Cranberries make us pucker

We've made some cranberry stuff. Is it jam, sauce, preserves or just plain goodness? Call it what you like, and serve it with whatever you choose: turkey, toast, or spooned right into your mouth. Imbibe. This stuff will make your mouth happy and your body healthy with tons of anti-oxidants.

We love cranberries. As we've gotten older, we crave tart flavors like these with a tiny hit of bitter and a whole lot of punch. As you can see in the picture, they pop in the heat and transform from hard little berry to soft jellied jam--what fun! We got these organic beauties from a farmer's bog on Cape Cod. We've mixed them two ways: first, with local Montmorency amarelle red sour cherries and lemon zest & juice, and second, with pomegranate molasses and orange zest & juice. Both are delicious.

Order some for your Thanksgiving Feast before we run out!

Cranberry & Sour Cherry Sauce

2 cups sugar 2 cups water 4 cups cranberries (1 12-oz package), fresh or frozen 1 cup sour cherries, fresh or frozen 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest Juice of 1 small lemon

Wash and pick over cranberries. In a saucepan bring water and sugar to a boil , stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cherries, return to a boil. Add cranberries, return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until cranberries burst. Add zest and turn off heat.

Finish by letting cool and storing in fridge for a week or two, or by filling your desired jars to within a ¼ inch of the top and sealing (for jar preparation, see this detailed recipe). Boil for 10 minutes in a water bath. Let rest 5 minutes in bath, then remove. Listen for the jars to “pop” letting you know the jam is sealed! Do not move for 6 to 12 hours to get a proper set.

Cranberry & Pomegranate Sauce

2 cups sugar 2 cups water 4 cups cranberries (1 12-oz package), fresh or frozen 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses 1/2 teaspoon orange zest Juice of 1 small orange

Wash and pick over cranberries. In a saucepan bring water and sugar to a boil , stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cranberries, return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until cranberries burst. Add pomegranate molasses, return to a boil. Add zest and turn off heat.

Finish by letting cool and storing in fridge for a week or two, or by filling your desired jars to within a ¼ inch of the top and seal (for jar preparation, see this detailed recipe). Boil for 10 minutes in a water bath. Let rest 5 minutes in bath, then remove. Listen for the jars to “pop” letting you know the jam is sealed! Do not move for 6 to 12 hours to get a proper set.