# Soaking Fruit



## HotelCalifornia (Oct 28, 2008)

What is the best kind of alcohol to soak cherries, dates, and pineapples in for Christmas Fruit Cake? Brandy, Rum, what?


----------



## Jerseyzuks (Oct 13, 2008)

we have always used Everclear


----------



## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

Every Christmas I make a batch of Southern Oranges.

Buy a box of Christmas Oranges (Mandarin), I peel, wash, and allow to dry the orange wedges. Once they are "firm" but not dried out, I put the orange sections into a canning jar and pour Southern Comfort over the top, cap the jar and hide it in the back of the fridge.

The jar from the Christmas before comes to the front of the fridge and is shared with friends and family. Yummy!!!


----------



## CVORNurse (Oct 19, 2008)

NaeKid said:


> Every Christmas I make a batch of Southern Oranges.
> 
> Buy a box of Christmas Oranges (Mandarin), I peel, wash, and allow to dry the orange wedges. Once they are "firm" but not dried out, I put the orange sections into a canning jar and pour Southern Comfort over the top, cap the jar and hide it in the back of the fridge.
> 
> The jar from the Christmas before comes to the front of the fridge and is shared with friends and family. Yummy!!!


Oh, man. You have me drooling just thinking about it. However do you keep them out of it for a year? Just what do you hide it behind?


----------



## Big B (Oct 28, 2008)

Well me little Scottish and Brit Grandmother has always used Brandy or Dark Rum in her Plum puddings or Fruit cakes.
She soaked the dried fruit and after cooking wrapped them in cheese cloth or flower bags and soaked them for a month before the holidays, by taking them out of the fridge and re pouring either libation over them weekly, buy the time they were done she served them with a shot over them and set them on fire as she brought them to the table. (she was a tea totaler buy the way)
Unbelieveably good.

In our home, when I was a child she would always cook pure silver coins into the plum puddings, usually silver dollars, one in each, when we were children, it was a huge deal.

She would then serve it with a fresh nutmeg white sauce,fantastic.
I am drooling talking about it.
I never understood the downplay of fruit cakes in this country, our family ate every last one of them, they were the best.
THey must be referring to the lousy store bought ones.


----------



## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

CVORNurse said:


> Oh, man. You have me drooling just thinking about it. However do you keep them out of it for a year? Just what do you hide it behind?


The kiddies are all moved out - so it makes it easier. I hide it on the bottom shelf in the back left corner. I just bought a new box of oranges, I'll be making up another batch this weekend and getting it ready for next Christmas!!!

I got the idea originally from my friend Cory who uses maraschino cherries as the fruit of choice and he soaks them in rum if I remember right.


----------



## Homestead Gal (Nov 25, 2008)

When I was a child my mom used to make Friendship Fruit for the Holidays. She put a large can of fruit cocktail in a crock and then added a light brandy to it. There were several spices she added but, I don't know what they were. Each week she would add more fruit and brandy. By the time Thanksgiving rolled around it was ready. She used it as a topping for homemade vanilla ice cream or on Angel Food cake. We were only allowed a small serving but, man was it good!

Now I know why so many friends showed up for dinner!


----------



## mitchshrader (Jan 3, 2009)

i made brandied peaches.. they claim cheap booze works.. well, good booze works better. 

let your budget and conscience be your guide.. but it's a good end for a mid-range cognac or armagnac.. and 15$ a bottle california brandy won't give you the same flavors..

kinda harsh to make brandied fruit or cakes with 50-150$ booze.. unless you're gonna eat em PERSONALLY anyway....  Les Domaines Grassa Reserve (bas armagnac) and Pasquinet XO Royale (cognac) both work.. the armagnac does fruit best & the cognac does cakes best.. imo.. fwiw i'm a bang/buck bargain hunter and i bought 'em on serious discount sales.. but 35ish per bottle was about what they DID cost, likely more now.. both good enough to drink straight..


----------

