Actually, the Cranberry Institute is a non-profit organization formed in 1951 to bring together cranberry growers and cranberry fans.  The Institute promotes research on related health, agricultural, and environmental issues, and promotes continuous cranberry education.  Based in East Wareham, Massachusetts, the Cranberry Institute takes its funding from volunteer members involved with the cranberry trade.

The Institute’s website is a treasure trove of information on every aspect of cranberries you can imagine.  Cranberries were first used as food and medicine by early Native Americans, and the first commercial bed was planted in 1816 in Dennis, Massachusetts.  It can be harvested either “wet” or “dry.”  In the “wet” process, the cranberry beds are flooded and the fruit is beaten off the wine with a special harvester.  In the “dry” process, the fruit is removed with a mechanical picking machine. Read More »

Whether it’s Ocean Spray, Juicy Juice or a host of other natural beverage providers, cranberry juice has been successfully marketed to a wide base of thirsty consumers.  However, what you are drinking in these store bought containers is usually not pure cranberry juice.  In its purest form, cranberry juice has a distinctively tart taste, bitter to some palettes.  In order to make cranberry juice more enjoyable for the average drinker, sugar, artificial sweeteners or other fruit juices are usually added to give it the common taste you’ve come to expect.  Even in this diluted form, cranberry juice still retains valuable health-enhancing incentives provided by natural cranberries, rewarding those who drink it regularly.  If you want to take advantage of the cocktail’s healthy benefits, make sure whatever brand you buy actually contains a large percentage of authentic cranberry juice, with no preservatives, artificial flavors or artificial coloring. Read More »

Enjoyed both individually and as part of a side or main course dish, cranberries provide a very distinctive flavor many people find irresistible.  Not only are they delicious, cranberries are actually good for you as well, believed to combat both heart disease and cranberries.  Unfortunately, a lot of picky eaters will try anything to keep what they perceive as “health food” at least a full arm’s length away from their mouth at all times.  Here are some old standbys and a new, innovative idea to make cranberries more enticing so that the whole family can enjoy them.

1. Cranberry Sauce – With 12 ounces of cranberries, 1 cup of white sugar and 1 cup of orange juice or water, this Thanksgiving classic will satisfy any sweet tooth.  The thick relish can either be enjoyed on its own or as a complementary topping or side item.  Just dissolve the sugar in the orange juice or water, then stir in the cranberries.  Cook about 10 minutes until the cranberries begin to pop.  Finally, transfer the hot saucepan’s contents into a bowl so the cranberry sauce can thicken as it cools. Read More »

It is easy to tell when it’s time for cranberries to be harvested because of their signature red hue, shining out to the world that the berry is ripe for the picking.  If the berries are still lighter in color, you will need to wait a few more weeks before harvesting your cranberries.  For those who don’t have the patience or will power, mature but not fully ripe cranberries can still be made into white cranberry juice, a very healthy and popular drink.  In general, most cranberries reach their peak ripe stage in late September or early October.

The majority of cranberries in the United States are wet-picked once they are ripe.  Wet-picking is the safest and easiest way to pick a large number of cranberries at one time.  The process requires for the bog or marsh in which the cranberries are growing to be flooded an estimated 6 to 8 inches above the vines.  The amount of water is predetermined and adjusted based on the total acreage used for cultivating cranberries.  After the area is filled with water, a motorized picking machine, or harvester, is driven through the beds in order to separate the berries from the vine.  The driver must continue in circles, slowly spiraling towards the center in order to ensure that every vine is amply picked.  Once the individual cranberries are detached from the vine, the fruit will float to the top making it much easier to mass-collect the cranberries.  The floating cranberries are herded to the corner of the bed so that they can be collected in a single area for transportation. Read More »

While Christmas decoration is starting to become a cranberry staple, there are plenty of other holidays on the calendar for which the beautiful coat of cranberries could be put to good use.  After all, there’s no reason Santa should have a stranglehold on the entire cranberry market.  In the giving spirit of the Christmas season, here are a few ideas you can share to help make other dates on the calendar equally elegant.

1. Valentine’s Day -  When February 14^th roles around and you need to impress the significant other in your life, a lot of lovers turn to rose petals to provide the dark red shade of romance.  Cranberries can fill in on short notice or can be used in combination with roses to create an entirely new visual experience.  While possessing the same rich exterior color, cranberries are a lot more versatile than roses.  For starters, you can eat them which, when used correctly, can enhance the romance all by itself.  Cranberries also float better, and easily maintain their figure without getting soggy.  This comes in handy in case you might want to run a candlelight bath to set the mood. Read More »

Sure cranberries can be a great snack, a complement a main course, squeezed to make juice or even blended into a smoothie, but the versatility of the cranberry goes far beyond simple consumption.  The strikingly deep red coat of the perfect cranberry not only indicates it is ripe for the plucking but can also be a beautiful accent to a number a rooms décor or holiday decoration around the house.  Here are a few ideas that might help you use cranberries to adorn even the most simplistic of set-ups.

1. Centerpieces – The beautiful red hue of the cranberry is very complementary to any white table cloth or fine dining spread.  In order to make an elegant cranberry centerpiece you don’t have to embark on a complex arts and crafts project.  Some of the best centerpieces are very basic, using items you probably already have in a cabinet or lying around the house.  For example, you can take a nice glass vase or even an upscale drinking glass and fill it to the top with cranberries and voila, you have a centerpiece.  For added effect, sprinkle a few extra cranberries around the base. Read More »