Move over Turkey, Cranberries have a new partner…
As one of only three fruits native to North America (blueberries and grapes being the other two), the American cranberry has been celebrated as a holiday favorite since offered at “The First Thanksgiving” in 1621. Nearly four centuries later, Your Pie is still offering cranberries as one of the plentitude of toppings with which customers can ornament their pies. In the spirit of the holidays, we are giving a big thanks to the cranberry and setting out to prove that these florid fruits are more than just things to fill our decorative vases, color our cocktails, and give flavor to dad’s annually dry turkey and mom’s sawdu… I mean, stuffing.
Originating from the word English word craneberry, the American cranberry got its name from the plant’s downward-drooping flower, which resembles the neck of a crane. They have also been called bounceberries, due to the fact that they literally bounce when dropped (though we wouldn’t recommend trying to pass them off as bouncy balls to the kids… messy hands, stained carpet, crying mothers). At Your Pie, we just call them cranberries.
With the health craze of the 21st century, cranberries have fast risen to foodie fame as one of the super stars of nutrition. Proven to provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer benefits – these berries do it all. I won’t bore you with (or even attempt to spell) the unpronounceable, 25-charactered names of the at least 6 phytonutrients packed inside the cranberry, but long story short, these fruits are supercalifragilisticexpialidocious in terms of cardiovascular and digestive health (and let’s face you’ll need as much help as you can get after that Thanksgiving Day meal).
The Sweet Treat
Created by Millie Hopkins
Your Pie Statesboro
Although cranberries may not be the first thing that comes to mind of when you think of pizza, this unconventional pairing seems to work quite well. Don’t believe us? Check of the Sweet Treat a recent What’s Your Pie entry sent in by Millie Hopkins of Statesboro. The Sweet Treat combines ricotta cheese, cranberries and pecans to make for a delightful dish that will satisfy your sweet tooth, while providing the heart-healthy benefits of our favorite little red berry.
Also try pairing cranberries with feta, spinach, and bacon, or even create a Thanksgiving-style pie by adding turkey. Lightly drizzle your crust with our homemade olive oil or basil pesto sauce and you can’t go wrong!
