What’s Your Fruitcake Tradition?
November 21st, 2007Tell Us About Your Fruitcake Tradition?
by Collin Street Bakery
Tell us about your fruitcake tradition? The fruitcake tradition, depending on the source, dates as far back as the Roman times. Other sources reference the nut harvest in Europe, and a cake made of nuts which was saved for the following year.
Collin Street Bakery is beginning to assemble its online fruitcake tradition blog, and you can be one of the first to tell us about your holiday fruitcake traditions. To review our company history, click here.
If you have pictures on Flickr, and they’re family appropriate, we’d love to see holiday photos with you, your family and your Collin Street Bakery fruitcake. To view our pictures that we’re beginning to assemble, visit our Collin Street Flickr page.
We’re also beginning to assemble articles that have been published over the years regarding our Corsicana, Texas fruitcake story, including this New York Times article referencing a Norwegian who wanted to send her grandmother a holiday fruitcake. There is a free preview of the article, however, NYT does charge for full-view unless you have a subscription.
As we compile stories about your holiday traditions, don’t forget to order your traditional holiday fruitcake from Collin Street Bakery in time for this year’s Christmas season. For those who are learning about Collin Street Bakery’s fruitcake, in case you’re still undecided, read our fruitcake testimonials.
November 22nd, 2007 at 6:12 pm
This was our first Collins Street fruitcake. This fruit cake tastes like I remember fruitcake tasted when I was a child with the same great texture. Top notch!
November 26th, 2007 at 11:35 am
This year will unfortunately be my first year to purchase Collin Street Fruitcakes. There has been a longstanding tradition in our family that Uncle Ray sends fruitcakes to everyone for christmas. We would all pile in the car the weekend after Turkey day and drive the three hours to Corsicana, he’d buy them and we’d drive home. He has gone home to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and though I miss him dearly someone has to carry on the tradition. Holidays wouldn’t be the same without Collin Street cakes!
November 28th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
We have enjoyed Collin Street Bakery fruitcakes for Thanksgiving and Christmas for as long as I can remember. Our family has always enjoyed a good cup of coffee with the cake while we play games. My mother has since gone to heaven, but she passed the tradition down to me.
Donna Day
December 2nd, 2007 at 11:35 am
I grew up eating your fruitcakes - during Advent before Christmas during the 1960’s, my grandmother and mother had what I feel sure were your frtuitcakes on the table. My grandmother would bring the cake in its can out of the refrigerator, slice it thinly and serve her guests. Mom liked to top it with whipped cream. After we ate all the fruitcake the can was cleaned and filled with cookies to be given away, used as sewing kit containers or - if I was lucky - I got the can to play with. I’m sure they made great homes for imaginary soldiers while playing Army.
Several Christmases ago I began to ask friends if they knew whether those fruitcakes were still made; noone seemed to know. Most said, “I haven’t seen one of those in years.”
Because I grew up in the tiny town of Sanderson, Texas, I feel sure my grandmother and mom bought those fruitcakes at Kerr Mercantile Co., Sanderson’s main store. I doubt they ordered them.
I feel the reason your product is now an obscure memory for most Texans is that you need a retail presence. Mail or online ordering is a lot of trouble for most busy people near Christmas (when I read the article about your company in Texas Monthly, I thought to myself, “Yes, well, Princess Grace had a staff to order hers.” You need to cut a deal with Wal-Mart or, better yet, H.E.B. That’s a nice new (if over-designed) store or building you have pictured, but you could be so much more successful if you would spend some bucks on retail marketing.
Also, I think you should point out what goes into a fruitcake and your price would be so much more palatable. Yours are the best!
December 4th, 2007 at 10:05 am
I heard my husband comment he liked friutcake, I couldnt imagine anyone eating it. My mom used to make them but we as kids didnt care for it. I showed my husband the advertisement from the paper on Collin Street Bakery, he said, “Wow, thats the company my mom used to purchase fruitcakes from and send to all of the kids, its great, we actually loved them” His mom has been gone for some time now, so I think it would really great to surprise him with one at christmas, it would bring back memories of christmas past I am sure. They look great, what do you pick?
December 4th, 2007 at 11:42 am
My grandmother sent each of our families a Collin Street fruitcake each Christmas. It was a tradition, had to be done. One year when my husband and I lived the the Los Angeles area, our cake didn’t arrive. We waited and hoped but it didn’t come. And there’s no way I would call “Mom” and ask for one! Then one day one of the teachers at the day care which was next door to the church we were pastoring came to us with a box. She had found it in a rarely used small play area. It was the fruitcake…and it was January. It was then that I realized just how important the Collin Street fruitcake was to our Christmas!
December 9th, 2007 at 10:43 am
In October I took a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland. While there I purchased a “Whiskey Cake”. It appeared to have fruit in it and I thought it might be a Scottish Fruit Cake. Returning home, my plane went from Edinburgh to London and while waiting for my flight home from Heathrow Airport I browsed through Harrods at the airport. There I saw a fruit cake and bought it. Yesterday I opened both of those and tried them. Mercy! Now I know why many people don’t like fruit cake and why there are a millions jokes about them. Those things were pretty awful! I must have grown up eating only Collins Fruit Cakes because I’ve always loved fruit cake.
A few years ago I visited Ukraine and took friends the triple pack that contains the old-fashioned fruitcake, the one with primarily pineapple, and the one with primarily apricot. I briefly explained the tradition of fruitcake to my friends. They loved the cakes, though, oddly enough, the traditional was probably their least favorite. You now have fans in Ukraine!
Keep baking!
Beverly Laird
December 10th, 2007 at 5:39 am
Merry Christmas from London, England!
We discovered your wonderful cakes a few years ago (through a friend) and have ordered them for December ever since. We have also used them as yuletide gifts to friends and business associates. The trouble is – thanks mainly to our teenagers – that our own one seldom lasts till Christmas day!
December 11th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
My Collins St. Bakery Fruitcake Tradition began back in the 1960s, when my grandmother, “Bee” would give us a fruitcake every Christmas.
Our family loved the cakes. They were a special holiday treat.
My grandmother has since passed away. However I carry on her special tradition, giving my wife a DeLuxe Fruitcake each Christmas. (fortunately she shares it with me).
It’s wonderful that Collins Street Bakery continues their decades old tradition of producing the most wonderful fruitcakes imaginable. We certainly enjoy ours. They’re a special part of the holiday season.
Thanks to all of the wonderful people at The Collins Street Bakery!
December 13th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
I’m 40 years old, and there has not been a Christmas in my lifetime with out a DeLuxe Fruitcake from CSB. People who say they don’t like fruitcake, have never tried on of these. My great grandparents lived in Temple TX and would send these to all of us in California, Grandma Gracie call it a little taste of Texas. We still have them every year, and it brings back alot of memories and continues to create new ones.
December 16th, 2007 at 7:02 pm
I remember every year we would visit our Grandparents in Kaufman, Texas. My Dad would make a special trip to your bakery and pick up a fruit cake. I was thrilled to learn that your bakery is still in business and that I get a fruit cake delivered to my home in Virginia! This brings a little bit of Texas to us, thanks!
December 17th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
I WAS BORN IN CORSICANA TEXAS, I HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED THE FRUIT CAKES. THEY ARE THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I ALSO WAS BORN ON COLLINS ST. LOOKING FORWARD TO EATING THE CAKE, I AM THE ONLY ONE LOVING IT. SO I GET TO EAT THE WHOLE THING. THANKS A NATIVE OF CORSICANA.
December 17th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
My experience with Collin Street Bakery started last year.
My family enjoyed a fruitcake my mom purchased from Sears
back in the 60’s. We have been looking for a fruitcake of
excellence every since those days. My neighbor gave us your
fruitcake again this year and we are happy once more. Thank you for the best fruitcake.
December 17th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
When I was a little girl, my grandmother made fruitcake. I really didn’t like it. Then one year somebody gave her Collins Street cake, and I don’t think she ever made another fruit cake from scratch. I hadn’t had a Collins street cake until I ordered one this year. It is just as good as I remember it being 40 years ago. I bought one for everybody on my gift list! How wonderful that SOMETHING is still the same!
December 17th, 2007 at 10:19 pm
I remember this fruit cake when I was a young child it was not just the fruit cake but the beautiful tins they came in my mother saved them for the use of sewing cans. we still have them since she passed. I love the taste of them and coffee with them yum-o. Thanks and Happy Holidays,
james and Barbara coyle
December 18th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
This is the fourth year I have received your fruit cake as a
gift from a dear friend. My family never liked fruit cake until we tasted yours. It is moist, delicious and filled with pecans and wonderful fruit. My co-workers also enjoy it as I share my treasure to ensure that I will continue to be blessed with one each year. The high quality is consistant and makes our Christmas tasty as well as joyful.
December 20th, 2007 at 9:02 am
As a child my grandmother made fruit cakes. They were okay. Then in 1970 we were introduced to your fruit cakes. Our high school band sold them each year as a fund raiser. They were the best and my mom had to chase us away from the cakes. Then I moved to Houston and could not remember who made the cakes. I went to stores and sampled a lot of duds and was so sad. One year I received your ad in the mail and recognized the cake tin. Yea!!!. We ordered and gave as gifts. That started our tradition. Family and friends look forward to us sending fruit cakes for Chrismas. Every time I take a bite, I am flooded with happy childhood and adult memories. Your tins have remained a part of lives–we never toss them. Your employees are appreciated for their efforts. I don’t know how you make that fruit cake the best year after year. But we, our family, and friends say thanks year after year.
December 21st, 2007 at 12:19 pm
Merry Christmas! During my childhood, my step father always ordered us a Collins St fruitcake to enjoy during the Christmas holidays. When all the kids grew up and moved out on their own, he would send each of us a fruitcake every year for Christmas. He went to be with the Lord a couple of years ago. I decided this year that it was time that I stick with the tradition and order one for our family. I plan on keeping this special family tradition from now on. You guys make the most delicious fruitcakes that I’ve ever tasted! Keep up the good work!!
December 21st, 2007 at 11:56 pm
We usually receive one each year from someone, someplace! We certainly send them to our relatives each year. However, this year, we have not received one, so I am checking the website to see if it is too late to order one! How can there be Christmas in paradise without a Collin Street Fruitcake?!
December 25th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
Traditions have to start somewhere, so I’ve started a happy new one: Collin Street Bakery fruitcake and Apricot cake! Yahoo! This is one tradition that we’re very happy to embrace. We’ve managed to eat 3 so far, and everybody just raves. This is absolutely the very best fruitcake I’ve ever tasted, and that includes homemade. Thank you for putting the Merry in our Christmas!
January 2nd, 2008 at 4:22 pm
My brother and his wife from Arkansas sent me your delicious fruit cake shipped direct to Salem, Va. It arrived for New Years.. which was great. It is quite delicious and I would recommend them to anyone for a delicious treat. People who do not like fruitcake obviously has not tried one your cakes.
Wanda Wehrend
January 3rd, 2008 at 11:51 am
You might be interested to know that your fruitcake made the Italian Language Forum on the “About Italian” weekly newsletter of December 22. See below. The translation is:
“Dear Avon 12, you say American fruitcake is a ‘joke’. It would seem to me that you never tasted the fruitcake from Collins Street Bakery, Corsicana, Texas.”
I was very happy to read this observation, as I have been enjoying your fruitcake for years and am constantly offering it to people who have no idea how great it is.
–Gus Cerini,
Pearl River, NY
BELOW IS THE POST AS IT APPEARED ON THE FORUM:
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Panettone e pandoro
Discussion 2055
54 of 59 Posted Dec-22 9:37 AM Msg 2055.54 reply to 2055.1
From ilmoro (ilmoro1)
To avon12 Unread
Cara Avon 12, Se dice che il fruitcake americano e’ uno ’scherzo,’ mi pare che non abbia mai assaggiato il fruitcake del Collins Street Bakery, Corsicana, Texas.
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Discussion 2055
January 15th, 2008 at 11:23 am
Our “adventure” may not be as dramatic as others. We found out about Collin Street Bakery on one of those travel shows. Hey, that’s no too far to go from Fort Worth! So, since 1996 we’ve made our little “pilgrimage” to Corsicana just about every year since. We would buy our fruitcake and some other goodies and a 10¢ cup of coffee and then order fruitcakes for family members. The only fruitcake that I considered better was one that my mother made when I was young. We would go downtown to a specialty store where there were barrels of candied fruits and bushels of nuts and fixings. Both of these awesome fruitcakes should slam the door on cruel fruitcake jokes.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:07 pm
We were transferred with the Army to Dallas, Texas. The position my husband had required traveling all over the state. Someone told him about the Collin Street Fruitcakes. He bought one at the bakery, and a new tradition began! We bought the first one in 1992, and we have enjoyed one each year since then. After moving to WV we ordered online. Their shipping department does a great job getting the cake to you on time. We had the Pineapple Pecan Fruitcake, too, this year, and it was delicious. Aside from the delicious desserts,I am impressed with the live chat option and the very friendly, competent customer service agents. There was a small “glitch” with our cake this year. I called and my situation was handled immediately, with no hesitation. Even sent us another cake. How many companies will do this?
January 26th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Here in Brasil we don´t have this kind of fruit cake, the same way we don´t have the Collin Street Bakery on next corner, so I’ve got very excited to taste it when I saw the history of the fruit cake in the History Channel tv.
Right now I´m eating this marvel cake that I’ve ordered by internet, received by mail and in the promised time.
And it is so good.
January 27th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
i’ve been buying collin street bakery native texas pecan cakes for 10 years for my self and friends and relatives.
my dear old aunt marye liked them so much, now she wants to order some herself for herself.
spencer speros
January 29th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
My Mom, may she rest in peace, was a customer since 1995.
She died 5/7/06 and that first Christmas was tough: No Mom, no fruitcake, no banana cake, it seemed to be a day that mearly came and went.
This year in mid December, my husband and I traveled to Houston to visit our daughter. I had received a post card from Collin Street Bakery in Mom’s name to our address. I took the card along on the trip and on our way home, we detoured up to Corsicana.
We stopped at the “new” bakery just off 45. What a treat!
The “White House Pastry Chef” was there that day and we sampled delicious apple cinnamon fruitcake.
We also purchased several items to bring home. Cakes, bread, ornaments, and of course several varieties of fruitcake.
On our way out of the bakery, a gentleman stopped and welcomed us to the bakery. He saw we were from Michigan and wished us a safe journey home as well as thanking us for our patronage.
We celebrated Christmas this year with Texas Fruitcake. Each sibling having a favorite. Mine the apple cinnamon. My sister’s the pineapple pecan. My husband, the traditionalist, regular deluxe. My brother the apricot pecan. Several friends were able to sample our treats as well and commented on how these cakes turned them onto fruitcake!
All I know is I will continue the tradition my Mom started just a few years ago. Whether I order on-line or visit again in person, I will continue to buy these goods.
Thank you.
February 14th, 2008 at 11:53 am
we also order some of the new reciepes and the apricot peacan fruit cake was really great and went down well and we have put in orders for more, if anyone has not tried it I would highly recommend
thanks you
April 11th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
GROWING UP IN RURAL MISSISSIPPI MY MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER ALWAYS MADE FRUITCAKES. THEY STARTED EARLY NOVEMBER SO THEY COULD BE WRAPPED AND MOISTENED. HOWEVER, WHEN WE MOVED TO FLORIDA IN 1955, MY MOTHER STARTED PURCHASING FROM COLLINS STREET BAKERY AS SHE HAD NO TIME TO BAKE HOME MADE. WHEN I LEFT HOME FOR COLLEGE IN 1957 I STILL RECEIVED A FRUITCAKE FROM HER FROM YOUR BAKERY. WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY IN 1978, I TEN HADSTO START ORDERING MY OWN AS WELL AS FOR MY IN-LAWS. WE HAVE SENT SO-OO MANY ITEMS OF YOURS TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY OVER THE YEARS THEY ALL ASK WELL BEFORE CHRISTMAS IF THAT’S WHAT WE ARE SENDING.
ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT YOUR FRUITCAKE HAS BEEN ON MY TABLE FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS AS WELL AS A LOT OF YOUR OTHER PRODUCTS.
EVEN MY HAIRDRESSER (WHO VOWED HE HATED FRUITCAKE) REQUESTED ONE FROM ME THIS YEAR. IF THIS IS NOT A GOOD RECOMMENDATION, PLEASE TELL ME WHAT ELSE I CAN SAY.
PS. I DIDN’T KNOW YOU HAD A BLOG LIKE THIS OR I WOULD HAVE WRITTEN BEFORE.
BARBARA
May 14th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Your new Blueberry cheesecake is delicious. I hope you add this to your line of cheesecakes, so I can order all year. I love your cheesecakes!