IT’S BEEN A TOUGH YEAR for John, our beloved friend, and subject (as well as object) of our series, Teaching John to Cook. But a year it has been since his wonderful partner died, and since all of you, in response, took on the loving assignment of teaching him to cook. And look! Here comes Thanksgiving, that high holy day of recipes, and we’re asking you for some for a man on his own to bring to the table.
One of the traditions Margaret and I grew up with was cranberry ice, so I think I’ll try that on John. A confection that needs no ice-cream maker, it’s really little more than cranberry sorbet, and a wonderful refresher at the table amid the other, how shall we say, less-light fare. I find it cleanses that palate of mine, resetting it for the second (and third) helping I am already anticipating.
The cranberry ice that Margaret and I knew was made by our grandmother Marion, for whom I am named, and while I mentioned it in our 25 Random Facts About Our Childhood, as well as in a post about the lunar cycles of sisters, I’ve never before given you the recipe. One dish, several stories. I love that about food and memoir, don’t you? The cranberry ice we knew was served in small, oblong, footed silver dishes, for which no doubt there is a proper name, and one Margaret will know, particularly having worked for so long with Martha Stewart. Me, I’m kind of table-ware-ignorant, though that is only one of the She Said, She Said(s) of our lives.
The exact family recipe for the cranberry ice is long lost, despite possessing my grandmother’s recipe box, as well as the recipe box of the daughter of my grandmother’s best friend (our mother didn’t so much cook as make drinks, if you know what I mean, so no recipe box of hers exists). So I went online a few years ago and reconstituted a recipe from there.
Here it is.
Grandmother Marion’s Cranberry Ice
2 (12-ounce) packages fresh cranberries
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups fresh orange juice
1 cup fresh lemon juice
Into a large pot add cranberries and enough water to cover.
Boil until cranberries begin to pop. Drain and put through a food mill placed over a large bowl.
While still warm add sugar to taste; dissolve in the warm berries.
Stir in both juices.
Pour in 8 or 9 inch square pan and freeze overnight. Take out of the freezer 5-10 minutes before shaving with an ice cream scoop, serving in whatever it is you call those small bowls.
Here’s to you, John. We’re proud of you and the hard work you’ve done this year. Hope the holidays bring you a special peace.
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I have Grandma’s recipe here somewhere, but don’t ask me where right now. The ingredient that she used that’s not in the one above was gelatin (Knox gelatin shows up in so many of her recipes it’s a bit unsettling; I guess it was the housewife’s magic ingredient of the era). I know you don’t use gelatin in anything and I understand why; ugh.
Also, I know that when it was half set in the freezer and again before serving she sort of whipped it (scraping a large spoon across it over and again; not really whipping it) to turn it pink and add air into the mix – making it less ice-y and more sherbet-ish.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but what do you call those dishes?
They are compote dishes I think.
Hi, Mary Kate. And thanks. Compote. Yes, I remember that word from my long-ago civilized life. Compote. That’s very sisterly of you to bring that to the table. Please come back soon.
Aha! Welcome Lynne. And thanks for coming online to TSP to remind us of the regal sisterhood of the cat. No, we did not mean to exclude our feline friends, not a bit. I’m delighted to be reminded of these marvelous beasts with whom so many millions of us have shared our lives. Long live the king! And come back soon.
Thank you Marion for this recipe. It sounds wonderful! I am always looking for something else to do with the extra bags of cranberries I end up with after the holiday.
Hi, Tammy. So glad you like the recipe. I adore it; just tangy enough to cut through the weight of gravy; just refreshing enough to side-dish the stuffing, I, too always have that extra bag of cranberries, keeping one in the freezer at all times for medicinal purposes (making juice for the onset of any sign of a UTI), so there you go, enjoy it. And happy holidays.
Marion,
When is the great cookie baking day? I’d love to see a list of what you will be making and even some photos. Our big baking day will be 12/20 with 8 or 10 different cookies and other sweets. Is seems like there aren’t enough weekends @ the end of the year.
Hi, Jim: How cool that you remember the cookie day. We are looking at the calendar now, and may choose the 20th, as well, so we can all flour up together. Though we did just make 200 cheese balls for a celebration, something I’ll blog about for next week, so stay tuned for both. Thanks for asking, and come back soon.