It’s been a rough November, friends and not only because of the weather.

The world is a mess, or so it seems when we read or listen to the news. Thousands of dissatisfied people are camped out in miserable conditions trying to get their message across to seemingly indifferent corporate and political leaders, with little or no tangible success. And then, along came Black Friday.

I’ve seldom before ever felt so ashamed of “us” and how far we’ve fallen from standards of common courtesy and decent behavior.

Women using tazers to force people out of their way in the mob scenes that took place in major stores across the country?

At first, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing on the news broadcast, but then other reports of pepper spray and sharp objects used for the same purpose kept coming in and all I could think was, “Who are these people, anyway? Is there no longer any regard for another human being? Is getting ‘stuff’ a few dollars cheaper that important?”

It’s especially depressing when you consider that what triggered this mayhem was the beginning of the season of peace, kindness and brotherly love. Ha!

Well, if you too are feeling down about any or all of this, there is a cure. A time-honored, uplifting, nothing but good side-effects cure for the holiday blues, and it’s available without a prescription right now. One exposure to this amazing medication may be enough to carry you through to the beginning of a more hopeful New Year. I’m talking, of course, about the curative properties of the magical moments of our beloved “Nutcracker.”

Many of our readers know how fortunate we are to have such a talented, professional, beautiful presentation of this beloved classic available for our pleasure here on the island, but some of you may be newcomers, or among those who think “The Nutcracker” is just for kids, so I’m urging you not to miss this special holiday treat.

Over the years, I’ve seen “The Nutcracker” performed in other cities here and abroad, and none has been any better staged or performed. And by the way, you may be surprised to see familiar faces among the actors/dancers on the stage.

Give yourself a holiday gift; lose yourself for a couple of hours to the magic of “The Nutcracker” and I can guarantee it will lift your spirits and put you in the mood for holiday celebrations.  (Check the Record for times/tickets, or call Island Dance Studio, 341-1282)

RECIPES

If it’s time to enjoy “The Nutcracker,” that means it’s also time to make fruitcake. (I can hear you now, “Come off it, Margaret; nobody makes fruitcake any more.”) Well, some of us do and it’s almost sacrilege in our family not to have at least one fruitcake aging in a cupboard. It’s a very holiday thing to do, isn’t really all that complicated, and when you pull out your homemade Christmas fruitcake, you’ll definitely enjoy the compliments.

This first recipe is for a very traditional style fruitcake, but is probably my favorite of all the many fruitcake recipes I have. It’s well worth the time and effort.

CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE

2 cups mixed diced glaceed fruits

2 cups golden raisins

1 cup dark raisins

1½ cups dried currants

½ cup glaceed red cherries, cut in half, plus more for garnish

¾ cup dark rum, plus another tablespoon or so for finishing (see instructions)**

1½ cups flour

½ t. baking powder

½ t. salt

¼ t. freshly grated nutmeg

¼ t. ground ginger

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

5 large eggs

1 cup blanched almonds, lightly toasted, cooled and finely ground (use coffee or spice grinder, or small food processor)

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

½ cup apricot jam (I’ve also used peach jam, marmalade, plum jam; all good)

In a large bowl, combine well the mixed fruits, raisins, currants, ½ cup of the cherries and the rum. Let the fruits macerate, covered, overnight.

Line the bottom of a buttered 9-inch springform pan with a round of waxed paper and butter the paper. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and ginger.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until mixture is light and fluffy, then beat in 4 of the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Drain the macerated fruit in a sieve set over the mixing bowl and beat the juices into the batter.

Pat the fruit dry between paper towel layers, then toss them in a bowl with 1/3 cup of the flour mixture. Stir the remaining flour mixture into the batter, one-fourth at a time, then stir in the fruit mixture, the ground almonds and walnuts, stirring until the mixture is just combined. Turn the batter out into the prepared pan.

Put 2 loaf pans, each filled with hot water, into a preheated 300-degree oven and put the springform pan between them. (This maneuver is going to keep your fruitcake from the dreaded “dry” problem.) Bake the cake for 1 hr., then brush the top with the remaining egg, lightly beaten, and bake cake for 1 hr. more. While the cake is baking, melt the jam and one more tablespoon of rum (see note below) in a small saucepan over med. heat. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve, pressing hard on the solids.

Let cake cool in the pan on a rack for 30 min., remove the side and invert the cake onto the rack. Remove the pan bottom and waxed paper carefully, invert the cake onto another rack and let it cool completely. Arrange the additional cherries decoratively on the cake, brush the cake with some of the apricot glaze (reserve remaining glaze to add another coat later, if desired.) Store the cake, wrapped in plastic wrap and foil, in a cool place for up to 6 months.

Note: Depending upon the length of time I intend to store a fruitcake, I often wrap it in a double layer of cheesecloth dampened with brandy, then wrap in plastic wrap and foil.

**Because I am not a fan of rum, I usually substitute brandy in my fruitcake, but the cake is outstanding with either; use whichever you prefer. If I want to make a holiday splash, I heat brandy to simmering, pour a bit over the cake, light it and carry it flaming into the room.

All right, you’d prefer something a bit easier and not so obviously “fruitcake”? These fruitcake bites should do the trick. If you bake these in the small bonbon size baking cups, you should have 8-9 dozen.

HOLIDAY FRUITCAKE BITES

1 cup halved dried cherries

1 cup dried currants

1 cup chopped pitted dates

1 cup golden raisins

1 cup dark raisins

1 cup chopped candied orange peel

6 T. bourbon, divided

6 T. sherry, divided

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

2 cups flour, divided

1 t. baking powder

½ t. salt

½ t. ground cinnamon

½ t. freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup sugar

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp.

2 large eggs

For glaze and garnish:

1 cup powdered sugar

4 t. bourbon and 4 t. dry sherry

Diced or slivered candied orange peel

Toss the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix in 4 T. each of the bourbon and sherry. Cover mixture and let soak at least 2 and up to 24 hrs.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325 degrees. Arrange about three dozen bonbon-size baking cups (paper or foil) on three rimmed baking sheets. Stir walnuts, then 1 cup of the flour into the fruit mixture, coating evenly. In a med. bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, baking powder and spices.

Beat together butter and sugar in another large bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in dry ingredients, then the remaining 2 T. each of bourbon and sherry. Fold in the fruit mixture. Drop batter by heaping teaspoons into baking cups. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until light brown, about 23-25 min. Cool before glazing and garnishing.

Glaze: Mix sugar and 4 t. each bourbon and sherry in a bowl. Add more bourbon and sherry by ½ t. at a time, if necessary to thin. Spoon the glaze over the fruitcakes and garnish with peel. Let stand until the glaze sets (at least 2 hrs.). Store the fruitcake bites between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container at room temp., or in a cool place.

I had intended to give you a recipe for making your own candied orange peel, but these recipes are long and we’re out of room. If you want the candied orange peel recipe, e-mail me at falwalcal@msn.com and I’ll zap it to you.