Grandma Wolfe's Fruitcake 349/366

fruitcake: 

just mentioning it usually brings a round of snickers, if not outright laughter

it seems to be one of those "treats" you either really like or despise,

there doesn't seem to be much middle ground 

in fact, I've heard of families that pass one around for years as a gag gift

I hadn't  had much experience with fruitcake until my first Christmas with Bill

when my soon to be mother in law offered me a slice

telling me as she handed it to me that it was made from her mother's recipe

gulp, how do you say no to that?

I pasted on a smile and said "sure, I'd love a slice"

and bravely took a bite...

and then another and another and another

it was delicious and I'd have eaten a whole loaf if she'd offered it

and every year I looked forward to mom Bondurant bringing it out

It's been awhile since she's made it

and every year for the last several I have thought "I ought to make it"

and every year I put it off

last year when I went to buy the fruit mix it was sold out

I saw some a few weeks ago, 

but I wasn't headed home and didn't want to leave it in the car

I left the store intending to go the next day to buy some to have on hand

I forgot

until today

I hurried to the little market I'd seen it in

I was so disappointed 

it wasn't sitting where I remembered it to be

I needed nutmeg and when I turned toward the spices I spied some-

the last four containers of the season

I purchased two of them to make sure I'd have enough

because of course, I did not look at the recipe before I left

I was all prepared to make it this evening

I got out my handwritten recipe book 

and stared at what was in front of me

Grandma Wolfe's "fruitcake" isn't a fruitcake at all

it is a Date and Nut Cake 

I like dates and nuts,

my grandma made a dessert at Christmas starring those two ingredients,

no wonder I liked it so much!

now my dilemma is what to do with the fruit mixture I bought today-

anyone out there have a good recipe?