Cranberry sauce is a staple for most Thanksgiving
dinners. Whether you are entertaining family at home or you are going over the
river and through the woods to grandmother’s house, making cranberry sauce is
simple and a wonderful way to give thanks.
The cranberry is native to North America. The name
“cranberry” is a shortened form of the original Pilgrim name “craneberry”,
named so because the blossom of the plant resembles the head of a Sandhill
crane. Cranberries had long been used by Native Americans as a fabric dye, a
healing agent and a food. The most popular use was in the Native American’s
pemmican: a combination of crushed berries, dried deer meat and melted fat.
Today cranberries are traditionally served as a sauce or jelly with
Thanksgiving and Christmas meals.
Cranberry Sauce
2 – 12oz bags of fresh cranberries, rinsed
1 ½ cups white sugar
1 Tablespoon orange zest
½ cup water
1 cup orange juice (fresh squeezed from zested orange
plus additional juice)
Salt and pepper
Preparation:
In a medium sauce pan combine cranberries, sugar, orange
zest and water. Bring to a boil over a
medium-high heat. Lower heat and simmer
for 20-25 minutes until thick. Remove from heat and stir in orange juice until
desired consistency is achieved. Salt and pepper to tasted
This Thanksgiving don’t reach for the can of cranberry
sauce. Spend a little time in your kitchen and make this traditional side dish.
Your loved ones will be thankful for the cranberry sauce without the rings this
year.
