In defense of fruitcake

Fruitcake: You can gift it, regift it, scoff at it, or toss it. Few, however, are moved to actually eat it. Two weeks ago I made Alton Brown's Free Range Fruitcake. Instead of creepy-looking artifically colored candied fruit, it uses basic dried fruit soaked in gallons of alcohol. I let the fruitcake sit and ponder its existence for two weeks, allowing flavors to mingle, spraying it with cognac to keep it nice and moist. The result:



Dense, yes, but actually quite tasty. If you've only encountered storebought fruitcake, you might be pleased by the homemade version. I am now a convert to fruitcake.