Traditions and Cranberry Relish

The Thanksgiving countdown has begun! Rev up your ovens, it is time to start preparing so you do not have to cram cook next Wednesday. I recently had a conversation with friends about holiday traditions. Now I love traditions at least the ideal idea of them but let's face it, in reality some of the traditions we hold on to are not enjoyed and can cause stress ( I'm talkin' jello molds, canned cranberry sauce, insert your own tradition here!) Well this year I am considering which traditions that don't fit anymore, make new traditions, and have fun with it. We are toying with the timing of our feast. It has always been tradition to have Thanksgiving Dinner at dinnertime in our family. The kids go to be stuffed or worse 2 years ago our younger daughter fell asleep at the table! So I am proposing that we eat at 2 or 3 and go for a hike before dessert! Genius! I will let you know how this goes, I am very excited about it.

Now I will get to the point, I am starting some food preparation this week by making cranberry relish, which I love. There are so many types to make, last night at my cooking class I made a raw cranberry relish sweetened with maple syrup, and we discussed the Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish Recipe which I am told is delicious but really, sour cream + cranberries = Pepto-Bismol pink, and that I am not ready for at Thanksgiving. I am making a cooked cranberry compote with maple syrup and orange juice and peel. I relish this sauce and come to think of it, it is one tradition I am not willing to change this year.

Cranberry Orange Relish with Maple Syrup

3 cups cranberries (12 oz bag)

1 orange

3/4 cup Maple syrup

1 inch ginger root sliced into rounds

1 cinnamon stick

Pick over the cranberries, discarding any soft berries, then wash well, place in pot. Wash the orange and grate the peel then juice the orange, add to cranberries. Add the maple syrup, cinnamon stick and ginger root to pot. Bring to a boil and simmer until relish thickens and flavors meld. Remove ginger slices and cinnamon stick, taste for sweetness, you may like to add a little more maple, or not. This relish keeps for about 10 days in sealed container in refrigerator.