Thanksgiving needs cranberries. There is one non-negotiable correct way to serve cranberries on Thanksgiving and that is jellied and plated directly out of the can, with the can rings clearly visible. Once you have that, it’s not just possible, it’s encouraged to expand and have multiple cranberry foods present. To assist you with that, we present some vintage cranberry recipes from the 50s, 70s and 80s.
Indigenous people introduced the European settlers to the cranberry. For little berries, they are packed of nutritional benefits: vitamins C and K, fiber and antioxidants, all of which made it an healthy part of both people’s diets. But seriously, hats off to the Native Americans who looked at the red berries on a low creeping evergreen shrub that lives in bogs and, when freshly picked, taste sour and bitter and have a really unappealing texture and said “we can work with this.” We will be forever grateful.
The four recipes below come from the four different sources above: 100 Prize-Winning Grand National Recipes from Pillsbury’s 6th Grand National $100,000 Recipe and Baking Contest (1955), Old Kitchen Favorites from the Edwards Congregational Church in Saxonville, MA (1959), Women’s Day magazine (December 13, 1977) and The Official First Annual Sacred Heart Altar Boys Cookbook (undated, location also not stated, but we’re betting 1980s). Why vintage cookbooks? They are time capsules. It’s easy to find a recipe online and read the reviews, but if you never stick your snoot into a good vintage cookbook, you will be missing a lot of interesting recipes that are unlikely turn up in a Google search, no matter how many results pages you scroll through.
Now, on to the recipes…
This one will go on the menu at our house. Turning raw cranberries into a cozy tea never crossed my mind, but now that it has, I have to try it. Added bonus, it will make the whole house smell like heaven while it’s cooking. This recipe is from Old Kitchen Favorites.
A red gelatin mold with suspended tidbits is always welcome on the table. The first is from Woman’s Day magazine. Made with plain gelatin and flavored with a cranapple drink, it’s going to have a tart-sweet taste and lots of crunch from the apples and celery. Would you prefer the Mustard Mayonnaise or Creamy Yogurt Dressing?
The second Jell-o mold comes from the Sacred Heart Altar Boys Cookbook. Strawberry Jell-o with bananas and pineapple is a hall of fame classic flavor profile. Strawberry Jell-o with cranberry sauce and bananas is a new one for me. Love the addition of chopped nuts.
Finally, something for the dessert table from 100 Prize-Winning Grand National Recipes from Pillsbury. I am always up for an upside down cake. You put any kind of fruit on the bottom of a pan with something to caramelize it, then pour a cake batter on top and I am waiting by the oven with my can of whipped cream and a spoon.
What’s your current favorite cranberry treat? Lick the cream cheese frosting off your hand and raise it if it’s a Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bar. Trying this copycat recipe is on my must do list. And let us know in the comments if you try any of these recipes.
