Buck Reed, the Supermarket Gourmet
Cranberries come from the family of Ericaceae, which is described as an evergreen dwarf. They are cultivated from October until December, which probably explains their popularity during the holiday season.
Cranberries are a great source of vitamin C, vitamin A, B-carotene, lutein, zea-xanthin, folate, potassium, and manganese. Studies have shown that the consumption of berries has potential health benefits against cancer, aging and neurological diseases, inflammation, diabetes, and bacterial infections. Also, cranberries have antioxidant compounds, which may prevent cardiovascular disease, help lower LDL cholesterol levels and increase HDL cholesterol levels in the blood. Furthermore, cranberries are beneficial to your teeth as well as your urinary tract.
They start out as a white berry that ripens to a deep red, and has a unique tart acidic flavor that overwhelms it’s sweet flavor. It goes without saying that they are most popular during Thanksgiving as a sauce served with roast turkey or sold as juice that is enjoyed all year long. This being the case, doesn’t it seem a shame most of us only enjoy the whole berry during the holiday season?
The easy solution is to buy fresh whole berries after the holiday season when the price drops, double bag them and keep them in the freezer, up to a year, until ready to use. You can also go ahead and cook them down a bit and again store them in an airtight container and freeze them for a quick enhancement to your everyday cooking. Freezing berries helps break the skin and makes the juice easier to extract, so when defrosting them, make sure you do so in a bowl to catch all the juice.
Here are a few ideas for using those cranberries:
Cook whole cranberries into your oatmeal for a morning delight.
Add whole cranberries into your pancake, waffle, or coffee cake recipe.
Use whole cranberries (frozen and thawed) in your sangria or mojito recipe, or add into a fruit punch for a sizzling summer pleasure.
Serve cranberry sauce with grilled sausage, pork or chicken at your next barbeque.
Add pureed cranberries into your favorite barbeque sauce for a unique flavor.
Mix cooked cranberries with mustard and serve with hot dogs or as a spread for any sandwich (roast turkey sounds like a natural).
Use whole cranberries in your favorite oatmeal or chocolate chip cookie recipe instead of raisins.
Puree cranberries into your favorite vinaigrette recipe and toss with salad greens (think raspberry vinaigrette).
Use cranberry sauce and walnuts on your baked Brie.
Add whole cranberries to a beef stew recipe.
Add whole cranberries or cooked cranberries into a baked cobbler or crisp recipe, with apples or most any other berry for a delicious dessert.
Just remember, now is the time to purchase your cranberries. If you need a recipe for any of these ideas, please email the editor at news@thecatoctinbanner.com.
