This would make a great gift with the 'feeding' instructions and recipes attached!

Betsy

From: reich1@ix.netcom.com (GABRIEL OR BARBARA REICH )
Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes

Friendship Fruit Starter

20 oz. can pineapple chunks, drained
16 oz. can peach slices, drained
16 oz. can apricot halves, drained
10 oz. jar maraschino cherries, drained
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups brandy

Combine all ingredients in a clean, large glass jar. Stir gently with
wooden spoon. Cover and let stand at room temperature for three weeks,
stirring at least twice a week

Serve over ice cream or pound cake, use in recipes or feed as directed.
To keep the starter going, retain at least three cups at all times.
To feed and maintain: Stir mixture daily. Add one cup sugar and one
cup of pineapple, peaches or cherries every two weeks, alternating
fruits each time and stirring gently.

Brandy should not be required. Do not add fruit more often than once
every two weeks. Do not delay adding fruit for more than one or two
days past schedule.

Cover and let stand at room temperature at least three days before
using. Fruit is fermented when it is translucent. To store, keep in
warm place. Makes about nine cups.

Variation: Substitute canned fruit cocktail, mandarin oranges or
pears.

To share: Whenever you have more than six cups of fermented fruit, you
may divide it into two portions, being sure there are at least three
cups in each portion. Do this just before you would do a normal
feeding. Feed each portion. Give one portion to a friend and keep one
for yourself.

Friendship Fruit Cake

1 box yellow, white or lemon cake mix
4-serving size box instant vanilla or lemon pudding mix
4 eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 to 2 cups drained Friendship Fruit
Optional: 1/2 to 1 cup raisins
Optional: 1/2 to 1 cup chopped walnuts
Optional: 1/2 to 1 cup shredded coconut
Optional: 1/4 to 1/2 cup of Friendship Fruit liquid

Optional Glaze:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup orange juice, brandy or rum
1/2 cup margarine

Pour cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, and oil into large bowl. Stir with a
spoon or beat with an electric mixer only until well mixed and smooth,
then stir in drained fruit and any desired optional ingredients.
Pour into greased and floured tube or Bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees
for about one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes
out clean.

Baking times vary greatly. They are affected by the starter, the fruit
and additional ingredients. Baking time can increase by 30 minutes or
more.

Cool 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Turn cake out of pan and
allow to cool to room temperature on rack. Slowly pour hot glaze over
the cooled cake. Makes 12 servings.

Glaze:
Combine sugar, water and orange juice in a saucepan. Add margarine
and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Slowly pour
the hot syrup over the cooled cake.

Traditional Friendship Fruit Cake

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs, well beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts
3 cups chopped Friendship Fruit, well drained

Mix together oil, sugar and eggs in electric mixer. Add vanilla and
beat well. Stir together flour, soda and salt. Blend into batter,
then mix in nuts and fruit.

Bake at 325 degrees in a greased and floured Bundt, tube, or 9-by-13
inch pan for one hour and 15 minutes or until cake tests done. Let
cool 10 minutes before removing from pan. Serves 12.