Lura Rogers - Cooking with Cranberries

Lura Rogers

Early European settlers in North America learned about the cranberry from Native Americans, who valued the berry both as food and for its medicinal qualities. The cranberry was considered a symbol of peace by some native cultures, including the tribe later known as the Delaware Indians. The name of the berry varied by region. The Cape Cod Pequots called it ibimi, which means bitter berry; it was also called sassamanesh in the East and atoqua in Algonquin country. Strangely, todays name came not from one of these original words but from a word created by European settlers. When they were introduced to the plant, its flower reminded them of the head of a crane, and they called the fruit a crane-berry.

For Native Americans, the cranberry had important, and varied, uses. The bright berry was a popular source of red dye for cloth of all types. It was applied to wounds to help draw out poison. When it was discovered that something (enzymes, we now know) in the cranberry preserved meat for many days an esteemed quality for a berry in the era before refrigeration! cranberries were mixed with venison to make pemmican.

In their native habitat of North America, cranberries are grown in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Oregon. At one time, the Cape Cod area of Mass-achusetts was the leading cranberry producer, but now Wisconsin leads, producing more than half of North Americas cranberry crop, according to the Cranberry Institute (see Resources). Cranberries grow naturally in wild bogs, but these bogs cant grow cranberries for mass consumption because of their varying sizes, shapes, and terrain and their irregular flooding patterns. The commercial cranberry bog is a naturally occurring bog that has been prepared for production. The ideal bog is level and has a dependable source of water for flooding, but also drains easily.

Cranberry crops are generally not ready for harvest until 3 to 6 years after planting. As a cranberry plants root structure increases, the plant grows runners and branches, both of which grow bright green leaves that turn red in winter. In late June, the branches begin to flower, and by October, the fruit has ripened. Only branches, not runners, produce berries. Once the berries have turned the characteristic bright red, they are ready to be harvested.

There are two methods of harvest: dry and wet. The dry method is used to collect the cranberries we buy fresh from the grocery store. These cranberries are collected with a large rake picker attached to a helicopter; harvesting from above keeps the fragile bogs and vines from being crushed. Some smaller, organic farms pick their berries by hand.

The wet method is used to harvest those berries typically used for juices and other processed cranberry products. In this method, a bog is flooded for at least 12 hours before large, beaterlike machines whisk through it, knocking the berries off the vines. The berries float to the top of the water (about 1 foot [30 cm] above the plants) and are skimmed into containers and trucked to a processing center. The bog is flooded for about 2 years after it has been cleared of cranberry plants.

Cranberries are among the simplest fruits to judge and keep. A bright red berry is a fresh berry, packed with flavor. Beware of any berries with wrinkly skins or squishy bodies. The fresher the berry, the more time youll have to think up new ways to eat it! Size is not a prerequisite for a good berry. I have found many a little berry that has packed a mighty punch while its big brother lumbered lazily along.

In most areas, shoppers can choose to buy organic produce. Organic cranberry crops are grown without pesticides or fertilizers. They yield fewer berries per year at a higher price. The cost to consumers is slightly greater, but so is the fruits wholesomeness, an important consideration for many.

Whole cranberries usually keep for several weeks in the refrigerator; in the freezer, they last at least 9 months. Whole frozen cranberries can be substituted for fresh in many recipes, and older frozen berries may be used in recipes that require you to cook the berries. Do be aware, however, of the differences among store-bought varieties of frozen cranberries some are presweetened and cut, and this variety will not work well in many recipes.

Sweetened dehydrated cranberries and canned jellies and sauces are readily available in supermarkets. Cranberry juices are found in a plethora of forms, including unsweetened concentrates, ready-to-mix concentrates, juice blends, organic juices, and more. Cranberries can even be found in pill form in the supplement section of health food stores.

The cranberry is the focus of quite a bit of medical research. You may have heard about the cranberrys ability to improve urinary tract health, but did you know that cranberries have been used to relieve symptoms of urinary tract infection since at least colonial times? More recently, several studies at leading universities have concluded that the proanthocyanidin compounds present in the cranberry prevent offending bacteria from adhering to the walls of the bladder and urinary tract.

The cranberry has other bacteria- and fungi-fighting properties that are still being researched, including those that inhibit growth of Candida, E. coli, and Staphylococcus bacteria. Researchers have discovered that cranberry consumption may prevent and possibly reverse gum disease and stomach ulcers. (Although we think of the acidic cranberry as an ulcers worst nightmare, it is actually bacteria that perpetuates most ulcers.)

And theres more! Along with other popular antioxidant fruits, such as blueberries, apples, and grapes, our little red friends have recently been found to contain large quantities of phenols, which prevent cellular oxidation. This makes the cranberry a cancer-fighting agent, thanks to a high percentage of flavonoids (these include anthocyanins, which give the cranberry its festive red). Also, the cranberrys antioxidant properties make it a hero for heart health, reducing atherosclerosis by preventing oxidation of cholesterol in the bloodstream.

See Resources on page 32 to find out where you can learn more about cranberries.

Whether eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, cranberries make the meal. The little berries provide big flavor in everything from pancakes to pork chops. In fact, there are few dishes a healthy dose of cranberries couldnt improve! This chapter offers a sampling of my favorites.

COUNTRY INN GRANOLA

The currants in this recipe are made from dried Zante grapes, native to Greece. They are quite different from the tiny berry called a currant.

10 cups rolled oats (not instant oatmeal)

cup pure Vermont maple syrup

cup dried blueberries

cup dried cranberries

cup dried apples, chopped

cup slivered almonds

cup Zante currants

cup chopped pecans

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 cup apple cider or apple juice