I have lots of very happy memories of Thanksgiving at my childhood home—memories as a child and especially memories as an adult with children of my own.
The day always included a flurry of excitable Italians bustling around the kitchen, the same brown sugar candle that sat in the same spot every year and never seemed to burn down, delicious food, and lots of fine spirits to warm us.
My little family was big on tradition, meaning they tended to always do things the same way. That included my Aunt Mary whom my sons referred to as “May.” May made the same three things for Thanksgiving every year: broiled pink grapefruit halves soaked with sherry and brown sugar, celery hearts stuffed with cream cheese laced with Beau Monde seasoning and cranberry orange ice.
The one year I convinced my aunt that nobody needed cream cheese before the biggest meal of the year was the year my younger son, James, asked for the celery as soon as he came through the door. So, tradition had to continue.
In the cranberry department, I have been a little more adventurous, trying numerous cranberry relish concoctions. I have made cranberry sauce with apples, oranges, raisins, ginger, port and Grand Marnier, cooked and uncooked. But, this year, I thought I might return to my aunt’s beloved cranberry ice. It really is good! It is light and refreshing and acts almost like a tangy palate cleanser. May didn’t have a food processor or an ice cream maker back then, so I suspect she used her blender and overhead freezer of her refrigerator to make it.
I looked high and low for a recipe that would be close to what she made in those days. This is what I found.
Cranberry Orange Ice
Ingredients
- 2 12-ounce bags fresh cranberries
- 2 cups sugar
- 1¼ cups fresh orange juice
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice
- Grated orange zest from 2 oranges
Directions
- In a large pot, add cranberries with enough water to cover. Boil until the berries begin to pop.
- Drain the mixture, and place the cooked berries in a food mill over a large bowl. Alternately, place the mixture in the container of a food processor. Puree or process until the mixture is smooth.
- While the berry puree is still warm, add the sugar. (Start with 1½ cups of sugar and test the sweetness according to your liking. Add the rest of the sugar if you like. I prefer a tart ice, but it is a matter of preference.)
- Add the orange and lemon juices and the grated orange zest.
- Pour the mixture into a square 8- or 9-inch baking dish and freeze overnight.
- Take the cranberry ice out of the freezer for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
We placed the cranberry ice in little crystal fruit dishes and ate it throughout Thanksgiving dinner. This refreshing treat cuts through the richness of the turkey and the rest of the meal. The leftover ice keeps well in the freezer and is delicious with baked chicken, pork chops and roast beef, as well (maybe save some for Christmas dinner).
I hope my Thanksgiving guests enjoy Aunt May’s cranberry orange ice this year, although our good friends from Virginia will likely still bring their favorite Ocean Spray jellied cranberry sauce in a can. Nothing else will do for them. Tradition continues for everyone!
