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Antarctica Fruitcake Is Over 100 Years Old, and ‘Almost’ Edible Antarctica Fruitcake Is Over 100 Years Old, and ‘Almost’ Edible
(35 minutes later)
Consider the fruitcake.Consider the fruitcake.
Long maligned for its questionable taste (what did Grandma put in this?), its perseverance (stubbornly appearing at any or every celebratory event) and its toughness (the fridge gives it life), the dessert may have cemented itself further in food lore after a discovery in Antarctica. Long maligned for its questionable taste, its ubiquity (stubbornly appearing at any or every celebratory event) and its toughness (the fridge gives it life), the dessert may have further cemented itself in food lore after a discovery in Antarctica.
In one of the most hostile regions to humankind, conservationists for the New Zealand-based Antarctic Heritage Trust have unearthed an ice-covered fruitcake they believe once belonged to the British explorer Robert Falcon Scott. In one of the most hostile regions known to humankind, conservationists unearthed an ice-covered fruitcake they believe once belonged to the British explorer Robert Falcon Scott, the New Zealand-based Antarctic Heritage Trust said this past week.
The age of the fruitcake: 106 years old.The age of the fruitcake: 106 years old.
A spokeswoman for the trust said it was in “excellent condition.” A conservation manager said it was in “excellent condition.”
And it smelled “almost” edible. And the trust said it smelled “almost” edible.
The cake, most likely dating to the Cape Adare-based Northern Party of Scott’s Terra Nova expedition (1910-13), was found in Antarctica’s oldest building, which was built by a Norwegian explorer’s team in 1899, according to the trust. The cake, dating to the Cape Adare-based Northern Party of Scott’s Terra Nova expedition (1910-13), was found in Antarctica’s oldest building, which was constructed by a Norwegian explorer’s team in 1899 and used by Scott’s team in 1911, the trust said.
The dessert, found wrapped in paper and in its original “tin-plated iron alloy tin” container, was made by the British biscuit company Huntley & Palmers. It boasts on a website that its “biscuits were exported all over the world and their tins have turned up in the most unexpected places.” The dessert, found wrapped in paper and in its original “tin-plated iron alloy tin” container, was made by the British biscuit company Huntley & Palmers. It boasts that its “biscuits were exported all over the world and their tins have turned up in the most unexpected places.”
There is documentation showing that Scott took this particular brand of cake with him on his explorations, said the trust, a nonprofit that is in the business of “inspiring explorers.” There is documentation showing that Scott took this brand of cake with him on his explorations, said the trust, a not-for-profit organization that is in the business of “inspiring explorers.”
Lizzie Meek, conservation manager for artifacts at the trust, said in a statement that the cake was well preserved. Lizzie Meek, conservation manager for artifacts at the trust, said in a statement that the cake was surprisingly well preserved.
“There was a very, very slight rancid butter smell to it, but other than that, the cake looked and smelled edible,” she said. “There is no doubt the extreme cold in Antarctica has assisted its preservation.”“There was a very, very slight rancid butter smell to it, but other than that, the cake looked and smelled edible,” she said. “There is no doubt the extreme cold in Antarctica has assisted its preservation.”
Almost 1,500 artifacts were found by a team of four conservationists that had been working at the hut since May 2016. Ms. Meek said, “Finding such a perfectly preserved fruitcake among them was quite a surprise.” The cake was among about 1,500 artifacts collected from two huts by a team of conservationists that had been working at the site since May 2016. “Finding such a perfectly preserved fruitcake among them was quite a surprise,” Ms. Meek said.
But why a fruitcake? But why did the explorers haul a fruitcake to the South Pole?
[You can find The New York Times’ collection of fruitcake recipes here.][You can find The New York Times’ collection of fruitcake recipes here.]
“It’s an ideal high-energy food for Antarctic conditions,” she added, “and is still a favorite item on modern-day trips to the ice.”“It’s an ideal high-energy food for Antarctic conditions,” she added, “and is still a favorite item on modern-day trips to the ice.”
Ms. Meek further explained to National Geographic: “Fruitcake was a popular item in English society at the time, and it remains popular today. Living and working in Antarctica tends to lead to a craving for high-fat, high-sugar food, and fruitcake fits the bill nicely, not to mention going very well with a cup of tea.” Ms. Meek explained to National Geographic: “Fruitcake was a popular item in English society at the time, and it remains popular today. Living and working in Antarctica tends to lead to a craving for high-fat, high-sugar food, and fruitcake fits the bill nicely, not to mention going very well with a cup of tea.”
The team finished part of the conservation project in July, the trust said. Some of the other artifacts found: tools, clothing and what Ms. Meek described as “badly deteriorated” meat and fish and “rather nice-looking” jams.The team finished part of the conservation project in July, the trust said. Some of the other artifacts found: tools, clothing and what Ms. Meek described as “badly deteriorated” meat and fish and “rather nice-looking” jams.
All the artifacts were flown to Christchurch, New Zealand, where they were conserved at a lab at the Canterbury Museum.
The next phase will be conservation work on the buildings at Cape Adare, the first in Antarctica and the only examples left of humanity’s first building on any continent, the trust says.The next phase will be conservation work on the buildings at Cape Adare, the first in Antarctica and the only examples left of humanity’s first building on any continent, the trust says.
Everything found will be restored and returned to its original resting place, in accordance with the site’s status as an Antarctic Specially Protected Area. Everything found will be returned to its original resting place, in accordance with the site’s status as an Antarctic Specially Protected Area.
In an emailed statement from the trust on Sunday, Jo Scott said: “Because the cake was one of nearly 1,500 artifacts removed from Antarctica’s first building, there are very strict rules around its handling, and it is now being stored carefully before it is returned to the hut (once the building is restored).”In an emailed statement from the trust on Sunday, Jo Scott said: “Because the cake was one of nearly 1,500 artifacts removed from Antarctica’s first building, there are very strict rules around its handling, and it is now being stored carefully before it is returned to the hut (once the building is restored).”
The recipe for preserving the fruitcake’s container, according to the trust, involves rust removal, chemical stabilization, coating of the tin remnants, deacidification of the tin label and repairing of the paper wrapper and tin label.The recipe for preserving the fruitcake’s container, according to the trust, involves rust removal, chemical stabilization, coating of the tin remnants, deacidification of the tin label and repairing of the paper wrapper and tin label.
The cake was left untouched. The cake itself? Untouched.
While some believe fruitcake is forever, Scott’s second trip to the South Pole was ill-fated. He and his companions made the arduous race to the bottom, only to find that a Norwegian team had beaten them to it by 33 days. The British explorers all perished on their way back to base in 1912. While some believe that fruitcake is forever, Scott’s second trip to the South Pole was ill-fated. He and his companions made the arduous trek to the bottom, only to find that a Norwegian team had beaten them to it by 33 days. On their way back to base in 1912, trekking through severe weather and struck by frostbite, starvation and exposure, the British explorers all perished.