Fruit Cake Season

[BMT (RIP)]

Fruitcake season
A fruitcake came one day
And I sent it on its way.
The next day, then,
It was back again,
But here it cannot stay.
I sent it to one brother,
Who sent it to another.
It eventually
Came back to me,
In a package from my mother

[brewmonkey]

The Trappist Monks in the US make their money baking fruit cakes for Christmas. To bad that regulations prohibit them from brewing beer instead. Some of the greatest beers in the world come from the Trappist Monasteries in Belgium.

http://www.belgianstyle.com/mmguide/style/abbey.html

The site however is incorrect in that there are only 6 Trappist Monasteries in the world, there are only 6 that are brewing.

Here is some information on a Monastery in HI as well they have some links and mention of other Monasteries in VA , GA, KY & MO. The one in KY soaks the cakes in Kentucky Bourbon (and was featured on the Food channel).

http://www.catholic.org/cathcom/nati...y.php?id=11602

[brewmonkey]

Here is the Kentucky Monastery

The KY Monastery also has 3 types of cheese they make on location.

Here is these Assumption Abbey in MO

This Abbey makes something like 30,000 fruit cakes between Halloween and Christmas.

Here is the Monastery in Georgia's store

The Monastery in Genesse NY

I don't think this one makes fruitcakes but they do bake bread. It is also the oldest Trappist Monastery in the US.

If you happen to live near Whole Foods they generally carry Chimay Cheese which comes from the Chimay Monastery in Belgium.