 The word pomegranate means "many grained apple." From China to the Mediterranean, the many-seeded pomegranate symbolizes fecundity. A Turkish bride throws the fruit to the ground, and the number of seeds that pop out predicts how many children she will bear. This unique fruit, a Persian native, is now widely cultivated in the tropics, subtropics, the Mediterranean region, and southern California.
Health Benefits: Pomegranates are a superior source of potassium, are high in citric acid, and have moderate amounts of vitamin C and B vitamins.
Use: Pulling pomegranate seeds from the fruit is a sticky task but a sweet one-and best if not hurried. The juice is easier to extract: Bruise the fruit by rolling it on a hard surface, and then puncture its end, insert a straw, and drink. The juice makes a permanent stain, so protect your clothing with a bib apron. The fruit is primarily eaten raw and is a common ingredient in Spanish, Italian, Middle Eastern, and Latin American cuisines. It may be used in jelled desserts, sauces, conserves, and syrups. As a garnish, a few of its ruby red seeds sprinkled in a fruit cup or even risotto add dramatic flare. Grenadine is a popular pomegranate nonalcoholic sweet liqueur. It adds sweet tang to sauces, marinades, and dressings, and its red color looks great in sorbet and ice cream. Pomegranate molasses made by boiling down and concentrating the juice, is used in Persian cuisine.
Buying: Look for fresh looking, plump, heavy fruit with a hard red skin. Pomegranates are at peak supply in the fall. Store in a cool, dark place for up to a month, or refrigerate for up to two months. Grenadine is sugar sweetened; pomegranate syrup available in Middle Eastern markets is unsweetened.
from Rebecca Wood's The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia |
