Friendship Fruit

 I was feeling homesick (again) so I pulled out my folder of my moms recipe book. It might look like a plain little manilla folder stuffed full of missmatched papers but inside it holds a ton of memories, good times and the secrets to many good dishes! I decided that today I would revive Herman (he's a sourdough starter recipe that has been around for decades...) and Lo and Behold! There was Herman just like I remembered him, and the next page was Friendship Fruit, something we just never seemed to get around to making.

After I began Herman and left him I got curious...Does he still exist out there? Thanks to Google I found several different Herman recipes still alive today, a few minor variations of course but lots of new recipes as well! I found an old post from 2007 of a Blogger named Karen who was looking for the recipe of Friendship Fruit and curious how Herman got his name.

So, here is what I know... In 1983 the Battle Creek Enquirer of Michigan published a small little pamphlet book for the holidays. In it is some beautiful recipes for breads, cakes, candies ~ all sorts of confectionary! It also has Friendship Fruit in it, that apparently has been around since 1974 and usually for toppings of cakes and icecream. Here is the recipe for the fruit as well as three recipes it included.

Friendship Fruit

the recipe makes enough for two batches of fruit sauce, one for you and one to a friend to start a second batch. The fruit mixture can be kept going for ages,if the dividing process is repeated every two weeks and the fruit is kept in a warm place.

3/4 cup of canned peaches in heavy syrup, drained and cut into peices
3/4 cup of canned pineapple tidbits in heavy syrup, drained
6 maraschino cherries, cut in half
1 1/2 cup of sugar
1 package of active dry yeast

Combine ingredients and place in a glass jar with a loose cover, such as an apothecary jar. Stir several times the first day, then stir once a day. At the end of two weeks the starter has fermented enough to make the sauce. Makes 2 Cups.

Friendship Fruit Sauce

1 cup of fermented fruit
1/2 cup canned peaches in heavy syrup,drained and cut into peices
1/2 cup of canned pineapple tidbits in heavy syrup, drained
6 maraschino cherries
1 cup sugar

Combine all ingredients in a glass jar with a loose cover; stir well and put in a fairly warm place. continue to stir once a day. sauce can be served after one week.

1 cup of fruit and 1 cup of sugar must be added every two weeks to keep the mixture "working". Divide fruit, if you have not used any and then make the additions. If desired, you may add peaches first, then pineapple alone, in two weeks. Never seal the jar tightly and never refriderate the fruit.

Friendship Fruit Cake

1/2 cup butter
1 cup of sugar
4 eggs
3 cups of flour
2 teaspoons soda
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon all-spice
1 1/2 cups applesauce
1 cup raisins
3/4 cup coconut
1 cup chopped nuts

Cream butter and sugar until light. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift dry ingredients together. Add dry ingredients alternatively with applesauce to creamed mixture. Fold in brandied fruit, raisins, coconut, and nuts. Bake in a well buttered 9 inch tube pan in a 300 degree oven 70 to 80 minutes or until done. Cake may also be baked in two 9x5 inch bread pans.

Upside down cake

1/4 cup of maragine or butter
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup friendship fruit, drained
1/3 cup chopped nuts
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup friendship fruit syrup
1/4 cup oil
2 eggs

Melt butter in an 8 inch square baking pan. Add brown sugar, Friendship Fruit and nuts; mix well. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour batter over topping in pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown.Cool five minutes; loosen edges of cake with a knife and invert onto serving plate. Serve warm with whipped topping or ice cream.


(cannot say if these are any good as not tried them and the recipes are copied exactly as they were printed...Enjoy!)