Pomegranates

Pomergranites? Pommogranits? Pomagranitz? Now is the perfect time to learn to spell the name of this exotic, slightly tart fruit. The correct spelling is above, in plain view: p-o-m-e-g-r-a-n-a-t-e-s (and there will be a spelling test next week).

Pomegranates are one of the oldest fruits in existence, and some scholars suggest that it was the pomegranate, not the apple, depicted in the Garden of Eden. It's great appeal has made it the subject of epics and art, by artists and authors such as Shakespeare, Homer, and Cezanne. Pomegranates are also a superior source of antioxidants, and may help improve health in several ways.

A quick Google search provided many books on pomegranates. I selected but a few to share. Pomegranate: The Most Medicinal Fruit, by Robert Newman, P.H.D., and Ephraim Lansky, M.D., published in 2007, provides readers with the history and science of this fruit as a health food, and includes artistic images and recipes. Pomegranate, by G.M. Levin, P.H.D., published in 2006, is a scientific and informative book, with a very lovely cover (this author has also written another pomegranate-themed book called Pomegranate Roads: A Soviet Botanist's Exile from Eden, published in 2006, which is a memoir of his life and search for rare, wild pomegranates). But you don't need to be a doctor to write about pomegranates. Ann Kleinberg, a food critic and columnist, wrote a beautiful cookbook, published in 2004, Pomegranates, which received many excellent reviews on Amazon. Her recipes are called "flawless" and "creative" by reviewers.

Why all this talk about pomegranates?

I never imagined I'd write a post about this fruit, even though it happens to be one of my favorites (we even have a pomegranate tree which bears fruit). Although I am health conscious (hopefully not sickeningly so), this is a blog about books, not health matters. However, I received an email from Janny of POM Wonderful, who has been sending very generous "care packages" of delicious pomegranate juice to food and health bloggers. I'd commented on a very funny food blog post I'd read, and as a result Janny offered me a free shipment of the juice, which of course I accepted, being partial to all things pomegranate. A couple of days later, I received an email from Jeff confirming the shipment, and the next thing I knew, the package had arrived.

I've been enjoying POM Wonderful pomegranate juice over ice with a wedge of lime on the side of the glass.

After a bit of experimenting, I came up with this quick salad dressing:

POM Vinaigrette

• 2 Tablespoon POM Wonderful Juice
• 2 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 6 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• Squeeze or two of Lemon or Lime

Whisk together ingredients and enjoy. Be sure to top your salad with freshly ground pepper.
(About 4 servings. As with any recipe, adjust amounts of ingredients to taste.)




Thank you, Janny and Jeff of POM Wonderful.
You are wonderful, and so is this refreshing juice!

(P.S. Don't worry, though, if you don't learn to spell pomegranates--there's always spell check. I rely on it. )