Dear Jane,
Merry Christmas! I mean, Happy Hanukkah! I mean, happy birthday!
Oh, man, you must get that a lot. Four days before Hanukkah and nine days before Christmas? How’s a lady writer supposed to snag the spotlight for the big 2-3-6 when there’s a baby in a barn AND a chubby dude in a fur suit AND eight days of magic lamp oil to compete with?
To be fair, Christmas was a more reasonable affair in your time, having not yet been crazified by those wacky Victorians (but what were you thinking, picking currants out of flaming brandy with your bare hands?). So maybe it’s just us: we’re so busy trolling the mall, watching the mail, plopping kids on the laps of strangers with beards for photographic purposes, eating candy cane Joe-Joe’s, and generally making merry that birthdays just don’t register. Ask anyone born within two weeks of Christmas, in either direction, and they’ll sympathize: that nice present you got! Yeah, don’t expect another one. It’s not that we don’t care! It’s just that…well, you know. There’s a lot going on, and we may not have time to do the whole “celebratory Jane Austen canon re-read” in between trips to the attic to dig out our stockings. Sorry about that. May I interest you in a Joe-Joe? It has candy canes in the middle!
Anyway, I got you this fruitcake. Which, considering your cookbook, you’re probably super into. Sorry! I mean, you’re welcome!
With all affection and liquor-soaked baked goods,
Miss Ball
Tagged: birthday, candy cane Joe-Joes, Christmas, Jane Austen, Jane Austen's birthday on Thursday, December 15, 2011 · 1 Comment »
My husband’s birthday is in December. He and Jane could totally commiserate. Also this year I totally remembered why fruitcake is the worst! It’s this preserved Twinkie studded with fake fruit that’s confused itself with Gummie Bears. Not to mention what the frak is Mace? Yuck. I recommend making your own boozy fruity mace free cake that’s fresh instead. PS Must look into candy cane Jo Jos…yum.