I have nothing bad to say about the Collin Street Bakery’s fruitcakes, which come to mind because I got a catalog from the company recently. The fruitcakes themselves, that is. They are a sweet marvel, a dense delight, a bit of confectionery bliss.

Their price is another matter. I ordered my first fruitcake from Collin Street in 1985. A little looking around tells me that around that time, “the cake is sold in two-, three- and five-pound sizes, ranging from $9.15 to $21.45.” (NYT, Dec. 1, 1982; three years earlier, which is close enough).

And how much are they now? $28.45 to $65.50 plus $6.45 for shipping any sized order, according to the current catalog. I emphasize shipping because for years Collin Street didn’t change extra for shipping: it was a consideration that helped me be loyal. When did the company start charging? I don’t know. As recently as two years ago, there was no charge, because I ordered one that year, and probably wouldn’t have otherwise. Anyway, it’s damned annoying.

This year, a two-pound fruitcake would thus set me back $34.90 (almost — the size is actually 1 lb. 14 oz). The nominal 1982 cost of $9.15 would, adjusted for inflation, would now be $22.60, according to the BLS, plus zero for shipping. What’s the excuse for that? I’m skeptical that anything the bakery puts in their product has increased in cost by that much, and don’t tell me it’s shipping. Except for the USPS, the logistics of shipping is a lot more efficient than it was 30 years ago. As good as the cakes are, that’s a deal breaker.