Pomegranates

I adore pomegranates! 

But I don't get to buy these delicious delicacies as often as I'd like because they are a little pricier than other more common fruits.  Yet when I do, I thoroughly enjoy it!  Pomegranates have a round red exterior and an interior completely packed with individual juicy, nutty, ruby seeds, called arils.  It is a fun food to eat and it's good for you!  Many people like to mix the seeds into recipes, but I haven't done that.  I usually eat mine as a stand-alone breakfast.  It fills me up quite nicely with its rich and refreshing flavor and texture!  I hope you come to love this exotic fruit as much as I do! 

Pomegranates are a little tricky to prepare, but with some good tips, it's no problem at all.  Here's what I like to do:

First, make sure you wear an apron.  Sometimes, no matter how careful you are, those little seeds will squirt you with dark red juice.  We don't want any shirt stains, people, so clad thyself with thine apron armor!  :) 

Next, I take a serrated knife and slice a shallow X into the top of the fruit.  The cut should be about an inch down, but you can go deeper if you want.  Now use those scored edges to begin breaking into the pomegranate.  Simply use your hands to break the fruit into smaller pieces, exposing the tasty seeds, held in place by brittle, white, sponge-like walls.

The best tools to use to dislodge the arils are your very own fingers; any other implement will just leave you unnecessarily squirted with juice.  Using the pads of your fingers, spend a few minutes and gently rub the seeds out of their cubbies.  Some people like to do this step in a shallow bowl of water because the seeds sink to the bottom while the inedible pomegranate walls float to the top for easy discarding.  I don't think the bowl of water is necessary, but everyone is a little different about their preferences.  So if it helps you, go ahead and utilize it!  In the end, throw out the white stuff and save only the seeds.

Finally, rinse the arils in a small colander.  That's it!  Be prepared for a taste-treat--the juicy little seeds are ready to munch!  Enjoy!