By Kathryn van
Ah, cranberries, the fruit of the holiday season. How do I love thee.
Some people judge how close Christmas is by how many shopping days are left. I judge it by when the fresh cranberries come to the supermarket. I have nothing against canned cranberry sauce, Craisins or frozen berries. I use them year-round. But when those fresh berries show up, I know the festive season is here and it's time to start hunting for a turkey, get the bread out to dry for stuffing, break out the cookie recipes and puree the pumpkin for pie.
I once tried a fresh cranberry straight up – once. The pucker was with me for weeks, so I don't advise it for the faint of heart. But added to recipes, cranberries make for pure ambrosia. I can't eat turkey – even in a sandwich – without cranberry sauce. I would much rather add dried cranberries to my oatmeal cookies than raisins. And forget strawberries or blueberries on cheesecake – candied cranberries are the way to go.
Good fresh cranberries are very firm to the touch and I've been told they bounce if you drop them (I can't personally attest to this because I haven't dared start bouncing berries at the grocery store). The berries should be shiny and bright red, usually ranging from light to dark. Avoid shriveled berries or those with brown spots.
One of the greatest things about cranberries is they last forever. The fresh ones can be kept in the fridge for up to two months if they are stored in a plastic bag. They can also be frozen for up to a year.
Cranberry Cornbread Scones
This is a great breakfast or a warm snack after a day out in the cold.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup milk
3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries, such as Craisins
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl and stir until mixed. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until coarse crumbs form. Add milk and stir with fork just until a sticky dough forms. Gently stir dried cranberries into dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead gently about 10 times. Pat dough into a 1Ú2-inch thick circle. Cut out dough circles with 2 1Ú2-inch biscuit cutter and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 14 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 10 scones.
Cranberry Ice
I love this stuff as a palate-cleanser with a big meal. Spoon it into wine glasses for a fancy look.
8 cups water
4 cups fresh cranberries
3 cups sugar
Combine all ingredients in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and cook 15 minutes or until all cranberries pop. Strain cranberry mixture through a fine sieve over a bowl, discarding solids. Cover and chill. Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Spoon cranberry ice into a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze 1 hour or until ready to serve. Makes about 10 cups.
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