Skip to main content

Enjoying a Pomegranate

Pomegranates (punica granatum) are so delicious and in season now.  I urge you to buy a few to enjoy this winter while you have the chance.  Growing up, mom & dad would occasionally buy one or two for us, but I don't recall ever liking them as much as I should have.  Nowadays, I love everything pomegranate.  I keep pomegranate juice in my refrigerator at all times and, in winter, I like to treat myself to a few.  Not only are pomegranates full of flavor, ranging from sour to sweet, they're also full of vitamin C, polyphenols & potassium.  The small jewel-like arils contain tiny seeds which are perfectly edible and should be consumed because they contain a good amount of fiber.  You can do a number of things culinary wise with pomegranates, but first you must know how to extract their delicious arils.  Let me show you how it's done.



First, choose the right pomegranate.  Make sure the skin is smooth, free of blemishes & bright red.  Pink ones are underripe and shriveled ones indicate rot.



Cut the entire pomegranate in half crosswise.  Do this over a large plate or bowl and if you want, drape your counter with newspapers.  Pomegranate juice stains most surfaces rather quickly, so I caution you.  I always keep a few paper towels handy while I do this.


Expose the pulp and the hundreds of arils.  Don't they look delicious already?



Hold one of the pomegranate halves cupped in your palm and begin pounding with a large wooden spoon all around the skin.  Do this over a large bowl to catch the seeds & juice.  Repeat this with the other half. 



Most of the seeds will come out, but a few may remain in the pulp.  Remove them gently with your fingers.  Your hand will be quite stained by now (using kitchen gloves helps!).   


Bright red, juicy and wonderfully edible arils.  Aren't you tempted?



How do I enjoy pomegranates?  I prefer to eat them with my fingers from a small bowl and nothing else (no spoon!).  I also love them lightly crushed and stirred into some Greek yogurt or tossed into a pomtini if I'm in the mood.  Whichever way you desire to eat a pomegranate, you really should treat yourself, your family & your body to these beneficial fruits.  Bon appetit!  

Comments

Post a Comment

Thank You for Posting!

Popular posts from this blog

Antique Salt Cellars

There was a time when salt cellars played an important role on the dining table for the host or hostess.  As a result of it being such an expensive commodity several hundred years ago, salt was seen as a luxury and it was the well to do that made salt cellars quite fashionable & a status symbol for the home.  A single salt cellar usually sat at the head of the table and was passed around throughout the meal.  The closer one sat to the salt cellar, the more important one was deemed by the head of the household.  Smaller cellars that were more accessible and with an open top became a part of Victorian table settings.  Fast forward to the 20th century when salt was no longer a luxury and when anti caking agents were added to make salt free-flowing, and one begins to see salt cellars fall out of fashion.  Luckily for the collector and for those of us who like to set a table with Good Things , this can prove to be a boon. Salt cellars for the table come in silver, porcelain, cut glass
50 comments
Read more

How to Paint a Chair

If you have ever felt the need to spruce up a set of chairs or give them a new look, why not try a little bit of paint?  Our tastes in decor and color will probably alter throughout our lives, and at some point, we may find ourselves wanting to change the look of our furniture without having to spend a lot of money.  That's where a few handy tips, some tools from the hardware store, and good-quality paint come in handy.   I know I'm not alone in paying visits to local antique shops, antique fairs and flea markets, and falling in love with pieces of furniture that would be perfect if they were just a different color.  You don't have to walk away from a good purchase simply because it's the wrong color.   My dear friend, Jeffrey, is forever enhancing his home with collectibles from flea markets and tag sales.  However, certain items aren't always up to Jeffrey's tastes when he brings them home.  He is the type of person who won't hesitate to chang
6 comments
Read more

Vintage Wilton Wedding Cakes

Wedding cakes have certainly evolved over the decades just as tastes and styles have in our American way of life.  There was a time when elaborate & very formal towering feats of sweetness were the standard for every bride & groom.  Growing up in a household where I witnessed several wedding cakes take shape from start to finish, I can tell you  that every single one of these was a true labor of love.  For mom, Wilton was the go-to supplier in every aspect of cake baking, including the wedding cakes which flew out of our house every single year for friends & family.   Vintage Wedding Cake Toppers It’s fun going back and looking at Wilton’s methods and styles for wedding cakes during the 1960s and 1970s.  Back then, the shapely cakes were not simply stacked and covered in perfect fondant the way they are these days, but were iced and decorated with real buttercream, along with a multitude of accessories.  There was even a working fountain available that could b
7 comments
Read more