Cranberry Surprise

Cranberry Surprise


Andre Willers
19 Mar 2013

Synopsis:
Cranberry juice with milk or lemon has a synergistic biological effect as the tannin is neutralised .
Discussion :

0.Cranberries have anti-bacterial properties , especially as regards adhesion of the little buggers to intestinal cell-walls .
Ie Urinary Tract Infections .

1.Cranberries are bitter because they contain tannin . See Appendix I .
2.”Bitter” in the mouth sensorium warns the rest of the digestive system to pucker up . Hence the variable test results in large scale studies . Nobody considered this factor (tannin amelioration via sugar , sweeteners , concentration , etc)
3.Luckily , there is an extremely well-researched and deep data-base on how to handle Tannins : Tea
4. Tea and Milk :
Adding milk to strong brewed tea (ie English style – see Appendix II) .
This removes the bitter taste of tannin as tannin combines with casein .
This is actually true from personal experience . But cream does not seem to work .
There are long polemics on this matter .
As far as your digestive system is concerned , the warning marker of tannin has been removed .
There is some evidence that milk blocks some of tea’s healthy phenol effects . But everybody is calling each other a diamond studded liar , with very little hard evidence.

5.Tea and Lemon:
See Appendix III
A little bit of lemon juice also inactivates the tannin as far as the mouth’s receptors are aware .
Much smaller quantity than milk .
Can you believe that I cannot find a reference to how ordinary Russians make lemon tea ? ( Specifically , the amount of lemon)
It seems to be about 1 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons per cup .
They still sweeten it usually , but I think most of the bitterness has been removed .

6. Cranberry juice concentrate plus 1 teaspoon of lemon juice seems indicated for starters . If you need a sweetener , increase the lemon juice by ½ a teaspoon at a time .
7. Or simply use the English method of about 25-30 ml (5-6 teaspoons) of milk .

8.Sneaking it into the body : the good approach .
Just put a dollop (2 Tbsp=30 ml) of Cranberry Concentrate into your normal tea+milk or tea+lemon .
Defense systems aren’t triggered . Sugar is immaterial . Likewise , alcohol .

9. Even Sneakier : put it into your cocktail :
Cranberry Sidecar :
“The Sidecar is a classic cocktail traditionally made with cognac, orange liqueur (Cointreau, Grand Marnier or another triple sec), and lemon juice.” Just add a dollop of cranberry concentrate . After three of these , you will not really care how healthy it is .

10 . Combining all the permutations of coffee , tea , milk , lemon juice and cranberry juice should keep you happy for a long time .
Not to mention the cocktails .

Who thought that urinary tract infections could be such fun ?

Andre

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Appendix I
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tannin
“A tannin (also known as vegetable tannin, natural organic tannins or sometimes tannoid, i.e. a type of biomolecule, as opposed to modern synthetic tannin) is an astringent, bitter plant polyphenolic compound that binds to and precipitates proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids.”
“Most berries, such as cranberries,[37] strawberries and blueberries,[38] contain both hydrolyzable and condensed tannins.”
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Appendix II
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_tea

Milk tea may refer to
• Tea with the addition of a small amount of milk
• Bubble tea, also known as "pearl milk tea" or "boba milk tea"
• Hong Kong-style milk tea, black tea sweetened with evaporated milk
• Doodh Pati Chai, literally milk tea, also known as pakki chai.
• Teh tarik, the de facto national drink of Malaysia and Singapore, tea and condensed milk
• "Milk Tea"/"Utsukushiki Hana", a double A-side single by Masaharu Fukuyama
• Yubisaki Milk Tea, a Japanese manga by Tomochika Miyano
• Suutei tsai, a Mongolian drink
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Appendix III
http://www.longbottomcoffee.com/ctu40.cfm

As a rule, you'll find that oolong and green teas are best served plain, while brewed black teas often are enhanced by additional flavorings. The most commonly used flavorings you're likely to come across are milk, lemon, and sugar.
Milk's popularity in tea dates back to a seventeenth-century British custom. Until that time, tea had been served in heavy pewter or earthenware cups. When porcelain cups came into British vogue, milk was added because it was feared that adding hot black tea directly to the delicate china cup would cause it to crack. This wasn't the case, but, like the porcelain cup, adding milk became a hard habit to break.
Milk reacts chemically with tea. One of its proteins, called casein, binds with certain polyphenols, giving your tea a smoother, less astringent taste. (Polyphenols-or tannins-determine the color, flavor, pungency, and medicinal value of tea; see page 30.) With the full-bodied black teas grown in India and Sri Lanka, milk has a mellowing effect and, some say, actually enhances the flavor.
You'd think adding milk to tea would be a simple task, but entire essays and chapters have been devoted to the how and when of it. It all boils down to two choices: If you pour the milk first and then add the tea, they will blend without so much as a stir. If you add the milk afterward, you'll have more control over the amount of milk you use. Also, and this is getting picky, your cup stays warmer-and so does your tea-if you pour in the hot tea first, followed by the milk.
You'll find that it takes only a teaspoon or two of milk to flavor your tea. If you add more milk, the casein binds with all of the tannins and oppresses the character of the tea. If you run out of milk, don't try cream. It may come from the same cow, but it's no substitute. True cream doesn't have as much casein, so its effect is quite different. It doesn't bind and so does not really complement your tea.
Lemon has been used by the Russians for centuries as a flavoring for freshly brewed tea. Its use was introduced to the Western world by Queen Victoria in the late nineteenth century. The revered ruler of Britain discovered the fashionable and tasty flavoring while visiting Vicky, her eldest daughter, who was married to the Prussian king. While lemon complements the taste of scented tea, it also will brighten the flavor of a black tea.
Sugar, honey, and even raspberry jam have been used for centuries to sweeten tea. In Russia, there is an old custom of holding a cube of sugar between your teeth and sucking your tea through it. Honey, the main sweet food of ancient times, is another popular sweetener. While many commercial honeys simply add sweetness to your tea, others will impart additional aroma and flavor. The honey label will usually tell you the type of flower the bees harvested and what flavor you can expect to taste.
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