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Produce Tips
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Produce Tips
Cranberries
Cranberries are a bright red berry of the plant Vaccinium of the heath
family which also includes the huckleberry and the lingonberry. The berry
grew in low-lying sections in Massachusetts long before the Pilgrims landed
at Plymouth. The Indians used the little berries to dye their colorful
robes, treat arrow wounds and to make an early day convenience food called
pemmican, combining venison, fat and crushed berries. The Wampanoag Indians
of Cape Cod introduced their treasured berries, which they called Sassamanesh,
to the Pilgrims, who renamed them the "crane berries' because the
pink blossoms resembled the head of a crane.
Choose cranberries that are firm and plump with a lustrous color. A high
luster indicates ripeness and good quality. Color varies from bright to
dark red depending on variety. Duller varieties should at least have some
red color.
Sort fresh berries, discarding any with soft brown spots. Cranberries may
be stored in the refrigerator for one to four weeks. Cranberries can easily
be stored for up to a year or more using today's canning and freezig methods.
They need only be sorted, washed an packaged before freezing. Good-quality
berries may be stored in the original package.
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