Pomegranate

I’ve saved the best for last, well I think so anyways!

Pomegranates are my favourite fruit, and every year I cannot wait until they come back in season! I realize they may not be strange or exotic to everyone, but I do know some people who have never tried a pomegranate, and so for those people I’m going to do my best to convince you that they are worthwhile.

Pomegranates are round, red fruit that are filled with about 700-800 tightly packed seeds, called arils. While the whole seed is eaten, it is the juice packet that surrounds the seeds that makes it delicious!  There are many ways that pomegranates can be enjoyed; they can be eaten raw, used as toppings for desserts, mixed in with salads, or they can be pressed to make a juice from them. The taste of the pomegranate will depend on the ripeness of the fruit, but its’ taste can be sweet, sour or tangy.

Now, because this is my favourite fruit, you can probably guess that I really enjoyed tasting it for this blog! The pomegranate that I had was ripened perfectly, so it had a very sweet taste. However, I have tasted bad pomegranates; this usually happens when the pomegranate isn’t ripe enough, and the arils are a much paler colour, with some of them still being rather white. The redder the aril, the sweeter the pomegranate!

Here are a few tips to follow when picking out a pomegranate at the grocery store to make sure you get the best one!

• Look for large, unblemished pomegranates
• Look for plump, rounded pomegranates
• Feel heavy for their size compared to other pomegranates of similar size.
• Pomegranates should be brightly colored with tinges of brown.
• Avoid pomegranates with wrinkled, dull, or pale skin
• Look for pomegranatesthat are free of cuts, slashes, or bruises.
• Pomegranate should be firm to the touch and that its skin must not have a dull finish.
• The skin should be shiny, firm and thin.

How to cut it:

***Cutting pomegranates can be quite messy and the juice can stain clothing, so be sure not to be wearing your favourite clothes while you do this!***

1. Start by cutting the pomegranate in half

2. Next, cut each half one more time, cutting the fruit into quarters.

3. One quarter at a time, carefully separate the arils from the outer skin and membranes over a bowl or container.

4. Discard the outer skin and membranes.

5. Enjoy!

Check out this video for a different (and less messy) way of cutting open a pomegranate!

How to Cut a Pomegranate