CHEW: "Fruitcake," Dec 3rd @ 7:15 PM

Culinary History Enthusiasts of Wisconsin (CHEW)

December 3, 2008 at 7:15pm: Speaker Art Bartsch.

"Would You Believe That There is More than One Fruitcake?"

Change of venue! We will meet at the Goodman Community Center. See details below.

The story and lore of fruitcake is embedded in our history. It is traced back to ancient Egypt and Rome. Ancient Egyptians revered fruitcake so much that it was put in tombs of Pharaohs to represent the sacred food of the afterlife. Roman soldiers used fruitcake as the first "energy bar" to provide energy in the battlefield during the Roman conquest. In more recent times, fruitcake has become associated with Christmas, Easter, weddings, funerals and other very important celebrations.

OR. is there any other product associated with the holidays that is so ridiculed and disrespected? Is there only one fruitcake with no purpose other than to be passed to someone else as a gift that is never eaten, but rather is continually given to others as "the gift that keeps on giving"? What are the "top 10" alternate uses of fruitcake? What is fruitcake made of and is there a scientific explanation as to why fruitcake lasts so long? What is the significance of fruitcake in the Revolutionary War?

These are just some of the questions asked of Arthur Bartsch, the Fruitcake Expert on Ilovefruitcake.com, a website founded as a result of a grass roots effort at The Swiss Colony, a direct mail order company that offers an amazing selection of holiday food gifts made from original recipes. Ilovefruitcake.com is an exciting website that promotes the maligned fruitcake. We are serious about fruitcake - it's fun, colorful, part of our holiday tradition, and truly a delicious dessert.

Arthur Bartsch is currently Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) for The Swiss Colony, headquartered in Monroe, WI. Bartsch grew up in Chicago where he received his Bachelors Degree in Chemistry and Mathematics, followed by an MS Degree in Food Technology.

Before coming to Swiss Colony in 1978, Bartsch worked for Quaker Oats for over four years in its research center. While at Swiss Colony, he has been responsible for food operations, QA, wholesale sales, merchandising, purchasing, resource planning, and research and development. As well, he has been involved in development of literally thousands of food product introductions over the last 35 years. He is published, has received awards for research excellence, has a major food patent, has numerous appearances on the Food Network, Travel Channel and History Channel, and is a past member of the American Institute of Baking (AIB) Educational Advisory Board.

Meeting will be held at 7:15pm at the Goodman Community Center (formally the Atwood Community Center) in Madison, WI. The street address is 149 Waubesa Street, Madison. Please arrive no earlier than 6:45pm.

To get on the mailing list, or for more information, e-mail joanp@ginkgopress.com, or call Joan Peterson at 608-233-5488. Alternatively, email Paul Lyne at pwlyne@wiscmail.wisc.edu or call Paul Lyne at 608-231-3674.
Items of Interest

“Ponder well on this point: the pleasant hours of our life are all connected by a more or less tangible link, with some memory of the table.”
Charles Pierre Monselet (1825-1888)

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Culinary Tours of Turkey and Morocco, this fall, from Joan Peterson!
Please go to http://www.ginkgopress.com and click on Culinary Tours in the green sidebar on the left.