Pomegranate Season is Here!
Wednesday September 27, 2006
Pomegranates have begun to appear in the supermarket. Pomegranate season typically runs from October to January. Although a native fruit of the Mediterranean region (used for thousands of years), most pomegranates found in US markets come from California's San Joaquin Valley.
Sweet, juicy, and delicious, this exotic fruit can be daunting to anyone that hasn't used it before. However, opening a pomegranate and removing the juicy purple seeds (actually arils) is quite simple. Just check out my photo step-by-step guide to opening a pomegranate:
How to Cut and Open a Pomegranate
Next, eat the seeds as they are or on a salad or in one of these delicious pomegranate recipes:
- Pomegranate Banana Cheesecake with a Chocolate Crust
- Pomegranate Glazed Quail Salad with Cider Vinaigrette and Grilled Figs
- Molten Chocolate Cake with Pomegranate Granita
- Persian Chicken with Pomegranates, Pine Nuts, & Grapefruit Yogurt
- Chicken with Prosciutto and Gruyere Cheese & Apple-Pomegranate Relish
- Old House Crown Cocktail
Comments
Brett – How do we tell if a pomegranate is ripe? I keep being disappointed…
A good ripe pomegranate will have a deeply colored skin (usually reddish purple) and will be heavy for its size (i.e. juicy!).
Most pomegranates are shipped ripe, so it is unlikely you’ll get an unripe one. On the other hand, you may encounter some that are old and dried out. Avoid fruits with cracks or soft spots. The skin should be leathery but smooth. An old pomegranate will also be considerably lighter than a fresh one.
WHERE CAN YOU BUY POMEGRANATES FROM JANUARY TO SEPT