Craisins?
An odd name at best, though a better marketing name than "dried cranberries."
I stopped at the grocery store late afternoon today to pick up milk and a few other things. Also on the list... dried cherries. I'm married to a man who loves cherries. Fresh cherries, dried cherries, cherry yogurt, cherry ice cream, cherries on cookies, cherry Jell-O, chocolate covered cherries, cherries on salad, and so on in many and various ways that cherries can be used.
When we're up north, we like to pick up a bag or container of dried cherries with the hopes that now and again they will bring a little bit of the nostalgia and flavor of summer into a cold February evening. It's true bliss if for even a brief moment as the cherry lingers on the tongue and the mouth fills with the sweetness of July, we're transported to the western side of the state (MI), up to Traverse Bay surrounded by the orchards of this red delight.
Thus, on my list of groceries, as I mentioned earlier, appeared dried cherries. Much to my surprise, the only teeny tiny bag of dried cherries I could find was $8.99. I just couldn't bring myself to put them in the cart. A few aisles later near the baking goods I found among the other dried fruit and raisins this oddity called Craisins. I'd seen them before, and probably have even unknowingly eaten them, but never taken the time to stop and read the package. First, I picked up the "cherry flavored" Craisins, and turned the bag over and proceeded to read the ingredient list. Much to my surprise and to my chagrin the ingredient list was several items long. There were cranberries listed, of coure, but following was an acid of some sort, "natural" (really?) flavoring and such. To the left of these were the "original" Craisins. I picked up the bag, turned over and was pleased to see the ingredient list had only two things: cranberries, sugar. I can't say that I was thrilled to know about the added sugar, but it sure beats everything else that was on the cherry flavored package. I put the "original" ones in the cart and proceeded down the aisle to finish my shopping.
One further benefit of these Craisins over dried cherries... the Craisins were only $1.99 for the same size bag.
How would they play at home? Unloading them at home MELG saw the bag and asked to have a few. She ate them with no comment and notably no balking. What about at dinner? We had pork chops tonight along with red lentils, broccoli, yogurt and a green salad. The salad was spinach with some shredded cabbage, topped with goat cheese and... Craisins. They were a hit and in the context of the salad there was little discernible difference between them and a dried cherry. Salad will certainly be a place to utilize these little sweet gems. It will be interesting to see how they hold up to baking or rice pilaf or chicken salad.
Craisins? -- a better marketing name than " dried cranberries." Thanks, Ocean Spray.