An intense and tart burst of red fruity flavor that is packed with vitamin C and K. Serve this over ice cream, yogurt, waffles, pancakes or crepes, or eat it just as it is. .

A few neighbors have described the smell of highbush cranberries as similar to ‘stinky socks’. I was puzzled as I never could smell it. However, today I finally got it. In fact, today the entire cabin reeks of stinky socks!!! I had boiled two batches of highbush cranberries (Viburnum edule), one for jelly (which is currently straining) and one for compote. Once the two batches were fully cooked, I turned off the heat and Lucy and I left for our evening walk. When I came home and opened the door, the pungent smell of stinky socks almost knocked me over! Luckily, there is no smell in the finished product, it was just the cooking process that released the stinky odors.

Here is my recipe for highbush cranberry compote, created just today!

Wild Highbush Cranberry Compote

4 cups (1 L) highbush cranberries

4 apples, coarsely grated

1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh or bottled)

1-2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely grated

1 cup honey or natural sweetener of your choice

Put highbush cranberries in a large pot and add 1-1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil. As the fruits begin to soften, gently mash the berries to a pulp.

Stain the berries through a cheesecloth or jellybag. Return the juice to the pot and boil, stirring often, until the mixture is reduced to half of its original amount.

Meanwhile, grate the 4 apples and ginger. Add them to a medium bowl and mix in the lemon juice to keep from browning. Once the berry juice has reduced to half, add the apple mixture and the sweetener to the pot and cook for 15 minutes, or until the apple is very soft. Taste to see if it is sweet enough and add more sweetener if desired. Turn off the heat and allow to cool. Keep refrigerated or freeze for later use. Yield: 4 cups.

For more information on highbush cranberries (Viburnum edule), please see yesterday’s post highbush cranberries (Viburnum edule).

If used as a topping on a dessert, consider adding a few tablespoons of your favorite liquor, such as Grand Marnier,  Cointreau or Galliano. I think I will try this served warm over my Decadent Chocolate Cake instead of my usual raspberry sauce.

Enjoy!