Pomegranates

"The jewel of winter" - a delicious fruit with very high nutritional levels - the pomegranate is a wonderful treat. Containing high amounts of fiber, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and potassium, this brilliant fruit has a long history and varieties include the Early Foothill, Grenada, Red Wonderful and Early Wonderful. The most common variety grown in California is the Wonderful, and availability is from September through December. Beneath the rather leathery skin (ancient Romans tanned the pomegranate skin and used it for clothing and as a fabric pattern because of its beauty. Henry the Eighth's first wife Catherine of Aragon's coat of arms was made from the skin of pomegranates), is a rich, flavorful juice that is tangy and sweet, and is the base for sauces, drinks, desserts and many other dishes. The seeds are delightful eaten fresh, used as a garnish, added to salads and spreads

Breakfast

Add fresh seeds to muffins and waffle mixes
Include in a fresh smoothie with other juices
Add to hot cereals

Lunch

Add to fresh salads
Include in salad dressings such as a fruit vinaigrette

Dinner

Juice and seeds make a wonderful chilled soup
Use for a glaze for sweet potatoes
Excellent for fruit ice or sorbet

Pomegranates are ripe when the skin is a crimson color, and the fruit should feel heavy and the skin should be shiny - avoid fruit with cracks and splits in the skin. Pomegranates can be stored in a cool place for up to a month, or refrigerated for up to two months. Keep the fruit in a sealed container to avoid taking on the flavors of other foods such as onions. The seeds can be frozen in a sealed container for many months, but unfortunately, when the seeds are thawed juicing them is the the only option as they are no longer edible.

To Prepare:

Remove the crown end of the pomegranate, and gently score the rind in many places. Put the fruit in water and soak for a few minutes. Hold the fruit under water and pull the sections apart. Remove the seeds from the membrane - the seeds will sink while the rind and membrane will float. Remove the skin and membrane by skimming, and pour the seeds into a colander and allow to dry for a few minutes. For juice, place the seeds in a food processor and process until the juice forms. Strain the juice in a fine strainer to remove the seed particles -- serve chilled. The seeds are a great source of dietary fiber, and fans of the pomegranate eat the fresh fruit by chewing the seeds which releases the juice.

Pomegranates are one of the oldest known fruits in the world, and are thought to be a native of China. Homer, Shakespeare and Chaucer included the pomegranate in their literature, and some believe the fruit to be the temptation that lead to the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden! The huge number of seeds of the fruit symbolized eternal life to some faiths, and the pomegranate has been prominently displayed in many paintings of past. King Tutankhamen's treasures were adorned with pomegranates, and while no documentation exists, it is thought that the deep red pips of the fruit may have given rise to the naming of the garnet gemstone.

The pomegranate reached America by way of the Spanish conquistadors, and although it has not achieved the popularity here that it has in the Mid-East, Far-East or Europe, it is growing in demand. The Romans called the pomegranate the punic apple, and its current botanical name is Punicum granatum. The French named their hand explosives the grenade after the way the pomegranate seeds scatter when thrown. The French military in 1791 who used the grenade were called grenadiers.

Garnish fresh vegetable or fruit salads with pomegranate seeds
Add pomegranate seeds to baba ganouch and eat with warm whole wheat pita
Begin your day with fresh pomegranate juice