Autumn has firmly entrenched itself up here in the Pacific Northwest. Snowcapped the mountains, and the trees that line the highways release glinting flurries of orange and gold leaves every time the wind shakes its way through. It's cold enough now to warrant a fire in the evenings, and sometimes the morning too.
It's this time of year that I keep something warm to drink at the ready: Spiced Butter Tea in the morning, Mulled Wine with friends in the evening, hot cider with the kids.
So, What's Cranberry Mors?
Lately, I've pulled Cranberry Mors into our routine. A traditional Russian drink made by simmering tart berries with honey-sweetened water until they burst, mors tastes mildly tart and sweet.
Though often served cold, I prefer to serve ours infused with sweet spices and warm almost like a hot, mulled cranberry cider.
Tradition and folklore hold that mors, and particularly cranberry mors, helps to buffer the immune system against illnesses like colds and flu and to help digestion when enjoyed before eating. There could be some truth to that as all tart berries are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C.
Why Use Whole Cranberries (and not just juice)
You might wonder about using whole cranberries rather than using only their juice. Here's the trick: when cooked, cranberries release pectin, a plant fiber that gives mors a delightful, almost silky texture; moreover, pectin is positively loaded with benefits of its own.
Researchers have found that pectin helps you to feel full longer (source) and that diets rich in pectin (and other sources of dietary fiber) support heart health and more optimal cholesterol levels (source). You can extract more of the berries' goodness when using the traditional method for making mors by simmering the berries in water, straining them, and sweetening the resulting liquid.
Spiced Cranberry Mors
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups cranberries
- 1 1-inch knob of ginger, sliced thin
- 2 star anise pods
- 1 ceylon cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon allspice berries
- 6 cups water
- ½ cup honey
Instructions
- Toss the cranberries and spices into a stockpot, pour in the water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, simmering until the cranberry skins burst. Transfer the contents of the pot to a fine-mesh strainer, and press them through the strainer into a bowl.
- Wipe out the pot, discard the solids left in the strainer, and return the juice to the pot. Stir in the honey and warm over medium-low heat until fully dissolved. Transfer to a pitcher and serve warm or chilled.
Brianna says
This recipe is amazing! I made for the holidays last year and was worried I wouldn’t be able to find it again-so glad I found it! I’m excited to remake 🙂
Kathy L. says
I really want to make this but I only have ground allspice not allspice berries. Could I use the ground?
Tyla says
How long does it keep for? I love this recipe and made a double batch about 5 days ago.
Jenny says
I'd keep it about one week.
Tara says
Going to try this! How would you incorporate ginger bug with this recipe? I have some ready to use. Thanks.
Jenny says
I would mix 1/4 cup bug with 1 quart of mors, then let it sit in flip-top bottles for 3 days.
Katie Riddle says
This was easy and delicious. We'll be making it frequently this season. Thank you!
Fiona Chain says
Hi Jennifer, this sounds totally delicious and so good for you at the same time! What's not to love. We are just heading into our spring but there still have been some cooler evenings and mornings, I think thus gorgeous drink would be just lovely served cold as well in our hot hot summers.
Fi
Carrie Rose says
So, how about a fermented version?