Jac, I agree that uncooked cranberries do pack a potent taste; but cooking them, especially with brown sugar, tones their brightness down considerably. And that’s what I’m thinking: a simple cheesecake (maybe laced with some bourbon and spices) with a fruit-and-bourbon topping. Cherry sounds good, but is a typical cheesecake presentation. Cranberries, apples, and bourbon ... that sounds promising.

W.D., maybe you could earn big bucks staging cranberry fights ... or maybe not. My cookbook has a pumpkin cheesecake recipe that calls for brandy or cognac; it is wonderful.