Christmas Preparations -- Dundees and Oranges

Early in November, we always make the Dundee cakes

That is what mother's English friend and neighbor, Mrs. Boland did

And it's Mrs. Boland's recipe for Dundee cake.

They need time to "mellow" she always said

And she put them in the freezer

(Although I'm sure in the old days the cold buttery would have been the perfect storage place

for these simple little fruitcakes)

Today I made mine!

Somehow I got two baby bundts as well as the four mini pans I usually make!

The cakes in 2011

And in 2012

Alas, I didn't make them last year -- we were in Italy!

(I guess I should have made some pane tone!)

As Mrs. Boland did, so do we,

We celebrate St. Nicholas Day at Linderhof

December 6

(which makes my birthday, December 5, St. Nicholas Eve!

I think that's why St. Nicholas Day is so special to me!)

And on St. Nicholas Day

We take a Dundee Cake from the freezer

And serve it for afternoon tea.

If we have company for St. Nicholas Day tea, so much the better!

And Christmas preparation traditions continue . . . 

Today we bought 10 pounds of oranges

Which between now and Thanksgiving,

we'll stud with cloves

and let marinate in a spice mixture

Ready for Christmas decorating

And after, ready to scent the clothes in our drawers.

I make them every year and I love how in November and early December,

the house smells of orange and cloves and cinnamon!

A scent that you can't really get from a candle!

The Dundee Cakes are out of the oven and cooling.

I shall wrap them in foil and stick them in the freezer

Where they shall age until St. Nicholas Day.

When we'll eat our first one.

The rest will be our December tea fare.