• Saturday-What'sUP November 18 - 06:58 am

Brenda Leigh was in the kitchen recently, rather than outdoors on an escapade. But she still was having an adventure, one for her tastebuds, since she was processing about 4 gallons of fresh picked cranberries that she had gathered over a few days. Brenda said she used them to make cranberry sauce, cranberry gel, cranberry relish and what you can see bottled in the last photo, cranberry juice. She says it's wonderfully, delightful and the best part is that nature supplies us with the fresh organic fruit to make these delicacies, FREE.

Since we haven't perfected the sniff and smell, nor a sample and taste app for the Pasty Cam, we are just going to have to take Brenda's word on how wonderful this really is. One thing we can enjoy, though, is the brilliant red color of the berries, gel and juice in the photos.

What's Thanksgiving without cranberries? Thanks 4 sharing.

I don't remember seeing cranberries growing when I
lived in the UP? How beautiful! Do they grow all
over the UP in the right habitat, or are they very
localized?

Looks like quite the production and one could always pour a can of cranberry sauce on one's keyboard for the sniff and smell effect.:-)

I must be psychic 'cause when I saw the word 'cranberry', I knew it must be Brenda.;)
Wow, lots of work there, Brenda, but all worth it in the end. yumm

Eugenia,I have picked in four different locations on the northeastern end of the U.P.
Also over in the south central area. I keep finding more places and am quite surprise when I find another area, as I was not aware they were here either. Generally they are found in very very wet places. I usually get wet picking them. Some times like up near Vermillion they will grow on sandy areas but also on bogs. There actually is a cranberry farm that sells berries and assorted items in Vermillion.

I knew it was you, Brenda, lol!! Looks like a job, but well worth it. Nothing like cranberries with Thanksgiving dinner!!

Wow those look good! Are those berries big? They look about the size of a grape? Thanks for sharing Brenda.

Cranberries and Thanksgiving, makes an AWESOME meal!

A little bit of turkey thrown in there makes it even better, Janie.

Wow, I had no idea there were wild cranberries growing in the UP! I always buy a bag of cranberries from that other state, and cook them up in a saucepan with sugar. Cranberries from the UP would be a real treat. Can't have Thanksgiving without fresh cranberries! :-)

Shirley, not everyone serves turkey for Thanksgiving. I've known people who serve ham, beef and others served goose/duck.

WOW...I knew that was Brenda!! Way to go girl!

Here's a yummy recipe:

1 lb fresh crans, chopped in a blender.
1 chopped apple
1 chopped pear
1/4 C Honey
1 TBS Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp Horseradish

Mix it all together and let it blend in the fridge for a bit, and stir before serving. This is so yummy....

Thanks for that, Donna, sounds delicious!;9
Sorry, Janie, didn't mean to push turkey on everyone, just saying....

I LOVE turkey, and those delicious cranberries will taste wonderful with it.....hint, hint, Brenda!!

make a cranberry glaze for the turkey or a ham.

Have you ever done that, Mickill? I'm thinking it would really be good as a ham glaze because it would give it that certain tang, unlike pineapple or brown sugar, which I think are too sweet.

I googled cranberry glazes for turkeys and hams, and I got some pretty good recipes to try. Sounds like it might be good on chicken, too.

Have not tried it yet. I just googled for some recipes to try it.

There's a bog near Toma, Wisconsin grows cranberries. In fact, Ocena Spray owns it.They sell all kinds of cranberries in the shops dwon there.

Knew they were cultivated in the UP ~ especially the farm near Vermillion ~ but didn't know they grew wild! Worth slogging thru the wet areas for!

Mickill, I don't cook anymore but if I did, I'd sure give it a try. Sounds goods!