Fruitcake defenders and software users share their views

Every so often readers send me e-mails that deserve a little more than a personal note from yours truly. In fact, I think they ought to be shared, even though it may take awhile before I have the column space to do it.

Although Christmas is past, I haven't forgotten the e-mail I received from a loyal fruitcake-loving reader. You may recall that in December I wrote a column about anti-fruitcake groups and some of their suggestions for what to do with unwanted fruitcake.

Bonnie Jean Petersen of Salt Lake City replied with a "rebuttal to all the people in the media who have been poking fun and disgust about this wonderful holiday cake that we USED to get (no one would dare send me one anymore! it has been sooo maligned!)."

She adds, "Must we cut out all our memories of good things still each year??? The taste is so wonderful with all that sweet fruit and those choice nuts (real aficionados always use pecans!). . . .

"DON'T PUT IT ON THE STREET AS A SPEED BUMP! . . .

"DON'T FREEZE IT AND USE AN ICE PICK . . . .AND DON'T USE IT AS A BOWLING BALL!!!!!!

"Just eat it and savor the luscious-ness of past Christmases! It's a real treat.

"Anyone who has one and doesn't know what to do with it, send it to ME!! I'd love to get several for Christmas!"

I'm actually afraid to give out Bonnie's address for her own safety. She might be bombarded with more cakes than she imagined.

But if that's not the best defense of fruitcake I've ever read, I'll eat my candied cherries.

Another e-mail came in reference to my article on recipe software. I listed several recipe software programs, leaving it up to readers to investigate and decide which one works the best for them.

Dave Coulam wrote, "I recognize that you were focusing on a local business in your article on cooking software, but I think it would be helpful to include a couple more excellent applications in your list at the bottom. They are both based on the popular iTunes music database application but are sold by download rather than somewhere like Amazon."

He suggested checking out the following addresses:

• Connoisseur at thelittleappfactory.com/application.php?app=Connoisseur

• MacGourmet at advenio.com/macgourmet/