SC - RE. OOP Question for the Australians

[Sue Clemenger]

Cranberries are very tart, very high in Vitamin C, and very versatile. 
They grow in bogs in certain parts of the US (but not where I live),
IIRC, and are a bright red berry the size of my thumbnail or a little
smaller.  The skin is smooth (more like a cherry, than a blackberry,
although they have tiny seeds rather than pits).  They taste wonderful
fresh, or dried, or made into salads, or conserves.  They have an odd
property (to me) of jelling when you cook them in some water and sugar,
so I'm assuming they're probably really high in pectin, too.
I suspect the fascination is part taste and part cultural icon.  The
fruits themselves, which you can buy in bags in the produce section of
the grocery store, only appear in late fall/early winter, but I think
that's actually more of a function of their seasonal ripeness rather
than a Holiday Thing--I think of them as a fall/winter fruit, and figure
that the holiday association stems from that.
They make the most amazing ruby-colored liqueur, too....I have two
gallons of it going in my kitchen, and more than enough takers for the
finished product.  The dried berries are wonderful in hot cereal
(oatmeal, etc), and the jelled sauce can be used in barbeque sauce, or
cheesecake.....
So, what is a "pie floater?" <g>
- --Maire

Susan Laing wrote:
*My* experience of cranberries is
> soully limited to "Cranberry & ...." juice.  Are the actually berries like
> cherries; and gooseberries; and blackberries?? (and *what* is the facination
> with them - they taste really, really good OR are a cultural icon associated
> with your Thanksgiving??)
> Grin!!! Ask away my Dear - the answers may not be coherent but the Cultural
> exchanges are fascinating {very, very glad that Mr Paul Hogan did not
> mention "Pie Floaters" :-p}
> 
> Mari
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