Cran from a can (Photo by Purple Slog) Smooth or chunky? Sweet or sour? Cooked or raw? Is it better to serve up the sugary cranberry sauce that has graced grammar school lunches, or succumb to the holiday mavens and create a tart cranberry relish with a touch of Grand Marnier? Such a simple question, but one that has divided many a Thanksgiving gathering over the years. One would think that the solution would be as simple as making (or buying) some of both. Unfortunately, for many families, that would go over about as well as Hillary showing up at the White House for dinner this year. This Thanksgiving, however, The Spark household has chosen to take a moment to recall the humble origins of the cranberry and quell the annual family feud. Consider these factoids: Cranberries are one of the only commonly eaten fruits native to North America. The Delaware Indians considered them a sign of peace. Early American sailors ate them to prevent scurvy. Some Native Americans mixed deer meat and mashed cranberries to make pemmican -- and they also used the tart berries to treat wounds and dye cloth. Given such an impressive resume, on this day of thanksgiving, we can all put aside the controversy and simply enjoy the cranberries, whether as sauce, relish, or (heaven forbid) chutney. Suggested Sites... Ocean Spray Cranberry Recipes - growing cranberries since the 1930s. Martha Stewart: Cranberry Recipes - straight from the maven's mouth. Flickr: Cranberry Bogs - a New England tradition. The Cranberries - not to be confused with the fruit.

Directory categories: Cranberry Recipes, Cranberry Sauces, Relishes, and Chutneys, Thanksgiving, Pilgrims

Archived under: Cooking, Cranberries, Fruit, Holidays, Recipes, Thanksgiving

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