The Newsy Neighbour Magazine
December Issue #110
By Kathryn Hartwell
Ho-ho-ho and Merry Christmas! My name is Candi, and I am a
cranberry. We’re low, creeping (that’s creeping, not creepy!) shrubs with
slender, wiry stems and small evergreen leaves. Give us a nice acidic bog
somewhere in the cooler parts of the northern hemisphere, and we’ll grow like
crazy. Our flowers are dark pink, and our famous berries (I mean really, what
would the winter holidays be without us?) start out white, but turn the colour of
Santa’s suit by the time we’re ripe. Native North Americans were the first to
enjoy us, using cranberries to make a sauce that complimented wild game very
nicely. To balance our natural acidity, they added a dollop of honey to balance
things out a bit.
When Europeans first saw us after they settled in what is
now the United States and Canada, they took one look at our expanding flowers,
stems, calyx and petals and decided we resembled the neck, head, and bill of a
crane (you must remember, these people had no television or internet; they had
a lot of time on their hands, and could spend hours staring at very small
objects, letting their minds wander…). Thus, our initial name: craneberry.
Eventually the “e” was dropped (don’t ask me why!), and the name cranberry
stuck. Soon these early settlers began emulating their native neighbours, using
cranberries in a variety of sauces and foods (especially pemmican), as well as
the main component in wound medicine and dye. A fellow named Henry Hall is
recognized as the first to farm us – that was near the Massachusetts town of
Dennis, around 1816. In the 1820s, cranberries were first shipped to Europe. In
one case, a ship with some of my ancestors on board was shipwrecked off the
coast of Holland. I don’t know what happened to the passengers and crew, but
the cranberries survived and prospered. Eventually we became quite a popular
wild crop in places like Norway, Sweden, Finland, Scotland, and Russia. But we
remain most popular back here in good ol’ North America, where we’ve never met
a winter holiday we didn’t like.
I’m happy to report we’re more than simply a colourful
Christmas side dish. On the nutritional front, we contain lots of vitamin C,
vitamin K, dietary fibre, and manganese. We have five times the antioxidants as
broccoli (and they’re no slouches in the antioxidant department). In fact,
according to something called the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity)
score, we register 9.584 units per 100 g., placing cranberries near the top of
277 commonly consumed foods in North America. Cranberry juice contains material
that can help prevent tooth plaque, and can also inhibit the formation of
kidney stones, and can be helpful for women with urinary tract and kidney
infections. We may also be helpful in helping combat certain kinds of cancers. Luckily
our juice is as tasty as it is healthy. Cranberry juice is delicious on its
own, or can be blended with other fruit juices or sparkling water. Our inherent
tartness means we can be used to replace the flavours for vinegar or lemons in
salad dressings. We’re yummy when added to puddings, breads, and muffins. There
are all sorts of ways we can be enjoyed – try some of the recipes here, I think
you’ll be happy you did!
EASY CRANBERRY
SALAD
Balsamic vinaigrette
1/3 cup (80mL) olive or vegetable oil
¼ cup (60 mL) cup balsamic or red wine vinegar
2 tbsp (30 mL) sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Salad
1 bag (10 ounces) mixed baby greens or Italian-blend
salad greens
½ cup (120 mL) pistachio nuts
¼ cup (60 mL) dried cranberries
In small bowl, beat balsamic vinaigrette ingredients with
wire whisk until smooth. In serving bowl, toss vinaigrette and salad
ingredients just before serving.
CRANBERRY BREAD
PUDDING
1 3/4 cup (420 mL) milk
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) vanilla
2 cups (480 mL) bread cubes; soft, stale
1/4 cup (60 mL) honey
2 eggs – beaten
1 cup (240 mL) cranberries
Whipped or light cream
Combine all ingredients except cream. Pour into a shallow
greased 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven 25 minutes, or
until firm. Serve warm with cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
CRANBERRY SALSA
WITH APRICOTS
3 cups (720 mL) fresh cranberries
2 tsp (30 mL) fresh lime juice
2/3 cup (160 mL) honey
1/2 cup (120 mL) chopped red onion
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded & chopped
1/2 cup (120 mL) chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup (120 mL) fresh cilantro leaves
2 large oranges peeled, seeded & chopped
Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Be careful
not to over-process. Pulse just until chopped. Chill.
CRANBERRY SALSA
WITH GINGER
2 whole oranges
2 cups (480 mL) fresh cranberries
1/4 cup (60 mL) canola oil
1/4 cup (60 mL) minced onion
1 tbsp (15 mL) minced cilantro
1 tbsp (15 mL) minced ginger root
1 whole minced chili serrano
Cut, peel and remove all white membrane from oranges.
Grate or zest 4 tbsp of the orange peel. Coarsely chop orange sections. Mix all
together and chill.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!
Candi Cranberry
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