# How do you like your cranberry sauce? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 18, 2007, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892 "2007-11-18T03:02:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/1 "2007-11-18T03:02:59Z")
I was just in the store today shoping for thanksgiving. I am new to the area I am living in so I am not familiar with the local customs. The thing I really noticed, was that I could not find canned cranberry sauce anywhere. Now, I am pretty sure I am not alone in this. My sister and I agree, and I have seen it elswhere. Canberry sauce, in our opinion, is to be served directly from the can, and in the shape of the can. If you want to make your own cranberry sauce that’s fine, and we will try some to be polite, but we expect that jellied mass from the can to be available. Also, it should be in the shape of the can it came from. That way it can be sliced mess free in good proportions. The thing is, when I was shopping today, I couldn’t find it anywhere. Finally, I asked the guy and he showed it to me. There was a tiny section of cranberry sauce collecting dust that nobody was paying attention to. All I can figure is that people in these parts don’t go for the canned cranberry sauce. That is just bizzare to me. So how do you like your cranberry sauce? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/2 "2007-11-18T03:15:58Z")
Cylindrical, no lumps. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/3 "2007-11-18T03:16:29Z")
I don’t like the canned. My grandma used to make a cranberry-orange relish, with little pieces of orange peel in it. It was the bomb. If you ever had that, you’d never go back to canned. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/4 "2007-11-18T03:19:59Z")
Our taste buds are not in agreement. IMHO, anything BUT that can shaped goop. Warms my heart to hear that the cans you found were dusty and forgotten. Do you realize how easy basic cranberries are to prepare? cranberries, water, sugar - boil, chill, eat ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/5 "2007-11-18T03:21:03Z")
Now I have nothing against cranberry relish. I personally am giving “mama stambergs” cranberry relish this thanksgiving (you have to listen to NPR). Nevertheless, the jellied cranberry sauce in the shape of the can is absolutely obligitory. Thanksgiving without it is wrong. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/6 "2007-11-18T03:24:27Z")
Good gad. Do you use the lines from the can as guides to slice it? 🙂 I prefer canned whole berries, stirred in bowl to at least resemble the real thing. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/7 "2007-11-18T03:28:45Z")
My sister has a historical preference for a canned cranberry sauce on the table, but will also eat the low-sugar cranberry orange compote. I’ve never liked the canned stuff but I don’t mind its presence. ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/8 "2007-11-18T03:34:16Z")
Not only must the cranberry sauce be jellied, from a can, but it must be Ocean Spray. This is one instance where brand matters! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/9 "2007-11-18T03:37:41Z")
Ah, important detail: Are you talking the jello like stuff without berries, or canned berries? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/10 "2007-11-18T03:38:50Z")
I never liked that canned, jellied monstrosity. Pepper Mill and I have been making our own cranberry sauce from scratch fpr years. It’s so good, I’ll gladly eat it for several days afterwards. It’s good enough to put as a topping on ice cream. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/11 "2007-11-18T03:43:23Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] Ah, important detail: Are you talking the jello like stuff without berries, or canned berries? [/QUOTE] I don’t want any suggestion that it actually came from something natural, so no berries. ---
**Author:** ![TripleTee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac8455/32.png) [@TripleTee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TripleTee)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/12 "2007-11-18T03:43:48Z")
I like my cranberry sauce either in the garbage disposal, or in the trash can. Or better yet, I would prefer to get a time machine, go back in time and stop the inventor of cranberry sauce while he was still in his mother’s womb, ala Terminator. In the immortal words of Victor Borge, “I HATE CRANBERRY SAUCE!” ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/13 "2007-11-18T03:46:35Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] I never liked that canned, jellied monstrosity. Pepper Mill and I have been making our own cranberry sauce from scratch fpr years. It’s so good, I’ll gladly eat it for several days afterwards. It’s good enough to put as a topping on ice cream. [/QUOTE] You know, little makes my heart sink more than going to a relatives’ house for Thanksgiving only to find out they’ve made “homemade” cranberry sauce. It’s typically just cranberries in some gooey sauce. Blech. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/14 "2007-11-18T03:47:41Z")
[QUOTE=TripleTee] I HATE CRANBERRY SAUCE! [/QUOTE] OK, but say your in a Cambodian prison with no chance of escape, and they offered you jellied cranberry sauce from a can or mushy sauce with whole cranberries getting caught in your teeth and such. What would you prefer? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/15 "2007-11-18T03:51:41Z")
I make kickbutt homemade cranberry relish. I.e., the chunky sauce. For years I made one with lots of sugar and port, and people wanted to spread it on bread like jam after dinner. This year I’m making a homemade, no chunks smooth jelled version in a mold - with [grappa](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grappa) in it. (I claim that “grappa” is Italian for “rocket fuel.”) I’m also making a chunky apricot-cranberry sauce for the people who can’t drink alcohol or don’t want that much of a kick from their cranberry sauce. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/16 "2007-11-18T03:57:38Z")
[QUOTE=Christopher] I don’t want any suggestion that it actually came from something natural, so no berries. [/QUOTE] You whoosh us! Shame, Sir, shame! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/17 "2007-11-18T04:03:33Z")
[QUOTE=TripleTee] I would prefer to get a time machine, go back in time and stop the inventor of cranberry sauce while he was still in his mother’s womb, ala Terminator. [/QUOTE] Wasn’t it something the starving Pilgrims were eating in a subsistence diet? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/18 "2007-11-18T04:06:38Z")
I prefer the whole berry, but the jellied is fine in a pinch. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/19 "2007-11-18T04:13:36Z")
No! No! Cambodians don’t _have_ cranberries! It’s a trick question! For the love of god, don’t answer!! ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892/20 "2007-11-18T04:20:20Z")
Dammit! I thought I had him/her in an unfoilable paradox! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-like-your-cranberry-sauce/426892.md?page=2)