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Sitting here sleepless with ears listening to Old Time Radio Christmas stories on satellite radio and eyes reading about cranberries - a staple at every Holiday dinner as far back as I remember. In the "olden" times, the only cranberries on the table were perfectly round slices with lines on the edges (from the ridges in the can). Now we go back and forth between cooked and fresh - usually with oranges or tangerines - never thought of nuts but sure will now. Thank you Carrie L. for such a great article!
Louise
Louise,
My daughter's middle name is Louise! Yep, those "olden" times didn't start until Ocean Spray had convinced US eaters that they needed to eat cranberries even if they didn't live near a bog. Which, as far as I'm concerned, is a good thing. As for the nuts, you might make stuffing that didn't come out of a bag, just to be fancy, right? Anyway, mix it up a little, hmmm?
x,Carrie
Cranberries are among my very favorite foods and can't imagine living a life without them. I cook them as you pointed out for holidays, but the rest of the year, I pull them out of the deep freeze.
Someone had told me to freeze cranberries to lay them individually (or sliced) on a cookie sheet and put in the freezer until they are frozen. Then, put them in zip lock bags to use whenever one wishes. I love to freeze sliced ones to add to cereal all year around.
My very favorite way to eat cranberries is finely chopped, with grated orange and peeling and some sugar !! So delicious !!! (To think I used to eat the cooked ones)
-Thanks for the interesting article.
Yum yum. I like them all ways, and if I have to stoop to eating the quivering molded kind, then I do. Cranberries in the stuffing? Yes! Cranberry apple pie? Go for it. xx, Carrie
I wonder why cranberries - from New England (and other northern places she admits grudgingly) should go so well with oranges, which are from Florida, California, and other NON-northern places? Because they definitely DO go together, perfectly. Like poultry and sage. Like Hepburn and Tracy. If anyone knows the answer to this riddle, please post here! xx, Carrie
Quoting:I wonder why cranberries - from New England (and other northern places she admits grudgingly) should go so well with oranges, which are from Florida, California, and other NON-northern places? Because they definitely DO go together, perfectly. Like poultry and sage. Like Hepburn and Tracy. If anyone knows the answer to this riddle, please post here! xx, Carrie
What a wonderful article. I love your style, Carrie. The topic was of particular interest to me today because I am going to the store to procure the last of the supplies for Thanksgiving dinner. It reminded me to pick up a few bags of the little gems! For years I hated the slimy, cranberry 'sauce' in a can. Then I was introduced to what one particular store called their "Gourmet Cranberry Salad". It had cranberries (whole cooked), walnuts, I believe some celery very finely sliced, and a hint of orange, from I know not where. (Juice? Some finely grated zest?) I was in heaven, and fell in love with the little berries. I love making the salad at the holidays.
Thanks, Carrie, for a well written and delicious article!
Nice article, Carrie!
I LOVE cranberries. Think I'll experiment with using the fresh orange and cranberry jam as a filling in a cake sometime. Might be good with either chocolate or a white cake. Like raspberries only with a little more zip!
Ooooh, what a clever idea, jazzy! Depending on how much sugar you use and how tart the oranges are, the relish/jam can be sweet-tangy or pucker-up-tart, so taste it or use a VERY sweet cake -- and please let us know! Thanks for the great suggestion.