Brandied Fruit Starter:

1 cup pineapple tidbits
1 cup peach slices
1 cup maraschino cherries
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 pkg. dried yeast

Obtain eight cups apothecary jar with loose fitting lid. Drain fruit well. Put above ingredients in jar and stir with plastic spoon. Put top on jar and allow to ferment on your range top or in a warm place for two weeks. Stir once every day. Be sure to use only plastic spoon. After seven days it is ready to use, but do not add more fruit for two weeks. Never let the contents of the jar get below 3 cups or the process will stop.

Every two weeks you may add 1 cup of canned fruit and one cup of sugar (pineapple, peaches, cherries, pears) in the order listed. You must not add any more often than two weeks, but you may delay adding a day or two without disastrous results. Mark a calendar so that you will not forget to add the fruit.

Whenever you have six cups of fruit, you may divide it into two portions with at least 3 cups in each jar. Divide just before adding fruit and sugar. Stir about every 3 days to help sugar dissolve, but do not refrigerate.

Brandied Fruit Cake:

2 cups sugar
3 eggs, well-beaten
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
3 cups brandied fruit, well drained

Blend oil, sugar and eggs. Beat well together with mixer. Add vanilla and blend. Scoop out flour carefully and do not sift before measuring. Add soda and salt to flour and mix with first batter. Fold in nuts and fruit.

Bake in greased and lightly floured Bundt pan, tube or flat (13x9-inch) pan at 325°F for 1 hour, 15 minutes, or until done.