Chronicle: Home For The Holidays Part 6

WEBVTT ♪ JANE: GINGER AND CINNAMON, CLOSE AND BUTTER, BUBBLING BROWN SUGAR, CAN YOU SMELL IT NOW? GINGERBREAD IS A WARM SCENT OF THE SEASON BUT AT THE OMNI GROVEPARK INN IN ASHEVILLE , GINGERBREAD IS HIGH ART! ♪ IT IS A FEAST FOR THE EYES. THE OMNI GROVE PARK INN’S 26TH ANNUAL NATIONAL GINGERBREAD COMPETITION. TRADITIONAL GINGERBREAD HOUSES DOT THIS SWEET SMELLING NEIGHBORHOOD. >> MERRY CHRISTMAS. JANE: JOINED I UNLIKELY CREATIONS, LIKE THESE FESTIVE FOREST FRIENDS. >> CAN’T BELIEVE THE DETAIL IN ALL OF THIS. >> I CAN’T EITHER. JANE: THEY SPARK THE IMAGINATION. >> EACH PERSON WHO WALKS AND SEES THIS HAVE THEIR OWN MOMENTS OF "WOW, OH MY GOSH, HOW DID THEY DO THAT?" AND THAT IS WHAT THIS COMPETITION IS ALL ABOUT. JANE: ZELDA AND GEORGE ALLEN MAKE A SPECIAL TRIP EACH YEAR FROM WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA. THEIR FAVORITE? THE DAYLIGHT GENERAL STORE >> THE CARS, THE LITTLE OUTHOUSE, THE PEOPLE, SO MUCH DETAIL. >> IS VERY MUCH ANATOMY OF -- IT REMINDED ME OF LIFE IN A SIMILAR TIME. I LOW-KEY MONIKERS IS, IF YOU WILL. IT’S A DISPLAY ENJOYED BY EYES OF ALL AGES. NOTING THE DETAIL AND ENJOYING THE STORIES. AS WILDLY DIFFERENT AS THESE CREATIONS ARE, FROM THE LOST CITY OF ATLANTIS, TO A BONSAI TREEHOUSE, THEY ALL HAVE TO HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON, THEY ALL HAVE TO BE 75% GINGERBREAD AND ABSOLUTELY EVERY DETAIL HAS TO BE EDIBL ♪ JANE: A POLITE FENCE KEEPS SPECTATORS FROM TAKING A BITE BUT IT’S NOT ENOUGH TO KEEP 6-YEAR-OLD ARION CAMACHO FROM DREAMING ABOUT IT. >> I WANT TO ITS THEM ALL. >> ARE THERE EAT EM? TO LET YOU EAT EM? >> NO, BUT I REALLY WANT TO. JANE: HE’S NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH AN APPETITE. THIS OWL IS EYEING A MOUSE , WONDERING IF HE IS FRIEND OR >> YOU CANNOT EVEN TELL. >> IT’S TOO PRETTY TO EAT. JANE: AND THIS INTRICATE CREATION TOOK THE TOP PRIZE. >> YOU REALLY ARE LOOKING AT A GRAND PRIZE WINNER AND SEEING VERY VERY CLEAN LINES, TALK ABOUT PRECISION TINY TINY LITT INSTRUMENTS. IT WAS AMAZING. WE WERE COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY BY THE INTRICACY OF THIS PARTICULAR PIECE. JANE: THESE GINGERBREAD HOUSES TELL STORIES. THERE’S HICKORY DICKERY DOCK THE MOUSE RAN UP THE CLOCK THE CLOCK STRUCK ONE. AND THE MICE WENT INSIDE TO BAKE THEIR OWN GINGERBREAD HOUS ♪ JANE: 195 OF THESE GINGERBREAD STORIES SPRINKLE THEIR J THE HISTORI INN, WHILE IN THE LOBBY, A CRACKLING FIRE IN THE ENORMOUS HEARTH INVITES GUESTS TO JUST SIT FOR A BIT. WHILE THE HUGE GOLDEN CHRISTMAS TREE CASTS IT’S OWN CHRISTMAS SPELL. FOR AMERICAN STORYTELLER, BOB DOTSON AND HIS WIFE LINDA ALL THIS HELPS DEFINE THE HOLIDA MYRIAD >> TO MAKE HIM A IS ALWAYS ABOUT 100 YEA AGO. WHEN YOU COME HERE, IT IS 100 YEARS AGO. >> IT IS LIKE ANOTHER WORLD OF HERE. JANE: THE INN HAS BEEN NESTLED IN THESE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY. AND FOR MORE THAN A QUARTER OF THAT CENTURY, THEY HAVE BEEN CELEBRATING GINGERBREAD. >> THIS IS THE HOLIDAYS. SO FOR US, GINGERBREAD, WELL THAT’S WHAT MAKES THE HOLIDAYS HERE FOR U JANE: IT’S HARD TO FIND ANYONE WHO DOESN’T LIKE A NICE BITE OF GINGERBREAD. AND THEN THERE’S FRUITCAK THERE’S A RUNNING JOKE THAT THERE’S ONLY ONE FRUITCAKE AND IT JUST KEEPS GETTING RE-GIFTE BUT TONIGHT, CAROL CLARKE TALES US TO THE KITCHEN OF A WOMAN WHO’S A CHAMPION OF THE FRUIT AND NUT CONFECTION. SHE CLAIMS THAT IF NAY-SAYERS COULD ONLY GET A TASTE OF A GOOD FRUITCAKE, THEY WOULD CHANGE THEIR MINDS, AND THE REPUTATION OF THE CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE. CAROL: IN YOUR MIND, WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WHEN YOU GET READY TO MAKE A REALLY GOOD FRUITCAK >> THE QUALITY OF THE INGREDIENTS IS K. WE START WITH BUTTER, AND WE ADD TO THAT HALF A CUP OF SUGAR. WE BEAT IT UNTIL IT IS LIGHT AND FLUFFY. AT THIS POINT, WE BEGIN ADDING TH EGGS. I LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND ADD THE ALLSPI. I THINK IT IS SUCH A WONDERFUL FLAVOR. TH SMELLS LIKE CHRISTMAS TO ME. MM >> THE OTHER THING THAT MAKES I TASTE LIKE FRUITCAKE IS MOLASSES. SO AT THIS POINT, WE GET TO DO THE FUN THING, WHICH IS STARTING TO ADD THE GOODIES. SO YOU WANNA ADD SOM >> SURE. >> I USING A COMBINATION OF AM LIGHT AND DARK RAISINS. LET’S DO THE APRICOTS. >> OH THESE SMELL SO GOO >> AND THAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CALIFORNIA AND THE TURKISH. THE CALIFORNIA ONES ARE VERY TANGY. AND THESE ARE THE TART DRI CHERRIES, WHICH I SUSPECT ARE GROWN IN MICHIGAN. I LIKE DATES, BECAUSE THEY ADD A RICHNESS. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE FAMOUS CANDIED CITRUS PEEL. AND FINALLY, THE NUTS. FIRST THE WALNUTS. THE PECANS. >> MY FAVORITE. >> NOW WE MIX AGAIN. THE FINAL THING THAT WE ADD IS THE FLOUR. SO YOU’RE ONLY USING ENOUGH FLOUR TO HOLD THE WHOLE THING TOGETHER. WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS A VERY DENSE, HERE FEEL THAT. >> THAT’S A BEAUTIFUL BATTER >> IT’S BEAUTIFUL, BUT IT IS DENSE. IT IS. AND IT SMELLS SO GOOD. WE’RE ACTUALLY STEAMING THI AS IT BAKES. ONE OF THE REASONS FRUITCAKES CAN BE DRY IS BECAUSE THEY MAYBE THEY WEREN’T PROPERLY STEAMED. IT HAS BEEN ABOUT THREE A A HALF HOURS AT THIS POINT, AND WE ARE GOING TO LET THE COOL UNTIL IT IS THAT ROOM TEMPERATURE. SO NOW WE ARE READY TO MAKE UP THE GLAZE. WE’RE GOING TO USE ABOUT A HALF A CUP OF APRICOT JAM YOU’RE GOING TO COMBINE THAT WITH ABOUT A TABLESPOON BRANDY. YOU SORT OF POUR, SORT OF SPREAD THIS OVER THE CAKE. SPREAD THAT AND YOU CAN LET IT RUN OVER THE SIDES A LITTLE. AND YOU JUST PRESS THOSE IN AN AS THE GLA HARDENS, IT WILL HOLD THEM IN PLACE. >> IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU REALLY LOVE FRUITCAKE. >> I REALLY DO. IT’S SOMETHING THAT INTERESTS ME. IT’S FUN. IT’S CHALLENGING. UMMMMM. >>UMMMMM. [LAUGHTER] IF YOU DON’T THINK YOU LIKE FRUITCAKE, YOU REALLY NEED TO TRY THIS, BECAUSE THIS TASTE JUST LIKE CHRISTMAS. JANE: CAROL NEEDS TO SHARE A BITE! SHE TELLS US THAT SUSAN CLARKE MAKES HER OWN CANDIED CITRUS PEEL FOR THIS CAKE, WHICH IS A WONDERFULLY FRESH ADDITION. AND SUSAN IS HAPPY TO SHARE HER EASY RECIPE TO MAKE THE PEEL. ALONG WITH THE RECIPE FOR HER FRUITCAKE. YOU CAN FIND BOTH ON CAROL’S FACEBOOK PAGE.WYFF NEWS 4’S CAROL CLARKE.>> JUST LOOK UP AND AND UP TO HER THE CEILING AND THE TREE JUST KEEPS GOING. JANE: COMING UP "CHRONICLE," A TRADITION HONORED FOR 123 YEARS, CHRISTMAS AT ALKMAAR. AND THERE’S JUST A LITTLE WHILE -- CHRISTMAS AT BILTMORE. LONGER TO CALL AND DONATE TO THE HOLIDAY SUNSHINE FUND. 100% OF YOUR FINANCIAL GIFT GOES TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELP OUR NEIG