Bokmenen (cranberries)
For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples of the Great Lakes have harvested cranberries in dgwaget. Our word for cranberry, bokmen, describes how the fruit grows on low hanging vines near the water of swamps and bogs. The highly nutritious and antioxidant rich berries were used by our ancestors as seasonal fare, medicinal teas, natural dye and ornamentation. Today, Wisconsin is the largest producer of bokmenen, providing more than half of all cranberries in the United States and Canada.
Please see recipe below:
Ingredients:
Bokmenen
Maple sugar/syrup
*Water/Fruit juice. Either can be used to rehydrate dried cranberries and/or add to the flavor.
Directions:
- Wash all fresh and dried cranberries.
- Soak cranberries [water or fruit juice] for 30min*
- Add cranberries to shallow pan and fill with water to submerge berries.
- Cook over medium heat [typically 10 minutes or less] until you hear the cranberries pop or see them split.
- Once cooked, remove from heat and add maple syrup/sugar to taste.
Gi-gwshe gweyen (We are thankful) to our elders for creating and passing down our delicious traditional recipes.
Citations
Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center