Preserves

In America whenever turkey is on the table, so is some form of cranberry sauce, relish or preserve. The British and French do not have the habit of always eating something sweet or fruity with the turkey, at least when it is served hot. Other birds, however, such as goose, duck (think of sauce à l’orange, although it is at its best when it is a bigarade sauce made with bitter Seville oranges) and game often have a fruit element incorporated in their cooking. Because the acid note is as important as the sweet one, cranberries are particularly good with poultry and game birds as well, and they have the merit of not having to be prepared much in advance: cranberries will set to a gel on cooling. Beware, however, their effect on wine; cranberries are not kind to red wine, and I shouldn’t plan to serve my best burgundy or claret with the turkey if its garnish includes cranberries.