Why do we pair cranberries with Thanksgiving turkey?
Food historians tell us the practice of pairing of citrus fruits with fatty meat is thousands of years old, likely originating in the Middle East. Examples are found in many cultures and cuisines. The acid in the fruit cuts the fat in the meat, making the dish more enjoyable and digestible. Think: pork & applesauce; goose & cherry sauce, fish & lemon, and duck a l'orange. In the case of lean meats such as modern turkey and chicken, cranberries add flavor to what is generally considered a bland food. Visually? Cranberries add a splash of vibrant color to a traditional "earth tone" plating.
Early American cranberry recipes
[1798] Cranberry tart, American Cookery, Amelia Simmons
[1832] Cranberry pie & Cranberry pudding, Frugal Housewife, Lydia Maria Child
[1840] Cranberry sauce, Directions for Cookery in its Various Branches, Eliza Leslie
[1845] Cranberry jelly, Housekeeper's Assistant, Ann Allen
[1869] Cranberry preserves, Domestic Cookery, Eliza Ellicott Lea
[1885] Cranberry sauce, La Cuisine Creole, Lafcadio Hearn
[1896] Cranberry sauce & Cranberry Jelly, Boston Cooking School Cook Book, Fannie Merritt Farmer
[1911] Cranberry mold, Good Things To Eat, Rufus Estes
[1911]Cranberry muffins & cranberry bread
[1913] Frozen cranberry sauce, Dishes and Beverages of the Old South, Martha MaCulloch-Williams
[1919] Cranberry sauce, International Jewish Cookbook, Florence Kreisler Greenbaum
Recommended reading: The Cranberry: Hard Work and Holiday Sauce/Stephen Cole & Lindy Gifford (Cape Cod focus) & The American Cranberry/Paul Eck (agricultural science focus).
Food Timeline
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