While cranberries are not local, they are a totally seasonal crop and you can only find them now. Buy organic and buy and extra bag or two to put in your freezer. The frozen cranberries can be used for up to a year - baked goods, glazes, syrup....
Instructions
Empty a 12-ounce bag of fresh into a saucepan and transfer 1/2 cup to a small bowl. Add 1/2 cup sugar, 1 strip orange and 2 tablespoons orange juice to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries are soft, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and cook until the cranberries burst, about 12 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the reserved cranberries. Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste and cool to room temperature before serving.
You can experiment by adding cinnamon or ginger. I love to add chopped toasted pecans to add a different texture. If not sweet enough for you, increase the sugar by 1 T at a time.
