By: Joanna McDonald | December 19 2010
Posted in Rogue Valley - Grow It - Rogue Valley

Photo credit: istock

With its signature zing and festive color, this cheerful little fruit is just begging to make your holiday baking, cooking and imbibing a little more flavorful and bright.

One of only three native fruits in the United States grown commercially, cranberries were eaten by Native Americans and used as a dye long before the Pilgrims served them up for the first Thanksgiving dinner. There’s no dearth of recipes and variations for the berry’s go-to role, but this sweet, pucker-inducing berry can be used all season long with nary a thought of late November feasting.

Cranberry muffins or loaves are a bright way to start your morning. Swap blueberries for red berries in your favorite loaf recipe, and add a little citrus zest (an excellent cran-pairing) to the batter. If you don't have a loaf recipe, try this recipe for Beverly McKenzie's Cranberry Bread. The McKenzies are members of Clearwater Cranberries, a sustainable cranberry-growing cooperative on the Southern Oregon coast.

• Consider the health qualities of cranberry juice as a morning drink. Vincent Family Cranberries, local Bandon growers and fellow co-op member, recently introduce a luscious cranberry juice to the market. You can find retail outlets on their website.

• The tartness of cranberries is balanced nicely by a creamy but bold cheese, such as feta or blue. Take a look at this recipe, courtesy of the Jacksonville Mercantile.

• For dessert, think along the lines of white chocolate, cream cheese frosting, a nice, hefty cake as the base…and go from there.

• Don’t be chicken: let the berry loose on dinner. Cranberry sauce over poultry (or fish) presents gorgeously and lends a pop of tangy flavor. Make your sauce with red wine vinegar, brown sugar or French dressing. The options are nearly endless.

• Crunch this for lunch: turkey sandwich on a hearty, slightly herb-y bread with havarti cheese, crisp romaine, maybe a smear of horseradish, and a fistful of dried cranberries. Lay the berries between two layers of turkey or under the cheese so they don’t slip out.

• Cool it with a sweet cranberry soup that’s accompanied by whipped cream, or toss some dried cranberries in your favorite wild rice soup.

Vodka and cranberry juice are a staple duet for good reason, but don’t stop there. Add a few cranberries to citrus-flavored drinks, bourbon or punch. They take festive floating to a new level!

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