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Show by KARAN M. ROBINSON Photos by Russ Bryant ily When the ovens crank up 1 during the height of summer in Claxton. Ga., a sweet aroma of fruitcake wafts down the streets and around the comets. 'While most residents cool off at the beach or relax in the shade, the "Fruitcake Cap i cal of the World," i,wV 6 prepares for the holidays. Its almost like fresh cookies being baked," says Dale Parker, head of marketing and public relations for the family-ru- n Claxton Bakery. Every August, Parker, his siblings Betty, Mid, and Paul, and at least 100 seasonal employees gear up to produce 4 million pounds of fruitcake for Christmas. And just up the street from Claxton Bakery, John Womble and his father, Ira Womble Jr., run the Georgia Fruit Cake Co., which bakes an annual fruitcake batch of several hundred thousand pounds. We're a hands-o- n kind of company," John Womble says. I make birthday cakes, too." Just drive into Claxton (pop. 2,276), and it's hard to miss the city limit signs and the 50-fo- ot water tower bearing their slogan. A 6 f r ' kijj, 2 i The Claxton BakeryS seven ovens can bake 1,600 pounds of fruitcake a kqc Each cake weighs it pounds. Everybody from here to California has heard of Claxton," says Chris Gay, who owns Claxton Supermarket on Liberty Street. There is not a downside to being known for fruitcake." Except for the jokes. Comedian Johnny Car-so- n once said only one fruitcake actually exists and it gets passed around from year to year. If that's the case, that's a mighty big cake and Claxton probably produced it. Claxton residents rake their claim to time as seriously as any livelihood, however. I like the fruitcake," says Dick Gardner, who vr i Georgia Fruit Cake Co. was founded in Claxton, Ga in 1917. manages a Flash Foods store where many tourists stop for directions to the bakeries. Gardner grew up in Michigan and has fond memories of his grandmother's homemade fruitcake, which differed a bit from the kind he gets down South today. "Up North, its more of a cake and they dont put much fruit in it, says Gardner, who has lived |