SHIRLEY's ORIGINAL MARITIME WHITE XMAS CAKE 1997

 "Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears..." -John Lennon

 Years ago, Shirley Moore gave me a recipe for her incredible White Fruitcake. I kinda lost the original,  and loathed to tell her. I did finally. I can still hear her sighing over the phone.....For twenty years have been making it from a doctored up version. Until a week ago, when I found the original scribbled recipe from 1997,  hidden in between other loose pages in a binder.

M and Shirley. Fredericton, N.B. 1997

 For over 24 years we kept in touch. She would ask from time to time if I'd found her recipe, and sigh.... She was an amazing person. She lived and breathed her faith. Generous. Unswerving. Across the miles.

 We first met Shirley, and her family, when we moved in across the street. We were military . I remember sitting on the doorstep waiting for the truck from the base to bring our stuff. She brought goodies, her grand children, kindness and understanding and a real friendship that started the moment  we met that day.

 She also brought WHITE FRUITCAKE which was gobbled up the same day with tea and coffee, laughter and  stories. That Maritime hospitality I have never forgotten.........so here's Shirley's  ORIGINAL RECIPE.

 First: Buy a lot of fruit cake making stuff............

 COMBINE in large glass bowl: 2 cups glazed fruit, 6 candied pineapple rings, 1/3 cups orange candied peel, 1/3 cup lemon peel, 2 cups red/green cherries, 3/4 cup dried apricots, 1 1/2 pecan halves, 1 1/2 cups chopped almonds. SOAK with a bottle of wine, or two cups orange juice or Grand Marnier. Let sit for a day or two.

 BATTER: Beat 1 pound soft butter with 2 cups white sugar.

 ADD: 10 large eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.

 ADD: 1/2 cup lemon juice, 2 tsp almond extract, 1 tsp vanilla extract

 ADD: 3 cups flour, pinch of salt, 1 tsp baking powder

 LINE: small loaf pans with greased parchment paper.

 ADD: entire bowl of soaked fruit into the batter.

 COMBINE: Batter and fruit. Use hands if difficult to stir. 

 PLOP: Into the loaf pans. Smooth tops. NO need to do anything fancy to the tops. 

 BAKE: 300 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours. Check at the 1 hour mark to see how they are coming along. Let cool overnight. Wrap and freze if you wish. Or pack into a gift box and mail to some special people.

Shirley's husband, Bruce,  died the year after we left Fredericton. Shirley spent the years as she always had, busy busy with life, family,travelling, making pickles ( she LOVED  pickles),loving every minute she had. Never worrying about what was to come.  This recipe was a family favourite of hers. She died last year, and I find myself wanting to phone her to tell her that I FOUND IT! I FOUND  it! So instead I'll make it,  for years to come and think of her, think of our friendship and her inner Light that  I can  still see from way across the miles..............

Shirley and Bruce Moore 1997

PHOTOGRAPHS 2019