Dried Cranberries
Inventory, 25 lbs : 0
Description/Taste
Dried cranberries are a deep burgundy color and offer a characteristic tart flavor. They go through the same drying process that grapes undergo to become raisins, which enhances their bitter taste.
Seasons/Availability
Dried cranberries are available year-round.
Current Facts
The cranberry is Massachusetts' number one food crop. Today, about 500 growers in Massachusetts produce more than forty-two per cent of the world's cranberry supply. In Plymouth, Massachusetts, the Cranberry World Visitors Center reports Americans eat 400 million pounds of cranberries each year. Twenty per cent, or eighty million pounds of the cranberry crop is eaten during Thanksgiving week alone. This includes fifty-five million one-pound cans of cranberry sauce and twelve million pounds of other homemade sauces. The two methods used to harvest cranberries are the dry method and the wet method. About ten per cent of the cranberries grown in Massachusetts are dry-harvested.
Nutritional Value
The average fresh cup of cranberries has about 47 calories. Dried cranberries on the other hand have over 300 calories per cup. The have about seven grams of dietary fiber per cup more then fresh berries.
Applications
Dried cranberries provide excellent flavor to quick breads, cookies, muffins, cakes, biscuits, sauces, toppings, and other baked goods. To store, place dried cranberries in an air-tight container; keep in a cool, dry place.
Geography/History
Cranberries are a member of the Honeysuckle family. In October the annual Massachusetts Cranberry Harvest Festival takes place to celebrate the cranberry's history, unique cultivation, and the contribution that cranberries have made to the local economy. The traditional water harvesting of nearby cranberry bogs continues during November. Cranberries were a staple of Native Americans long before the arrival of the pilgrims. They mixed the berries into cakes of grains, fat and dried meat. These patties were called pemmican and provided nourishment through the harsh long winters. Cranberries grow in many northern and central states and Canada. Settlers in New England quickly learned to appreciate these nutritious berries. They dubbed them "crane berries" because the spring blossoms of the plant had a likeness in appearance to the cranes living nearby. Being in abundance today, cranberries are found in many items on the grocery shelves. Not only in juices, cranberries are now in cereals, snacks, and bakery goods. This tart berry joins blueberries and Concord grapes on the tiny list of native North American fruits.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Dried Cranberries. One is easiest, three is harder.
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