Cranberries: Eat, Drink, and Be Decorative

As one that finds many of the traditional uses of cranberries rather off putting (that canned jellied sauce that rolls around the bowl on Thanksgiving gives me the willies) I was delighted to discover three new uses for these wonder berries that are sure to please.

Eat......

Cranberry Nut Bark

1 bag Ghirardelli double chocolate chips
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup nuts (unsalted or lightly salted pistachios, cashews or macadamias recommended))

Microwave the chips in a glass bowl for 4 minutes on 50% power.  Stir til smooth.  Add cranberries and nuts.   Stir again.  Spread entire mess onto cookie sheet lined w/ baking parchment.  It should look like a large, bumpy, brown amoeba.  Refrigerate 30 minutes or more.  When hard enough to snap into bite-sized pieces, do so.  (mess free tip:  use the parchment paper to hold and break the chocolate so you don't smudge your hands, leave fingerprints on the product, or worst of all, ruin your manicure.) Put pieces into cute little cello bags and tie with a ribbon.  Recipe makes about 1-1/4 lb bark, or enough to fill 3 cello bags for gifts.


Drink....

                                        Ho Ho Ho

2  parts  Vodka
1 part Cointreau
2 parts cranberry juice
1 part pomegranate juice
splash of fresh lime juice

Mix all ingredients in cocktail shaker with plenty of ice.  Strain into martini glasses.  Spread holiday cheer.

And Be Decorative.....

We had a lovely chat with the florist at Market Blooms.  While she does not use cranberries regularly, she did feature them prominently in a winter wedding--using them to fill the vases for added color and texture.  We took her idea, simplified it a bit, and came up with the following centerpiece, which will see you through any dinner from now til New Years:

Cranberries- the Heavyweight Hitter

Cranberries are said to be aphrodisiacs--but are they really? Likely, their reputation is based on the heavyweight health benefits of these mightly little fruits rather than their power as an actual love potion. 

Cranberries contain large amounts of Vitamin C, which boosts the immune system and improves the function of various glands necessary for amatory activities.  Additionally, cranberries deliver a robust shot of Vitamin A, which is essential for healthy circulation.  If the blood isn't flowing properly, well..neither is the lovin'.

Finnish folklore also mentions cranberries' amatory properties.  According to Kalevala, the Finnish book of epic , Marjetta (a virgin) conceived her son by swallowing a whole cranberry.   Not the first immaculate conception story to hit the airwaves, but I'm pretty sure it's the only one that attributes the 'miracle' to a fruit.

Native Americans, and later Pilgrim settlers extolled the health benefits of this mighty fruit.   In particular, Native Americans utilized the berries to combat infections of the urinary and reproductive systems.  Whether the consumption of these tart little berries warmed the hearts and parts of the likes of Squanto, Miles Standish, and Priscilla Alden is unclear, but they remain a crucial part of traditional holiday meals, so anything is possible.



And no discussion of love and cranberries would be complete without a mention of the bitterness of each; unrequited love is about as bitter as fresh cranberries--trust me on this one; I tasted one yesterday for research purposes and a serious pucker ensued.  (No immaculate conception ala Marjetta, though; at least I hope not.)  The Cranberries do a great job describing the bitterness of love's sad end with their hit Linger...


To buy the freshest, brightest, shiniest cranberries for your feast, stop by Iovines, OK Lee, Fair Food Farmstand, or any one of the Market's produce merchants.  If you're a baker, then dried cranberries are stocked by The Spice Terminal.   If you're not a baker then look out for cranberry muffins and other treats at the Market's fabulous bakeries.   We are partial to the cranberry scones at Metropolitan, but we've never met a baked good we didn't like, especially as prepared by one of the skilled artisans at Reading Terminal Market.  Deeeee-lish.