Texans...I need your advice!

Thank you for coming to my rescue. I recieved a brochure in the mail today from a Collins Street Bakery, Corsicana, TX. It is for the most delicious looking fruit cakes! Have any of you ever tried them? Are they worth the price of $17.95 for 1-7/8 lbs of fruit cake?

I love fruit cake, and since I am a majority of ONE around here, I have stopped baking them myself. These look like they are all fruit and nuts (pecans), with very little batter...the kind I make myself. Sorry, Claxton, Ga...these look tastier than yours. Thanks for any input on this! Jo

my input? anything beats Claxton!! LOL!!

sorry i have no idea. the place sounds familier like they have a chain, there are several places like that here. but i can't tell you for sure, I dont eat fruitcake but it sounds like it might be worth a try if u really like them!
better take a chance and know u dont like it, then to never know if you missed out on another potential addiciton!
I would bet that you'd like them-Texas makes the best of everything! ;-)

BUT....they are better than the ones that the A & P sells! LOL Jo

My FIL faithfully sent us fruitcakes from this bakery every Christmas...he died 3 years ago and we no longer receive them...I am a fruitcake fiend and I miss these very much. Since I'm the only one in the family that eats them, I've never bothered to order one from them myself, but they are very very good.

I really don't eat fruit cake so couldn't tell you what the other people that sell them taste like but I have heard people comment about the Corsicana fruitcakes and say they are the best they have ever tasted.I have never had one personally but talking to people and friends, they tell me that,that is the only place to buy a good fruitcake.Ask for a sample piece.......hehe. I don't think you will be disappointed once you receive one,roadrunner. I haven't heard from anyone who said that they didn't like em.

Thanks for your input, folks. I just hate to buy "a pig in a poke". These look great...go to collinstreet.com. Jo

Collins Street Bakery is renowned in Texas for they're fruitcakes. They're wonderful if you're a fruitcake addict!

I wouldn't call myself and "addict" but do like them....only addicted to chocolate and DG!(OK....and cigs...but am trying to give that one up) LOL Thanks for affirming the reputation of the Fruit Cakes, Sethsnana. Jo

A personal experience here.... I have some friends in Corsicana .One year, me & sis' received the famous fruitcakes for C/mas .Me, not liking f/cakes that much, could not tell the difference between a regular fruitcake and the ones from there!Maybe just more fruit.When we visited the Collins Street Bakery once ,I did like all their other pastries.I am a pastry lover.But I would never pay that much for a fruitcake.

Lovublooms, I appreciate your candor. However, I do belive I'll just buy the small one. I love a slice of fruit cake with my mid-morning cuppa...and dislike the ones that are all batter and a lot of citrus peel. I'll make it my gift to me...don't have to worry about others eating it all up. JO

O ,BTW,where in Texas is Era, Tx [lantana]????? I found Alvarado,Collinsville,and all others but can't locate that one on the map! Just wanted to know how far everyone is from me....And most Texans here say ,they are in central Texas! Well if I am in central TX and everyone else is in central Tx. ..go figure LOL ..cause we are some 200 mi[ + -] apart!

You mean there is a place that actually bakes and sells NEW fruitcakes?! I thought a bunch of little old ladies got together 30 years ago, baked a huge batch and we've been passing them around ever since. ;-)

I haven't tried the ones from Collins Street Bakery, but I have to admit that I have had a fruitcake or two that were good and they were of the "little-batter/citrus peel-lots of fruit/nuts" variety. Usually I have to bake them myself to get that kind. Here's my favorite recipe:

CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE RECIPE
---------------------------
1 C water
3 tsp. baking soda
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
2 C flour
4 large eggs
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 C diced dried fruit (whatever your preference)1 C chopped nuts (I like pecans and walnuts)
1/2 C maraschino cherries (both green and red)1 tsp. salt
1 FULL bottle of your favorite whiskey
Sample the whiskey to check for quality. Take a large bowl. Check the whiskey again to be sure that it is of the highest quality. Pour one level cup and drink. Repeat.
Turn on the electric mixer. Beat 1 C of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add 1 tsp. sugar and beat again. Make sure the whiskey is still okay.
Cry another tup. Turn off the mixer.
Break two legs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.
Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers, pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the whiskey to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift 2 cups of salt. Or something. Who cares.
Check the whiskey. Now sift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.
Add one table. Spoon. Of sugar or something. Whatever you can find.
Grease the oven. Turn the cake tin to 350 degrees. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Throw the bowl out the window. Check the whiskey again. Go to bed. Who the heck likes fruitcake anyway??!!

I dearly love fruitcake, of course I am the only one in the family who does! So I always have to freeze part of it. Nothing like a glass of lemonade or ice tea and a slice of fruitcake in the summer! Every year I get a brochure from that bakery and every year I plan to order and never seem to get around to doing it. It looks so yummy! Maybe this will be the year I actually do it.

Wingnut...that is the same recipe that I used to use...had to give it up...doctors orders! I sure do miss "Fruit cake making day" too. Just when I made up my mind to order...in comes my 6 yr old GS with a catalogue from a School Fund Raiser! Lovely candy...$7.00 for 12 pieces....like.....Right, Gramma will take ONE! LOL Jo

Wingnut I love that recipe. Seriously Roadrunner, those are good fruitcakes and I am not big on fruitcake either. They are expensive, but they don't skimp on the fruit and nuts. I have a recipe for a no-bake one some where that is very good, but a lot of trouble to make. Easier to buy one.

Personally I like Mary od Puddin Hill fruitcakes better. They are more candy-like. They are located in Greenville, TX. Can't come up with the address right now but will try to get it and post. They also have lil' puds that are bite size and come in a candy like box in little paper cups. That's the only kind of fruitcake I eat. I have however known lots of people who love Collins St. We lived in Corsicanafor a few years and they will now be working around the clock until Christmas to fill all their orders.

Thanks nefer, and catlady. I have a great recipe the my late MIL gave me when I was first married....Lots of work, but very good. Won't make it just for myself anymore. (I think the media is giving fruit cake a bum rap...with all the fruit cake jokes...LOL) Jo

mmmmmmm these cakes sound so good, I don't like peel either but these sound wonderful. I've had those fruit cakes tig mentioned Claxton's the differant service clubs up here sell them a t Christmas. I saw them in Georgia at the peanut place uummmm I even looked in the along I 75 and couldn't find the name of the nut place must be tired. TIG do you know the place I mean? It's in this book I'm just getting to sleepy to find it.

Collin Street has no peel or citron that I've ever noticed, but I do believe it is the best of the dark fruitcakes. If you try to buy a good cake with top quality fruit and nuts anywhere, you will find their price is not out of line. I like to get them for myself and gifts, and hold one back for later in the year when I crave the taste. I like the fact that they have plenty of nuts and fruit, not a lot of dry flour, and you can get them now and soak them in your choice of whiskey or brandy until Thanksgiving, when they will be just right. Wrap them in cheesecloth, pour the liquid over the top every few days and let it soak in between pours. Of course, they are also wonderful just as they are straight from Corsicana. All of which reminds me of one more good reason to get back to work!