I had a really cool 7th grade English teacher. We had a day where we dressed up as characters from Greek mythology. We had this massive poetry project that I really enjoyed putting together. And we made a fruitcake using Truman Capote's aunt's recipe.
We read Capote's "A Christmas Memory." In the story, he recounts going on an excursion with his aunt one December to gather all the ingredients for her famous fruitcake. When I say fruitcake, I don't mean that Claxton brick that we all love to hate. I mean something like a pound cake with dried fruit and nuts in it.
The problem for young Truman and his aunt is that one of the ingredients is whisky, but this is the Depression and Prohibition is still the law of the land. But that doesn't stop them - Truman's aunt knows a guy. They set out to find a bootlegger. (Or maybe he was a rum runner. I don't remember - I was 12 and had no idea what either was...)
Returning home successfully, his aunt lets him have a taste of the whiskey while they bake. Things get rowdy and before you know it, parents are berating the aunt for "a child of eight with whiskey on his breath!" Later, quite chastizsd, Truman's aunt laments to him that "I'm old and funny*." He corrects her, "Not funny - fun."
*"Funny" here meaning not "amusing" but "weird" and "not quite right."
We read the story, and each member of the class brought an ingredient for the cake. I believe I brought pecans. One intrepid mom agreed to transport a small amount of whiskey (in a Chinese take-out soup container, if I recall) to be handed directly to our teacher. We made the cakes in the school's kitchen. I imagine that we probably would not be allowed to do this today.
Afterward, we ate our cakes while watching a film version of the story. I recall being worried about pecan shells in my cake, as my mom had instructed me to make sure I got all the shells out when we cracked the pecans, as their shells are particularly sharp and hard.
So today, I lift a metaphorical Chinese take-out container of whiskey and a slice of (good) fruitcake in salute to Mrs. Bunte, my awesome English teacher. Thanks for the memories.