Cranberries

+Description

The cranberry is an evergreen plant which is related to the blueberry and bilberry. This red fruit has a ball- or pear shape and has a diameter of 6-8 mm. The cranberry is native of swampy areas and is typically grown in cooler climates. Next to the fresh cranberries there are also dried cranberries available, which are in season whole yearround.

+Availability

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

Cranberries are available from the USA and Canada

+Main nutrients

Potassium, Phosphorus, Vitamin C, E and K.

Main varieties

Cranberries

The cranberry is an evergreen plant which is related to the blueberry and bilberry.
View Cranberries

Preparation

There are many ways to prepare the cranberry. Nevertheless every preparation starts with washing and removing the stems from the fruit. When this is done the cranberry can be dried, cooked or converted into juice.

Consumption

This fruit has a bittersweet taste. Cranberries can be used fresh or dried. The cranberry can never be eaten raw. Dried cranberries are sweeter and therefore popular for stuffing cakes and cookies, but can also be eaten out of the hand. The fresh cranberries are mainly used for juices and sauces.

When to eat

When cranberries are light to dark red they are ready to be consumed . White or green ones are not ripe yet.

Did you know?

Tribes in America are reported to have introduced the cranberry to starving English settlers in Massachusetts around 1620, who incorporated the berry into the traditional Thanksgiving feast.
American Revolutionary War veteran Henry Hall is alleged to be the first to cultivate the cranberry commercially, in the Cape Cod, Massachusetts around 1816.
Cranberry drinks are so popular that most cranberries grown today are processed for use in fruit drinks.