Pass the cranberry

Thanksgiving is a time when even the reluctant cooks among us dust off the pots and pans and have at it. Most agree that it's a time for tradition more than creativity, and look forward to the dishes that grace our tables only once a year. Turkey, stuffing (or dressing, depending on what part of the Country you're from), mashed potatoes, the infamous casseroles...we toil away, leaving a faint dusting of flour throughout the kitchen, panicking over refrigerator and oven space, and generally going all-out for this feast of feasts.

Why, then, do so many of us slack when it comes to a key condiment for the meal's centerpiece?  Yes, I am talking about cranberry sauce, and specifically, that log-shaped mass of Jell-O-like stuff that is unceremoniously plopped from the can at the last minute.

Cranberries deserve better. As the only tart component of this heavy, diversely flavored meal, they cut through the fat and refresh our palate so that we can fully enjoy all of those savory and sweet dishes.  And, unlike some other foods that have made their way onto the Thanksgiving table, they are seasonal and local (to the first Thanksgiving, at least). Cranberries are rich in antioxidants and have bacterial-blocking properties.  So with a few days to go before the holiday, I humbly encourage you to break out the Joy of Cooking, or just flip over that bag of Ocean Spray from the grocery store, and try your hand at homemade cranberry sauce. It's easier than you'd imagine and mighty rewarding.

All content © Emily Bell