A REAL History of Cranberry Sauce
Alayna Dallman • Dec 5, 2024
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It’s getting that time of year: TURKEY SEASON.
Families will be winding down for their fall breaks and readying themselves for the anticipation of Thanksgiving. Eventually, it’s here. Plates line the table as delicious delicacies are served: turkey, rolls, mashed potatoes.. OH! We mustn’t forget cranberry sauce. But where exactly did this sweet sauce originate, and how was it used in the olden times and modern times? Get ready to dive into this sweet, Thanksgiving-themed article that explains the origins of cranberry sauce so Google doesn’t have to. (Sorry, Google!)
Cranberries were first used by the Native Americans in the US. They are native to the northeastern part of America, places such as Oregon, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, which makes sense, since the first Thanksgiving happened at Plymouth, MA, in the fall of 1621. Cranberries were first used by the Native Americans for multiple uses. Native Americans used cranberries for medical purposes such as being used as a poultice for wounds and for curing blood poisoning. It was also used as dyes in their blankets and rugs. Cranberries were also, of course, used for eating.
But how exactly was cranberry sauce made and used? According to Food and Wine, a culinary website, it is actually difficult to pinpoint when cranberry sauce was invented. However, an historical account suggests that the Native Americans and European settlers created cranberry sauce by boiling the cranberries with sugar. But to answer the million dollar question: Was it actually used in the first Thanksgiving? Answer: We have no idea.
Back then, sugar was really hard to get. Since cranberry sauce was supposedly made by being boiled with sugar, it wouldn’t make sense for it to be part of the feast. However, if this was somehow a part of the first Thanksgiving, it would most likely be served as pemmican-cranberries and dried meat. All we can say is that over time, cranberries eventually turned into an accepted dish among the settlers.
Eventually, cranberry sauce became a part of Thanksgiving because of Marcus Urann, a former lawyer who became a cranberry grower. Marcus was the first person to create canned cranberry sauce. Back then, cranberries were available during certain times, so his initial goal was to save cranberries that were damaged and puree them. This eventually became a thing that ended up finding its way into our Thanksgiving meals.
Now that turkey season is over and the plates are being washed, next year, take some time to appreciate cranberry sauce and its mysterious origins. Next time you wonder what it would be like if Marcus Urann never made canned cranberry sauce, be thankful it still has a place at the table… and sort of in our hearts.
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