How about a mini-game of Jeopardy! to start out today’s column? Hands on buzzers ... and the answer is: The blueberry, the Concord grape and this berry are the only fruits that can trace their roots to American soil. And the question is: What are bounceberries?

Absolutely right — but I know many of you are wondering just what are bounceberries?

Most people recognize these bright red, tart beauties as cranberries. The name “cranberry” is from the Pilgrim name for the fruit they called the "craneberry",” so called because the small, pink blossoms that appear in the spring look like the head and bill of a Sandhill crane.

Cranberries were first used by Native Americans not only in their diets, but also medicinally, specifically to treat arrow wounds. They also steeped the berries in water and used the liquid to dye their clothing and rugs. The most popular entrée using this fruit was called “pemmican,” which is a high protein combo of crushed cranberries, dried deer meat and melted fat. (Yummy, huh?)

Contrary to popular belief, cranberries do not grow in water. They grow on vines in impermeable beds layered with sand, peat, gravel and clay. These beds are known as “bogs” and were originally formed as glaciers moved through North America.

The major growing areas for cranberries in the United States are Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin, but they are also grown in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Quebec. To a lesser extent, cranberries are grown in Delaware, Maine, Michigan, New York, Rhode Island and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Prince Edward Island.

The annual harvest is raked from over 47,000 acres, with about 14,000 of those acres in Massachusetts.

And the nickname “bounceberry”? Just take a fresh cranberry and toss it on the floor. No further explanation necessary!

Cape Cod sunrise cocktail

• 2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)
• 2/3 cup fresh orange juice*
• 1/3 cup superfine sugar (whirl regular granulated sugar in mini-processor)
• 6 cups fresh orange juice, well chilled
• 2 cups Prosecco, well chilled
• Orange slices

Combine the cranberries with the 2/3 cup orange juice and the sugar in a medium saucepan set over medium high heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 5-6 minutes or until cranberries are soft. Press mixture through a fine mesh sieve; discard solids and chill puree.

To serve, combine the 6 cups orange juice with the Prosecco in a large pitcher. Spoon about 2 Tbsp. cranberry puree into the bottom of each of 8 glasses. Slowly (so not to disturb the puree) pour 1 cup of the orange-Prosecco mixture into each glass. Garnish with orange slice.

*I used Simply Orange refrigerated orange juice, which is readily available in most supermarkets. It tastes almost like fresh squeezed.

WHITE CHOCOLATE-CRANBERRY CRÈME BRÛLÉE

• 2 cups whipping cream, divided use
• 4 oz. white chocolate
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar, divided use
• 7-1/2 oz. (half of a 15-oz. can) whole-berry cranberry sauce
• Ice cubes
• Fresh mint (optional garnish)

Combine 1/2 cup cream and white chocolate in a medium saucepan set over low heat; cook for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and remaining 1-1/2 cups cream. Let cool to room temperature.

Whisk together egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar until sugar is dissolved and mix­ture is pale yellow. Add cream mixture, whisking until well blended. Pour mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a large bowl.

Spoon 1-1/2 Tbsp. cranberry sauce into each of 6 (4-oz. each) ramekins. Pour cream/egg mixture evenly into ramekins; place ramekins in a large roasting pan, adding hot tap water to pan to depth of about 1/2 inch. Bake in a preheated 300 F oven 45 to 55 minutes or until edges are set. Cool custards in pan on a wire rack 25 minutes. Remove ramekins from water bath; cover and chill 8 hours.

To serve, sprinkle 1-1/2 to 2 tsp. remaining sugar evenly over each ramekin. Fill a large roasting pan with ice cubes; nestle ramekins in pan with ice. Broil 5 inches from heat 3 to 5 min­utes or until sugar is melted and caramelized. Let stand 5 minutes. Garnish and serve at once. Yield: 6 servings. (If you have a chef’s torch, you can eliminate the roasting pan/ice step and just caramelize the sugar with the torch.)

Cranberry orange cheesecake

For the crust:

• 2/3 cup crushed chocolate wafer cookies (about 13 cookies)
• 1-1/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest, divided use
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

3 pkgs. (8-oz. each) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. all purpose flour

3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup finely chopped dried cranberries

1/4 cup cranberry juice

1/2 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped

To prepare the crust: Combine crushed cookies and 1 tsp. of orange zest in a small bowl. Stir in melted butter. Press crust in bottom of 9-inch springform pan; set aside.

To prepare the filling: Combine cream cheese, sugar and flour in a large mixing bowl and beat on low speed of electric mixer until combined. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 5 minutes. Beat in eggs and remaining 1/2 tsp. orange zest just until combined. Fold in dried cranberries and cranberry juice. Pour mixture into crust-lined pan and sprinkle top with chopped fresh cranberries..

Bake in a preheated 375 F oven 35 to 40 minutes or until edges are set. (Center will still be slightly jiggly.) Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes.

Using a small, sharp knife, loosen edges from sides of pan and let cool 30 minutes. Release ring and remove; cool completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Yield: 16 servings.

Cranberry bread pudding

• 2 cups water
• 2-1/4 cups sugar, divided use
• 1-1/2 Tbsp. grated lemon zest
• 1 whole vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 lb. brioche or egg bread, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices (available in most large supermarkets)
• 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 3 cups whole milk
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• Vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream

Combine water, 1 cup of the sugar, lemon zest and vanilla bean in a small pan set over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add cranberries; simmer 1 minute and remove from heat. Remove vanilla bean and scrape seeds from pod; add to cranberry mix­ture along with the bean. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Cut bread into 1-inch squares and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with melted butter tossing to coat. Place on a rimmed sheet pan and bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 18-20 minutes or until lightly toasted. Reduce oven to 325 F.

Coat sides of a 10 cup soufflé dish with softened butter and dust with granulated sugar. Set aside. Combine milk, eggs and 3/4 cup sugar in a large bowl; add bread cubes. Drain cranberry mixture, discard vanilla bean and liquid. Add cranberries to bread mixture and fold in gently. Pour into prepared dish.

Combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cinna­mon in a small dish; sprinkle over top of bread. Cover with foil and bake (oven still at 325 F) for 1 hour or just until pudding is set. Place on a wire rack and cool 15 minutes. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. Yield: 8-10 servings.