While Christmas, often called the Winter Holiday, can mean different things to different people, one thing seems to remain constant and that is the giving of gifts. Buying gifts is not always an easy task. This short article was written with the intent of making that a bit easier for anyone on your list (including you) who is interested in cryptocurrency.
Sweaters, scarves, salami and cheese trays, and fruit cakes are so out of the picture. In fact, gifting fruit cake to anyone under the age of 70 just might earn you the title of Grinch! If that doesn’t bother you, then I will add a few ideas for fruit cake gifting at the end of this. What are some better ideas? Here we go:
Books would be an obvious gift giving idea for the crypto enthusiast. Depending on the level of knowledge, there are books ranging from Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies and Blockchain for Dummies to Mastering Bitcoin: Programming the Open Blockchain. I will not go in to all the different themes in cryptocurrency, otherwise this article would be several pages long. The point is, a little searching will find you a plethora of books ranging from beginner to advanced and covering a myriad of topics relating to crypto. Suggestion: Talk to your gift recipient (or ask someone who knows them well) to get an idea of their level of knowledge and interest in the subject. My recommendation: The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking by Saifedean Ammous.
Crypto Art! Personally, I really, really like this idea. Crypto Art is actually a piece of artwork that serves as cold storage and stores your bitcoin offline away from hackers. Crypto Art is art that you can frame and hang on your wall. It comes in three sizes (in inches) 8.5 x 11; 18 x 24; 24 x 30. Although I like the idea of cold storage, at this point, there are twenty pieces of artwork available and seven prints that are sold out and this is not an under $50 gift. Prices range from around $60 to $4000 depending on size. A question I would have if I were buying is, can I insure the art for the value of the Bitcoin that is stored on it? What if my home catches on fire? What happens if someone steals my art? As always, exercise Due Diligence in everything.
Crypto gift cards: Easily found through a simple internet search. These gift cards can be spent anywhere that accepts crypto. If you are uneasy about buying crypto gift cards because of lack of experience or knowledge, a couple of well known crypto cards are gyft.com and egifter.com. These are NOT the only choices, but may be the more user friendly ones for people who are not familiar with crypto.
Finally, crypto clothing. Move over Nike, we are not wearing swootches and “Just Do It” logos this year. Instead, buy your crypto enthusiast a Bitcoin sweater or crypto socks. How about a bitcoin miniskirt? This is a very simple gift giving idea as long as you know what size they wear and their crypto preference. Again, ask questions!
Deciding what gift to give doesn’t need to be difficult and I hope this article helps out a bit. However, if you are seriously thinking of a fruit cake, here is a GREAT recipe for those who like to cook. Have a great Holiday season and stay healthy!
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT MAKE ANY MONEY OR OTHERWISE ANY PROFIT FROM THE LINKS IN THIS ARTICLE.
The Best Fruit Cake Recipe Ever
INGREDIENTS
SOAKED FRUIT MIXTURE:
1 and 1/4 cups (200 grams) dark raisins
1 and 1/4 cups (200 grams) golden raisins
2 cups (320 grams) mixed unsweetened dried fruit, chopped (note: I used equal parts peaches and apricots - pears or apples are other great options!)
1 cup (160 grams) dried unsweetened black figs, chopped
1 cup (160 grams) dried unsweetened tart cherries, chopped
3/4 cup (120 grams) dried unsweetened prunes, chopped
3/4 cup (6 ounces; 180 mL) dark rum
FRUIT CAKE INGREDIENTS:
1 and 1/2 cups (180 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 stick (4 ounces; 113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup (160 grams) packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
1/2 cup (120 mL) freshly squeezed orange juice
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, and coarsely grated
3/4 cup (90 grams) slivered almonds (or chopped pecans or walnuts)
3 tablespoons (36 grams) finely diced crystallized ginger
one batch soaked fruit mixture (see above)
optional add-in: 2/3 cup (100 grams) chopped bittersweet chocolate or dark chocolate chips
FOR STORAGE:
medium sherry or triple sec
2 large pieces of unbleached cheesecloth, for wrapping
DECORATIVE GLAZE (OPTIONAL):
1/4 cup (72 grams) apricot preserves
1/4 cup (60 mL) water
whole pecans, for garnishing
INSTRUCTIONS
The Day Before Baking: Combine the dried fruit in a large mixing bowl. Add the dark rum, cover, and allow the mixture to soak at room temperature for a minimum of 12 hours, or ideally 24 hours prior to preparing the fruit cake batter.
Prepare the Fruitcake:Preheat the oven to 300F (150C) with a rack in the center position. Set aside two 8x4-inch All Clad Pro-Release Bakeware Loaf Pans. If using these pans, you do not need to line or grease the pans prior to adding the batter. Equipment Note: This fruitcake can also be prepared using 9x5-inch loaf pans. If using other types of pans, lightly grease and line with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and light brown sugar together over medium-high speed for 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
Reduce speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, beating just until each egg is incorporated. The mixture will look slightly broken, that’s ok.
Over low speed, slowly add the flour mixture until just absorbed. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Add the lemon zest, orange zest, fresh orange juice, grated apple, slivered almonds, diced candied ginger, soaked dried fruit mixture (with any liquid if it hasn’t already been absorbed), and chocoate (if using). Stir mixture with a large spatula, scraping the edges and bottom of the bowl several times, until all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated. It is a very thick, fruit heavy mixture.
Transfer and divide the batter evenly among the loaf pans. Use an offset spatula to smooth the batter into an even layer. Set the loaf pans on the center rack, several inches apart from one another. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway, or until the cakes have set. Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool completely before removing from the pans.
Storing and Aging: Once the cake has cooled, carefully remove the cakes from the loaf pans and set upright. Soak two large pieces of cheesecloth in medium sherry or triple sec (*they should be lightly damp, not soaking wet when you wrap the cakes, so you may need to squeeze out any excess liquor). Wrap each cake tightly. Cover loafs with wax paper and foil before transferring to a large Ziploc bag. Store in the refrigerator for up to 6 to 8 You can serve this cake right after it has cooled, but the flavors improve greatly with time (a few days or up to a week, at the least, is my recommendation). Unwrap and re-soak the cheesecloth once a week.
For Garnishing:If desired, you can top the fruitcake with a light apricot glaze and whole pecans before serving. Note: This is not recommended if you’re planning to continue to wrap and age the fruitcake. Combine the apricot preserves and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a light simmer, stirring until the glaze is shiny and thin. If it is too thin for glazing, reduce to desired consistency. If it becomes too thick, add a teaspoon of water. Brush the tops of the fruitcakes with apricot glaze and garnish with whole pecans.
Serving Notes:Slice fruit cake with a serrated knife. Serve on its own or spread with a small amount of salted butter.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS:
Be sure to use unsweetened dried fruit for best results.
Several readers have had success substituting different varieties of dried fruit in this recipe; if doing this, please keep in mind the tartness and sweetness of various fruits for good balance.
