Cooking demands attention, patience, and, above all, a respect for the gifts of the earth. It is a form of worship, a way of giving thanks... ~Judith B. Jones~

I don’t think I’ve ever considered cranberries and blueberries together. (We’ll soon see I’ve lied.) There’s an excellent reason for that and it’s because the two don’t exactly show up or ripen during the same season. Blueberries are summer; cranberries are fall. Blueberries and strawberries? Of course. Blueberries and peaches? Sure. Cranberries with apples? Always. But blueberries and cranberries? It just doesn’t jive. I mean, we feel as if there’s a little wiggle room here because we’re still getting Fed Ex blueberries at the store in November when the royal red cranberries begin to show up. And we’ll continue to get some for a bit– but this doesn’t exactly happen in real time, does it? There are other ways to get such a combination, like freezing one kind berry until the other appears or drying a few cups or even canning a batch (as did my mom) and storing them until needed. Even so, I don’t remember mom, a fine baker, mixing and matching summer and fall fruits. Anyone? This November, though, perfectly gorgeous, firm and bloomed Peruvian blueberries seemed to be everywhere in Colorado Springs at a great price. I bought two big packs; best sous and husband Dave came home with another one. I meant to freeze some — my typical modus operandi when we’re flush with any berry–and somehow didn’t. Taking a little fridge inventory the other day, I realized it was bake something with blueberries or die. And…I wondered: Why not mix them up with cranberries? So I did. And a star was born. 😘 Sorry, Mother Nature. Politics (maybe global economy?) makes for odd bedfellows. Or is necessity truly the mother of invention?

I love to cook with blueberries (often called a superfood) for more than one reason but if I’m baking—say a pie–there’s little easier than blueberry pie. A bowl, the berries, some sugar, a little flour, maybe lemon zest or juice, some butter? And that’s it for the filling. No peeling and coring like apples. No chopping like pears. No juicy slicing like peaches. Just cups of lovely bluest blueberries falling right into that crust. Is anything easier? I don’t think so, not even pumpkin because pumpkin requires cream, eggs, spices…. and pumpkin is fairly simple. It’s also one-crust, though, which has something to do with ease. Newbie pie bakers hate fitting that second crust on top and pumpkin does skip that problem. Aside: any fruit pie can be baked as a one-crust pie by adding a crumble topping. For effortless desserts, I’d still go with blueberries anytime.

So what’s “the bloom” on blueberries? The dusty appearance of blueberries is a natural waxy coating called the “bloom.” This bloom is a protective layer that serves several important purposes. It’s a sign of freshness and quality, indicating that the blueberries are ripe and ready to eat. The bloom is safe to consume and is a hallmark of organically grown blueberries. ~Chelan Ranch

And cranberries? I can’t remember a time when I didn’t make cranberry something or other come November and December — usually cranberry bread. I typically spend one whole day baking pan after pan of cranberry bread and I have an assembly line process down pat. Return readers might remember the recipe I use is in the old, fun children’s favorite, CRANBERRY THANKSGIVING. (I skip the raisins.) Need a fall gift for a young child? Order a copy.

Printable version of the Cranberry Thanksgiving book cranberry bread recipe here.

TIP: I like to chop cranberries in the food processor, but if you’re doing it by hand they like to fly all over the kitchen. One idea is: Place a cutting board on a towel in a rimmed baking sheet and carefully cut your berries there. Another method is to first cut them in half and then coarsely chop them with a chef’s knife. You can also try a small food chopper.

However you chop your cranberries, I’m sure you’ll enjoy baking (and eating!) when you try this:

Change it up: Frozen or tart cherries (canned) in water might replace the cranberries or blueberries. If the lemon feels a little tart for you, toss in a teaspoon of grated orange rind or grated ginger in its place. For a different flavor, the lemon zest could be omitted and a 1/2 teaspoon each almond extract and vanilla extract could be added. Some bakers use 1/2 lemon juice and 1/2 vanilla. Add hazelnuts or walnuts or pecans instead of sliced almonds. (Or skip nuts for a nut-free version.) Need more? Increase the ingredients by 1/3 to make a 9″x13″ pan of crisp. For a vegan version, sub vegan butter such as Earth Balance for the dairy butter. For a gluten-free crisp, try oat or almond flour in place of the wheat flour.

Reading: Want some expert advice on making crisps or crumbles? Try baking guru Dorie Greenspan’s post, “Mixed Berry Crisp.”

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LIFE GOES ON:

ABOVE: The buck stops here again…right in front of my house with Pike’s Peak in the background. Nothing scares this guy. What doesn’t show well in the photo is how muscular and strong he is. I wouldn’t mess with him. He strolls down the street as if he owns it. I think he does.

Being grateful helps me breathe and is an exercise in joy. While I don’t always understand that, I know it’s true. I’ve quite a few international readers –thanks for reading in English!–but most of you are in the United States. I’m grateful for all of you. You are a fine encouragement.

Happy Thanksgiving however you celebrate,

Alyce