Massachusetts Cranberry Culture:: A History from Bog to Table

by Robert S. Cox, Jacob Walker

New Englanders know that cranberries are not for holidays alone. For centuries, this tart fruit--a staple in the Yankee diet since before it was domesticated--has reigned over the cranberry heartland of Barnstable and Plymouth Counties, Massachusetts. Dozens of recipes that utilize the "humble fruit" have risen up over the years, the most popular being cranberry sauce, which one imaginative New Englander paired with lobster. The popularity of the berry exploded in the 1840s, and despite occasional setbacks such as the great pesticide scare of 1959, demand continues to rise to this day. Authors Robert S. Cox and Jacob Walker trace the evolution of cranberry culture in the Bay State, exploring the delectable history of this quintessential New England industry.

Genres: Food History, Nonfiction, History

144 pages, Paperback

First published September 25, 2012

Reviews

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's all right. A good chunk is about labor rights vis-a-vis the pickers. Not sure how I felt about the content organization, which I'm sure is always a tough call: do you go purely chronological (and have to repeat topics), or go by topic and zig-zag around time? This one follows more of the latter approach, which is slightly off-putting when we can leap from a small antitrust fine in the late 40s to pest control in the 1830s.

It does end on a real zinger of a note that had me double-checking the publication date, though! (2012, btw.) Apparently in the late 50s there was a "cranberry scare" that hurt the industry when there were concerns of contamination by a carcinogenic pesticide. Author presents this as a kind of round 1 in Industry Works Harder to Avoid Regulation Than Just Not Poisoning People In The First Place (my words, admittedly slightly unfairly put). This transitioned to a similar event for apple growers over a different chemical -- and all this culminating with great lines for the Year of Pandemic 2020:

It became science by lawyers. In the law, each side argues a half-truth, alleging that the process will be additive. But too often, the process is multiplicative, and instead of rendering the whole truth, a quarter results. Blunt repetition, lack of nuance and implacability are the soul of this game, with the intent not of arriving at a fair understanding of risk or impact but of arguing a brief favorable to a client while destroying any countervailing interpretation.
...
Scientific confusion can then trump scientific accuracy, and given the scientific illiteracy of much of the American public, particularly when it comes to statistical issues like risk assessment, the strategy sadly works. When the cynicism of the law and politics infects the sciences, little hope remains.

Ouch. Indeed.

[Joshua Gates · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cox speaks to the societal role that the cranberry has in not only Massachusetts, but also the world. Known to a few as Vaccinium macrocarpon, this peasant's delight rested in bogs where they grew in vine fashion. The cranberry had a momentous impact on American culture, life, and society so much so that Immigrants flocked to the bogs because of the American Dream. Just like 1950s apple pie, the cranberry soon became a staple, aided by advancements in harvesting, the introduction of canning accompanied with advertising, and consumer demand. This peasant food was easy to plant, which quickly became a sought after profession for most New Englanders. Cox discusses how instrumental the cranberry was on shaping American history, and also how intertwined the tart berry is in society.