cranberry - Flavor Pairings - Farm.One (2024)

FAQs

What flavors pair well with cranberry? ›

It's one of those funny fruits that people only pair with orange. But if you're still getting stone fruit (or have some frozen fruit around), it's great to combine cranberries with peaches or nectarines in a sauce for the best of their sweet and tart flavors.

Pear: Pairs well with almond, apple, caramel, chestnut, chocolate, cinnamon, citrus, clove, ginger, hazelnut, nutmeg, pecan, raspberry, rosemary, vanilla, and walnut. It mixes best with brandy, port, crème de cassis, Grand Marnier, kirsch, rum, whiskey, and dry red white, and sparkling wines.

Top with dried or fresh fruits

Sure, you can go all meta with some dried cranberries or sliced fresh raw cranberries, but I also like to think about complementary flavors — dried cherries, dried mulberries, golden raisins, chopped apricots. All work great with cranberry sauce.

Cranberries are harvested in the fall when the fruit takes on its distinctive deep red color, and most ideally after the first frost. Berries that receive sun turn a deep red when fully ripe, while those that do not fully mature are a pale pink or white color.

Cranberries provide a good source of various vitamins and antioxidants. Historically, Native Americans used cranberries as a treatment for bladder and kidney diseases, while early settlers from England used them to treat poor appetite, stomach complaints, blood disorders, and scurvy.

Both high in antioxidants and good for gut health, ginger and cranberries are the perfect complement to a rich holiday feast.

Try not to mix acidic fruits, such as grapefruits and strawberries, or sub-acidic foods such as apples, pomegranates and peaches, with sweet fruits, such as bananas and raisins for a better digestion. However, you can mix acidic with sub-acidic fruits. For a similar reason, you should not mix guavas and bananas.

What are the best fruits to juice together? ›

Banana is a great base flavour for any smoothie, and will give you a lovely creamy texture. Other fruits that work well are berries, mango, peaches, plums, nectarines, grated apple or pear, and melon. You may have to add more fruit or liquid, depending on the type of fruit you choose.

The fiber found in bananas and pears and other fruit works to keep the body feeling full longer and keeps blood sugar levels from spiking. Bananas and pears also have a small amount of vitamin C, which enhances immune system function and supports iron absorption.

Pears are as equal to the task as pumpkin in complementing the flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, anise or clove, Perry noted. The fruit matches well with many nuts and berries, including an autumn favorite: cranberries (fresh or dried).

Bring the flavors of fall into your kitchen with apple and pear treats. There is no season quite like fall for baking.

You can even use cranberry wine in a variety of recipes, such as cranberry chutney, brownies (replace the water), and mulled as a warm drink. This tart and fruity wine typically pairs well with rich, fatty meats, such as pork, lamb, and duck.

Cranberry sauce can be used with a variety of meats, including turkey, pork, chicken, and ham. Cranberry sauce is often eaten in conjunction with turkey for Christmas in the United Kingdom and Canada or Thanksgiving in the United States and Canada, and it is only rarely eaten or served in other contexts there.

Currants: Both red and black currants can substitute for cranberries due to their tart flavor profile, especially in jams and syrups.

Fresh, raw cranberries can add a pleasant bite and burst of color to any dish. You can eat them whole like blueberries, toss them into a salad, add them to oatmeal, or blend them into a smoothie. If they're too tart for you, you can chop them and add a little sugar or any other sweetener.