Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July

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Canada and the US share many things, like Niagara Falls, the Great Lakes and the inability to understand what the French see in Jerry Lewis.

Apple pie is another commonality. Yet, despite its place alongside motherhood and baseball, this particular dessert has never symbolized America to me. After all, we grow apples right here in Guelph. But cranberries? Sure, we Canucks serve it alongside our Thanksgiving turkey — in October — but in my mind these tart little berries are as American as fireworks on the fourth of July.

This correlation arose years ago when my best friend and I vacationed in Cape Cod one fall. En route to the beach we stumbled upon a local Cranberry Festival. The whole town, whose name escapes me, turned out for the parade then enjoyed every sort of dish imaginable, all based upon the berry of honour. This was the first and only time I’ve seen cranberry fudge.

And when the sun went down, these two small-town-Ontario girls were treated to the fireworks display of our lives. All this for cranberries.

While scholars insist the Star-Spangled Banner’s red represents hardiness and valor, to me it will always mean cranberries.

Happy Independence Day to my American friends. May you enjoy fireworks and an extra big slice of whatever dessert strikes your fancy.

Cranberry photo © cobalt published under a Creative Commons License.

No Comments
  • Cheryl
    Posted at 10:52h, 04 July

    Thanks, Charmian!

    (And the only thing Massachusetts folk like more than their cranberries is their Red Sox. I say this as a former Bay State resident.)

  • Cheryl
    Posted at 10:52h, 04 July

    Thanks, Charmian!

    (And the only thing Massachusetts folk like more than their cranberries is their Red Sox. I say this as a former Bay State resident.)

  • RC
    Posted at 15:27h, 04 July

    yummy i love cranberries!

    what a fun post and perspective 🙂

  • RC
    Posted at 15:27h, 04 July

    yummy i love cranberries!

    what a fun post and perspective 🙂

  • Dana McCauley
    Posted at 17:56h, 04 July

    Really? I love cranberries and use them in so many things I always mentally classify them as Canadian.

    A few years ago I wrote a story for Gardening Life about cranberries and you’d be surprised how many are grown in Canada and how many people use them as an ingredient beyond Thanksgiving…

  • Dana McCauley
    Posted at 17:56h, 04 July

    Really? I love cranberries and use them in so many things I always mentally classify them as Canadian.

    A few years ago I wrote a story for Gardening Life about cranberries and you’d be surprised how many are grown in Canada and how many people use them as an ingredient beyond Thanksgiving…

  • Christie's Corner
    Posted at 18:06h, 04 July

    Dana, you’re right. They grow here, too. I use them a lot at Christmas.

    My association is purely emotional, not logical. I’d actually never given cranberries more than a passing thought before that vacation. And those fireworks were pretty darned impressive — especially since I was used to hand-held sparklers and a few coloured flares.

  • Anonymous
    Posted at 20:40h, 04 July

    Maybe it’s beacuse North Americans manly focus on his goofy period with Deano and pay no attention to his goofy period behind the camera. God damn Jerry Lewis was one talented mofo once you get pass the “Oi Laaaadeeeeyyy!”. Watch some films learn before you make sweeping generalizations on wait you live in North America.