I'll admit it. I was 40 years old before I, with my own hands, opened up and explored a fresh pomegranate. I'd seen the Pom juice, had pomegranate seeds as an ingredient in foods served in Mediterranean restaurants and I'd even read mythology where the pomegranate played an important role in Persephone's life. I'd never, however, opened one for myself.I mean, come on. I grew up in the middle of WV. Exotic was Long John Silver's Seafood Shop. And I'm not kidding.
So what do you look for in a pomegranate? I had to be educated. First, look for red. Red means ripe. Then, look for plump - some say the fruit looks almost square at the sides when the seeds are at their ripest. Finally, make sure there are no cracks in the skin. Ok, got all that?
Now it's time to open this baby up. When you do, you'll find seeds hidden in membranes. Some suggest you cut the fruit in half and bang it on the edge of a bowl so that the seeds just pop out. That's not been my experience. I've had to poke the seeds out myself, but you can run your finger along the membrane and they come out pretty easily.
What then? Well, some love to suck the seeds and spit them out. Being more dainty than that, I like to put them on salads and eat the seeds completely. They are especially lovely on Baba Ganoush - one of my FAVORITE ways to eat eggplant. But that, my friends, is a recipe for another day!
It's pomegranate season again. They're available right now in grocery stores. Go ahead. Try one. I'll bet you like it!
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