where, oh where, to buy fresh cranberries now?

[Gifted Gourmet]

I usually stock up on fresh cranberries in November and December and freeze them ... I use them in so many ways .. before I realized it, the time had come and gone .. now I am looking everywhere to locate fresh cranberries ...

Help?

have tried this resource but I see they are sold out ...

and I have some dried cranberries that can be reconstituted but it's not the same thing really ....

[tim]

I usually stock up on fresh cranberries in November and December and freeze them ... I use them in so many ways .. before I realized it, the time had come and gone .. now I am looking everywhere to locate fresh cranberries ...

Help?

have tried  this resource but I see they are sold out ...

and I have some dried cranberries that can be reconstituted but it's not the same thing really ....

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Melissa,

You might ask about frozen cranberries. My local grocer freezes a large supply at the end of the season.

Tim

[Gifted Gourmet]

You might ask about frozen cranberries.  My local grocer freezes a large supply at the end of the season.

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That I will do ... how far are you from Atlanta? yeah, desperation does odd things to people ...

[Smithy]

I feel your pain, GG. I've never been much of a cranberry fan until I discovered the cranberry relish recipe with ground-up orange (the whole thing), walnuts and a touch of sugar. Yum! Now that I've gotten some proper oranges, I can't find the cranberries. I hate to think of trying to save some of these oranges from home until next November, just so I can make the relish again.

[Gifted Gourmet]

I feel your pain, GG. ...    I hate to think of trying to save some of these oranges from home until next November, just so I can make the relish again. 

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Serious problem which we must endeavor to resolve successfully ... it's a long, long time until Thanksgivng ...

[emilyr]

My brother is a produce manager at our grocery store and I work in the flower shop there, which is right next to the produce section, and we were bombarded with requests for fresh cranberries in the last couple of months. Apparently this was a bad year for the fruit, or so says our supplier. Our store only got them fresh in the couple of shipments before Thanksgiving, and we didn't get any after. I usually buy several bags and freeze them but didn't have the time to do it this year, so I missed out. It didn't help that the food sections in papers around here all had articles on how great cranberries are AFTER Thanksgiving causing a mad rush. I do have a request in to our frozen food section to get some in soon, and most groceries are more than happy to do order for you.

[torakris]

I second the suggestion of frozen cranberries. I have found cranberries to be one of the few foods that don't suffer a texture change after freezing/defrosting and have never had a problem using frozen cranberries in recipes that call for fresh. Dried cranberries are a completely different product.

Even though I live in Japan, my Costco here stocks them year round.

[arriba!]

Have you tried online sources? I would love to know because I love crans, have some in the freezer but make a cookie that really needs fresh berries--the frozen berries are just too moist and effect the cookie. My favorite cookie and I hate to be limited to the holidays to make them.

[indybear]

I just ordered fresh cranberries from Local Harvest. They had bulk and bags - ten 8oz. bags for 27.50 plus shipping.

[Gifted Gourmet]

I just ordered fresh cranberries from Local Harvest.  They had bulk and bags - ten 8oz. bags for 27.50 plus shipping.

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I am going to do the same with Local Harvest .. thanks for your tracking down this marvelous berry! I make cranberry-orange-apple relish with port wine and stuff roasted acorn squash with the mixture .. it is always a delight to serve!

Thanks again, everyone, for your advice and for helping me to pursue the elusive cranberry!

Edited January 9, 2007 by Gifted Gourmet (log)

[Gifted Gourmet]

The mail just arrived ... and, lo and behold, my wishes have been granted by the Organic Produce Fairy!

Now I can stuff my acorn squash!

[Smithy]

Those are just flat-out beautiful, as are the squash.

I can't get behind squash as a rule, but I would surely like to know the proportions you use in that relish. Is it cooked before stuffing it in the squash?

[Gifted Gourmet]

I can't get behind squash as a rule, but I would surely like to know the proportions you use in that relish.  Is it cooked before stuffing it in the squash?

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First, I arrange the squash halves, cut-side down on a prepared baking sheet. Bake at 40 minutes, until tender. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F. Scoop out the squash seeds, carefully leaving a 1/4-inch shell.

Or you can scoop out the seeds and place squash halves in a baking dish in your microwave oven with a bit of water .. cook squash shells til tender but not too soft ...

On the stovetop, I simmer the fresh cranberries (1 pkg) with sugar, port wine, orange zest, a couple of apples, Sunkist Fruit Bits (1 package) .. when cooked (and this is a guess, perhaps 15 minutes), I fill the squash shells ...

Nothing specific, as you can see .. everything to taste ... and the results are invariably well received!