Bonnie, I don't think cranberries need to come up to 221 to set since they have some much natural pectin. I don't find temperature to be all that accurate anyway. I've made crabapple and quince jelly (both high pectin) and they set around 215. Other things needed to get to a higher temp. I have also experienced the temperature plateau in some cases. This winter I made back to back batches of calamondin marmalade that I had prepared exactly the same way. The first batch set around 215/216. The second batch had to be cooked to a higher temp. After that it looked the same on the plate test, but ended up looser in the jar. I just use the thermometer as one more indicator of when to do a plate test. After doing a few batches, I can start to tell how the bubbles are changing and also how it is looking thicker falling off the spoon. (Although I've never had it react quite like the books say when doing the "sheet" test.) My thermometer is pretty close to accurate. I tested it in boiling water once. Melly

Nearly everyone seems to be giving you breakfast and dessert ideas, so here is an entree for a change: CRANBERRY ROAST OF PORK 1-1/2 cups fresh cranberries 2/3 cup sugar 1 cup finely chopped onion 1/2 cup dry red wine + 1/2 cup dry red wine 4 pound loin of pork, either with bones or boneless Salt Pepper 1/2 teaspoon thyme 1 cup canned beef bouillon 1 Tablespoon cornstarch 1/3 cup cold water Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine berries, sugar, and water; boil, cook for 5 minutes until berries pop & mixture is thick. Add onion and 1/2 cup wine. Rub pork with salt, pepper, thyme. Place bone side down in roasting pan just large enough to hold the roast and juices that will develop. Spread cranberry mixture over roast. Roast 2-1/2 hours or about 40 minutes per pound or to internal temperature of 170 degrees. Combine remaining 1/2 cup of wine with beef bouillon and baste meat frequently with this and pan juices. If you need more, mix 1 part wine with 2 parts bouillon. Dont let pan juices scorch. (The onions will scorch a bit, even with basting, but they still taste good.) When roast is done, transfer to board for carving. To thicken pan juices if desired: Measure pan juices. For each cup of pan juice, mix 1 Tablespoon cornstarch with enough cold water to make a paste, then combine with the cooking liquid and cook until thick. Spread some sauce over carved meat and pass rest at the table. Serves 6. Adapted from Americana Magazine, November 1976 From my notes: Use a roasting pan just large enough to hold the meat and basting liquid to prevent evaporation of the yummy liquid. Baste gently so you dont disturb the cranberry-onion coating on the meat. We serve this with noodles to take advantage of the sauce.

I make cranberry sauce every year (I also have the canned stuff as back up for the...well, just as a back up). The first time I made cranberry sauce I used Chambord that I had bought in Chambord, France (I mention this because I never would have bought it if I wasn't in Chambord). Chambord is too expensive to continue using so I started using Raspberry Schnapps. Cranberry Sauce ⢠1 pound fresh cranberries ⢠*1 cup caster sugar ⢠*ý cup brown or turbinado sugar ⢠ý cup raspberry schnapps ⢠ý cup cranberry juice ⢠1 cup dried cherries Rinse, drain, and pick through cranberries. In medium sized saucepan over medium heat, dissolve sugar in cranberry juice. Stir in cranberries, cherries, and schnapps. Cook on medium heat until cranberries start to pop, about 10 minutes. Mash a little with a potato masher. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools. Cover and refrigerate. *or 1 ý cups white sugar *taste for sweetness and adjust sugar down according to taste Serves 12

In my area the cheapest sources for natives (aside from seed) are the native plant sales hosted by the Missouri Prairie Foundation and other similar organizations. Something like this for Massachusetts, perhaps: http://www.grownativemass.org/programs/plantsale I also see that the NE Wildflower society had Gaultheria procumbens on its list last year, so might offer it again in 2017. No clue what the pricing would be on that, though. Or you could plant from seed if you've got the patience for that: http://www.outsidepride.com/seed/ground-cover-seed/wintergreen-groundcover-seed.html http://homeguides.sfgate.com/plant-gaultheria-procumbens-seeds-21879.html