Thanksgiving Dessert Recipe :: Cranberry Ice Cream - WonkyWonderful (2024)

FAQs

What is the tradition of cranberries on Thanksgiving? ›

Cranberry sauce is traditional in New England. The "traditional" Thanksgiving dinners which were served to troops during the Civil War, WW1 and WW 2 were "New England Dinners" with turkey and cranberry sauce. The tradition spread throughout the US and was taken up by marketers when canned food became available.

Cranberry sauce is a crucial component of the Thanksgiving table, where its tart, bright acidity cuts through all of the heavy turkey and gravy and stuffing and mashed potatoes.

Due to the importance of cranberries in the 1500s and their abundance, it is believed that the pilgrims and the American Indians would have eaten them at the first Thanksgiving.

400 million pounds of cranberries are consumed by Americans each year. Twenty percent of that is during the week of Thanksgiving. That's 80 million pounds!

The Indians called the red berries "sasemineash" and also "pakimintzen." The Pilgrims gave this fruit the name "crane berry" because its pink blossom reminded them of the head of a crane, a large wading bird. Over the years its name has been shortened to cranberry.

Commercial cranberry sauce may be loose and uncondensed, or condensed or jellied and sweetened with various ingredients.

Cranberry sauce is best served at room temperature or slightly chilled. (You've got enough things on the menu to warm up! Don't make the list longer!) I tend to make cranberry sauce a few days before Thanksgiving and then set it on the table about an hour or two before we plan to eat.

Cranberry Sauce & Gravy

Much like gravy, a little bit goes a long way, but you don't want to run out of it either. Depending on what your crew prefers, aim for ⅓–½ cup gravy and cranberry sauce per person. If your guests want leftovers or prefer one over the other, adjust accordingly.

These are the most popular Thanksgiving sides across the U.S.: Mashed potatoes: The top spot goes to mashed potatoes! While this may be unsurprising (especially with how downright delicious mashed potatoes are), last year the side dish was in second place.

What does the cranberry fruit symbolize? ›

Although there is no record that cranberries were eaten at the first Thanksgiving, they are often associated with this holiday and symbolize the “earth's abundance.” It would have been interesting had these berries been shared at the first thanksgiving, however, because in Victorian flower language, the cranberry ...

Turkey is often dry, salty, and bland, which makes it the perfect partner for something sweet and moist. Cranberries are not overly sweet. Their tartness pairs well with the more bland-tasting turkey. Our palates would be bored by singular tastes.

Cranberries are tied to both fire and water due to their color and the way they're harvested. These berries fill entire bogs, floating closer and closer to our kitchens. They represent abundance, energy, healing, love, protection, emotions, communication, courage, action, and rejuvenation.

Pemmican was the original power food as this provision provided energy, lasted for months, and was easily portable on long journeys. Following the Pilgrims reliance on the fruit, cranberries became vital for North American fur traders and explorers during the long winter months.