Biscotti and Boiled Pineapple Fruitcake

Hari Raya Aidilfitri is just round the corner.  This means HOLIDAY!, waking up late, lepak (relax & unwind), open houses to go to (only if you are invited nowadays), rendang, ketupat, cookies, cakes and all those wonderful delicious food that you can get in a Muslim household.

I remember when I was a child growing up in a small 'kampung' (village) back in my hometown in Malacca, the children in my kampung just can't wait for the festive season.  Be it Hari Raya or Chinese New Year or Deepavali or Christmas, the feeling of joyfulness and being young and carefree, not bothering ones background or religion or race, everyone of us were so close and comfortable with each other. Back then, you don't need to be reminded that we are 1-Malaysia over and over again.  We don't need it.  We know who we were and there were harmony within us.  We still do except for some who have forgotten life's simple pleasures.  Unlike now, with so many insensitive and uncalled remarks or wrong-doings by some moron, now, everywhere you go there's this reminder in the radio, on TV, on billboards telling us who we are and emphasize on harmony.  It is quite sad actually.  What had gone wrong?  Definitely capital A for Attitude and capital G for Greedy in power! Sigh! Anyway...!

Each festive celebration, I remember my late dear mom would bake cookies and cakes or buy those bottled F&N drinks (by the cartons) and would offer them as gift to our neighbors even though life was difficult then.  She was such a gracious and generous lady.  To follow through her legacy and as generous as I can be, this year, I decided to make Hari Raya goodies as gifts for my good Muslim friends.  Today, I've made Biscotti and Boiled Pineapple Fruit Cake.  I've never tried this fruit cake recipe but since is uses the canned pineapple and then boil it with the mixed fruit and sugar, I guess this is worth a try.  And the good thing is, it does not require any alchohol ie brandy, rum or sherry like most fruitcake requires.  So my Muslim friends, you can enjoy this bake and hope you will like it!  Even if you think it's not so nice, well, pretend that you like it ok?  I spent hours in the kitchen preparing these stuff!  haahhhaaa...

Biscotti!  

Boiled Pineapple Fruitcake!