whose first exposure to the Ultimate Fruitcake Recipe occurred on the Internet might well think the bit of humor quoted above originated in this medium. Truth is, versions of it have been kicking around for years, as this example from 1959 shows: All kidding about drunken cooks aside, fruitcake has been a part of festive celebrations for a very long time. It's been popular in Europe since Roman times, when cooks mixed raisins, pine nuts and pomegranate seeds into barley mash. In the Middle Ages, honey, dried fruits and spices were added to bread dough for special occasions. At one time, fruitcake was considered semi-sacred, with laws in place in Europe until the end of the 18th century that restricted its making to celebrations such as Christmas, Easter, weddings, and the like. It's impossible to age a fruitcake too long, say those in the know. If stored in an airtight container and basted occasionally with liquor, it'll keep indefinitely. Then again, the same could have been said of Admiral Nelson.
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