Transformed from a wild fruit to a cultivated commodity, the American cranberry contains equal amounts of holiday symbolism and antioxidants. Its evolution over the past century is a surprising story of risk, enterprise, conflict, and the tension between tradition and innovation. The cranberry is characterized by the distinctive regions--from Cape Cod to the Pacific Northwest--where it is grown. But the diminutive fruit has also changed the life and landscape of these places. The Cranberry: Hard Work and Holiday Sauce harvests stories, images, and observations to tell the unusual tale of an American subculture dominated by this tart little red fruit.