Physical Description
Colors: red, deep red
Tasting Notes
Mouthfeel: Tart, Sour, Dry
Wine complements: Vodka
Beverage complements: Apple juice, Grape juice
Substitutes: Cranberry juice cocktail
Selecting and Buying
Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december
Choosing: To avoid consuming genetically modified foods, select a brand that contain no high fructose corn syrup.
Buying: Cranberry juice can be found at almost all grocers and supermarkets and they come in various brands.
Procuring: How to Make Homemade Cranberry Juice
Choose cranberries that are firm and have a deep red color. Estimate that 1 lb. of cranberries will yield 4 to 6 ounces of juice.
Wash the cranberries in cool water and remove any imperfect berries.
Assemble your electric juicer according to manufacturer's instructions. Clean all parts if necessary.
Place fresh, clean cranberries in the hopper and process according to juicer instructions. Typically the fruit is inserted into a slot at the top of the juicer, and a container is placed below the spout to catch any juice that is processed, while the residue of the cranberries is kept separate from the juice in a removable cup in the juicer.
Sweeten the cranberry juice by processing two medium apples, that have been cored and two handfuls of cranberries.
Substitute 1/2 grapefruit and 1 medium orange (both peeled) for the apple, for a different flavor.
Preparation and Use
Home Remedies for Urinary tract or Urine Infection:
Due to the high anti-bacterial properties, consumption of cranberry juice is very effective in women suffering from urinary infections.
Conserving and Storing
Storing Cranberry Juice is like storing other juices, Keep refrigerated. Avoid placing it on direct sunlight and place it on a tight container.
Social/Political
Despite their adventures abroad, cranberries are still primarily grown in the United States, where 154 thousand metric tons are produced annually. Half the annual crop still comes from Massachusetts and is harvested between Labor Day and Halloween.
History: American Indians enjoyed cranberries cooked and sweetened with honey or maple syrup-a cranberry sauce recipe that was likely a treat at early New England Thanksgiving feasts. By the beginning of the 18th century, the tart red berries were already being exported to England by the colonists. Cranberries were also used by the Indians decoratively, as a source of red dye, and medicinally, as a poultice for wounds since not only do their astringent tannins contract tissues and help stop bleeding, but we now also know that compounds in cranberries have antibiotic effects.
Although several species of cranberries grow wild in Europe and Asia, the cranberry most cultivated is an American native, which owes its commercial success to one Henry Hall, an observant gentleman in Dennis, Massachusetts. In 1840, Mr. Hall noticed an abundance of large berries grew when sand was swept into his bog by the prevailing winds and tides. The sandy bog provided just the right growing conditions for the cranberries by stifling the growth of shallow-rooted weeds, thus enhancing that of the deep rooted cranberries.
Cranberry cultivation soon spread not only across the U.S. through Wisconsin to Washington and Oregon, but also across the sea to Scandinavia and Great Britain. The hardy berries arrived in Holland as survivors of a shipwreck. When an American ship loaded with crates filled with cranberries sank along the Dutch coast, many crates washed ashore on the small island of Terschelling; some of the berries took root, and cranberries have been cultivated there ever since.
