The reason I mention this in June is because I realized the other day that there are only six months until Christmas. Six. Damn. Months. I already feel unprepared. Although I love the holidays, searching for gifts for everyone is, frankly, a trial. Perhaps there exists a person who likes driving all over town, searching for a million "perfect" presents, but that person is not the Bear.
Last year my family and I became so tired of the emphasis on gift-giving that we made a pact not to buy presents at all. Small, homemade gifts were acceptable, but we collectively refused to partake in the shopping madness. And you know what? It was a relief. While others made spreadsheets and budgeted their November and December paychecks, I kicked back with Harry Belafonte's Christmas album and an uncomfortable amount of eggnog. I had one baking night where I cranked out about twelve loaves of stollen and gave those to my very favorite people as gifts.
But since I'm inherently lazy, and winter is a time for bears to hibernate, this June I'm already done making gifts. And you can be too!
Do you like sweet goodies? And liquor? And tasty fruits? Look no further for the perfect Christmas treat, rumtopf. It means "rum pot" because it is a pot of rum. A delicious pot filled with your favorite Spring and Summer fruit preserved in rum. You can make it in the Spring and it will last for you to enjoy it in the Winter. There are as many uses for rumtopf as there are people who enjoy it. Use it as a cake topping, pour it over ice cream, make fruitcake out of it, or don't mess around and just drink the stuff straight.
Currently, mine has cherries, nectarines, and plums in it. Traditionally, different fruits are layered into the rumtopf as they come into season. I may do that if I can summon up the energy, or I may just leave it in my cupboard and forget about it. I'd love to hear about what you put in yours if you make some!
xoxoxo
A
Rumtop
3 cups of fruit
1 cup of dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups dark rum
Remove pits from fruit (if needed) and cut into bite sized pieces. Gently mix in brown sugar and place in a mason jar or crock. Allow fruit and sugar to sit for one hour. Afterward, cover with rum, seal and keep in a dark, cool place. Make sure the fruit is completely submerged, as the rum will act as a preservative. Add more fruit throughout the year if desired, adding rum to cover additional fruit. Store at least six weeks before eating.
