Cranberries

I've been walking at lunchtime. We've had a mild season of fall tumbling into winter. So the cranberries growing wild on the roadside weren't ruined and mushy from frost.
I filled my gloves with them and brought them home.

What a fun discovery! How could I have missed them before, so bright and cheery?

As Alice Walker wrote in "The Color Purple", something to the effect of color in nature being one way God uses to get our attention and show us his love. Well, it's working on me -- I get a little thrill deep in my heart when I drink in this lovely color, don't you?

The last time that little wooden spoon looked so pristine.

Boil in half as much water. I had only 1.5 cups of berries, so this is 3/4 c. water. You can hear them pop. 10 minutes is good.

I don't have a food mill - yet, but this sieve worked fine.

Back to the stovetop to boil and stir with 3/4 c. sugar, about 5 min. Then chill and serve. If you have more berries (4 cups, say), you can use a mold.

The pulp stained the spoon. And I'm glad.

There it is: Jellied Cranberry Sauce.

It's risky making homemade. Takes time and makes a mess, and spoils you for store-brought.

My recipe is from the cookbook on the right.

These cookbooks are used a lot in my family. I think they are a little hard to find now, (maybe out of print? What was it you told me, Diane?) And someone "from away" has had the gall to assume the legacy and "revise" and re-publish. Rubbish.