Thanksgiving sneaked right up on us this year, landing early in the month, so here we are lining up the turkey for roasting and the potatoes for mashing, onions for creaming, pumpkins for pie, and cranberries for sauce. Or relish. Or both.

We are whole-berry sauce aficionados at our house, and I usually make a cranberry molded salad, too. But along came this recipe from my neighbor Midge Welldon, who got it from her daughter-in-law, Norma Jean. This relish is very easy and definitely a good addition to the Thanksgiving table and for use on the leftovers afterward. The spices and brandy give it a different character than the usual cranberry and orange or apple relish.

The good news is you can buy cranberries grown in Maine. Whether you live Down East or in Waldo County, there are local cranberry growers: Lincolnville, Dennysville, Columbia Falls, Holden, and Princeton, as well as some closer to Augusta. If you live in one of these towns or next door to one, consider getting some local berries. If you don’t see any at the store, ask for them, or look for a farmers market. Sometimes food co-ops carry them. The heck with the ones from New Jersey or Wisconsin, of all places.

The peach brandy in the recipe is the secret ingredient, but if you are a teetotaler, you can leave it out and still have a good relish. If you don’t have peach brandy, use another compatible one (not coffee brandy, for instance) or just use a plain brandy. I didn’t pare the apple, and you can use whatever sort or size you have or like.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Looking for

A recipe for Needhams. I thought it would be fun to make some for Christmas. Anyone have a tried and true recipe for them?

Send queries or answers to Sandy Oliver, 1061 Main Road, Islesboro 04848. E-mail: tastebuds@prexar.com. For recipes, tell us where they came from. List ingredients, specify number of servings and do not abbreviate measurements. Include name, address and daytime phone number.

Cranberry Relish

Yields 3 cups.

12 ounces of whole cranberries (about three cups)

1 apple, pared and cored

1 cup of sugar

1 8 ?-ounce can crushed pineapple, well-drained (about 1 cup)

? teaspoon cinnamon

? teaspoon cloves

? teaspoon ground ginger

4 tablespoons of peach brandy

Chop the cranberries and apples in a food processor or run through a food grinder. Add all the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Spoon into a container to chill overnight.

Local cranberries

Some growers may be out of berries for this year, but make a note of the ones near you to remember for next year.

In the Columbia Falls area, look for Dick & Judy Farnsworth’s County Road Cranberry Bogs on 1256 US Hwy #1, Columbia Falls, ME, 04623.

In Dennysville, Bradshaw’s Cranberry Farm, on 95 Hinckley Point Road. The bogs are found on Hinckley Point Road and Route 1 in Dennysville, halfway between Machias and Calais.

In Lincolnville, Fred and Margo Moody’s bog is at 154 Heal Road and Fire Road 74 in Lincolnville Center, and they sell at their farm as well in the local food coops from Belfast to Rockland.