Cranberry Sauce

Overview of Cranberry Sauce and Its Role in Thanksgiving

Cranberry sauce is a type of jam or jelly typically served as a side dish or used as a filling for other dishes. It is made from fresh cranberries simmered with water and sugar until it becomes a thick liquid. In addition to being freshly prepared, cranberry sauce in canned form is also widely popular. This dish is especially favored during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Thanksgiving in the U.S. and Canada: Different Histories and Purposes

When discussing Thanksgiving, which has its roots in the harvest festivals of Europe, its important to note that the United States and Canada have different historical contexts and purposes for the celebration. In Canada, where Thanksgiving takes place on the second Monday of October each year, the holiday is older and primarily focuses on giving thanks for the successful harvest of agricultural products. In contrast, the American version, held on the fourth Thursday of November each year, emphasizes giving thanks to God for protecting the early settlers who managed to survive and establish a new nation.

Cranberries: Origins, Seasonal Harvest, and Cultural Significance

Cranberries are small red fruits with a tart flavor, naturally growing as low shrubs across the American continent, especially in the state of Massachusetts, USA. They have been consumed by indigenous peoples for thousands of years for food, medicine, and dye. They are harvested from September to November, aligning with the timing of Thanksgiving in both countries.

Early Canadian Thanksgiving and the Introduction of Cranberries

In Canada, Thanksgiving feasts shared between locals and settlers have occurred since the first settlement in 1579. There is documentation that the Mi'kmaq people (one of the original indigenous tribes of Canada) introduced French settlers in Port-Royal, Acadia, to cranberries in 1606, seasoning them with maple sap and serving them at that years Thanksgiving feast. The settlers referred to cranberries as small red apples, and even today, people in Acadia call cranberries pommes de prés, meaning meadow apples.

American Thanksgiving of 1621 and the Absence of Cranberry Sauce

As for the first American Thanksgiving in 1621, held in Massachusetts, the feast celebrated by pilgrims and local Native Americans had no recorded mention of cranberries or cranberry sauce, even though cranberries may have already been discovered and might have appeared at the meal. However, since sugar was not yet produced in America at that time, it would have been difficult to prepare the sauce.

The Emergence of Early Cranberry Preparations

Nevertheless, once the fruit was introduced, efforts were made to enhance its flavor for easier consumption. By 1672, records indicate that both Native Americans and European settlers in America began boiling cranberries with sugar to make a sauce, which was eaten with meat. This practice eventually spread across the United States. Finally, the first printed recipe for cranberry sauce appeared in Amelia Simmons cookbook, American Cookery, in 1796, where the author recommended pairing it with roast turkey.

Roast Turkey and Cranberry Sauce: Becoming Icons of Thanksgiving

Roast turkey became a popular dish for Thanksgiving in the early 19th century, as turkeys were commonly raised on household farms, available in sufficient numbers for consumption, and large enough to serve as a celebratory meal. Cranberry sauce grew in popularity alongside it, and over time, both dishes became iconic symbols of Thanksgiving.

The Invention of Canned Cranberry Sauce by Marcus Urann

Another major turning point in the history of cranberry sauce was the invention of canned cranberry sauce in 1912 by Marcus Urann, a cranberry grower in Massachusetts. Initially, the product was seasonal and only available locally. Later, Urann co-founded Ocean Spray, and in 1941, the company launched nationwide distribution of canned cranberry sauce, making it a product available year-round.

Ocean Spray and the Rise of Commercial Cranberry Sauce

Ocean Sprays canned cranberry sauce is distinctive for its jelly appearance, which makes it easy to use. It is often sliced into circular disks when served and sometimes cut into decorative shapes to enhance the presentation of dishes. After becoming available in the mass market, the popularity of cranberry sauce soared, and it became one of the best-selling products in the United States during Thanksgivingremaining so to this day. It is now also exported and sold worldwide.

You can find all the ingredients for your delicious dishes at every Rimping branch.