51 Days
A few years ago, Chef decided to make a cranberry-orange relish at Thanksgiving. He liked it. The rest of us are averse to cranberry and orange in combination so we delighted in the usual Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce and Whole Berry Sauce.
The next year I added my homemade cranberry apple chutney to the mix. I was lukewarm about it, but was provoked to action when Chef said he was again making the cranberry-orange concoction. And so began the cranberry sauce competition, not so much a competition, but rather a time for Chef and I to indulge in nonsense trash talk at the table. I'm embarrassed to say that several of our guests were made to feel awkward when we demanded (very nicely) that they pick a favorite sauce. We never resorted to bribery and there was no prize save bragging rights.
I'm retiring this year. Even I don't particularly care for my dish. Chef can have a whole bowl of organic goodness, but I'm sticking with Ocean Spray. Though they're basically the same sugary product, it's essential we have both jellied and whole berry at the table each year. It's all about the texture. And the sugar. And the knowledge that if you shave off one side of the jellied variety, it will balance on a flat surface and you won't have any flying cranberry sauce as you attempt to slice a piece for your plate.
The next year I added my homemade cranberry apple chutney to the mix. I was lukewarm about it, but was provoked to action when Chef said he was again making the cranberry-orange concoction. And so began the cranberry sauce competition, not so much a competition, but rather a time for Chef and I to indulge in nonsense trash talk at the table. I'm embarrassed to say that several of our guests were made to feel awkward when we demanded (very nicely) that they pick a favorite sauce. We never resorted to bribery and there was no prize save bragging rights.
I'm retiring this year. Even I don't particularly care for my dish. Chef can have a whole bowl of organic goodness, but I'm sticking with Ocean Spray. Though they're basically the same sugary product, it's essential we have both jellied and whole berry at the table each year. It's all about the texture. And the sugar. And the knowledge that if you shave off one side of the jellied variety, it will balance on a flat surface and you won't have any flying cranberry sauce as you attempt to slice a piece for your plate.
posted by erica at 8:18 PM
2 Comments:
I'm sorry to betray my dear friend, but I'd have to vote for the cranberry-orange relish too. I could eat that stuff by the bowl. In fact, I do. Mom's always made it, and while everyone eats it, none likes it so much as me. Which suits me just fine, because I'm free to eat it all.
Renee, if we ever have the good fortune to share a Thanksgiving meal I shall happily give you my share of the cranberry-range relish!
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