HOW TO COOK A POMEGRANATE
By Sara Jagielski

Unless noted, photography provided by POM Wonderful

The farmers market at the Ferry Building in downtown San Francisco is a food lover's paradise, complete with every sort of imaginable delight, from organic fruits and vegetables to local honey, artisanal goat cheese, and succulent roasted chicken. Usually, I come just to browse, buying whatever suits my fancy. Today, however, I'm here to find fresh pomegranates.

My fascination with this richly colored fruit began when I learned that the pomegranate is not only grown in the United States, but is farmed a mere three hours southwest of San Francisco in the San Joaquin Valley, an agricultural region near Fresno. This makes it practically locally grown by Bay Area standards. I am surprised to learn this because pomegranates are not nearly as popular as other U.S. grown fruits. Perhaps this is because they seem formidable to prepare or maybe people simply don't know what to do with them.

Lucky for me, the Wonderful pomegranates at the Ferry Market don't have to travel very far at all. As I peruse the aisles of the farmer's market, I see a pile of softball sized pomegranates with light red, almost pinkish skin. The man behind the counter tells me that they come from Balakian Farms in the San Joaquin area and are certified organic. I check them for blemishes, but know they are ripe because unlike many other fruits, pomegranates are picked ripe and do not ripen further off the tree. While they can be stored at room temperature for about a week or in the refrigerator for about a month, they are best eaten right away for the freshest flavor.

I purchase a few pomegranates for around $1 to $2 each and take them back to my apartment where I prepare them for eating. There are a few different ways to separate the seeds, called arils, from the outer skin and white connective tissue, but I find the water method to be the easiest. First, cut off the crown of the fruit. Score the outer layer of skin into sections. Place the scored pomegranate into a large bowl of cold water and break apart each section along the score lines. Gently release the arils away from the skin with your fingers. The arils will fall to the bottom of the bowl while the white membrane floats to the surface to be discarded. Drain the water and you're left with only the arils, tender and red, glistening like gems. For juice, puree the arils and strain out the pulp and seeds. One pomegranate will yield about half a cup of juice.

As I nibble on the arils and contemplate what to make from the fruit, I read through my notes on the history and legend of the pomegranate. Mr. Andris has told me that the name is derived from the Middle Ages nomenclature pomuni granatum, which means "seeded apple." It is thought to have originated from Persia (modern day Iran) and was one of the first fruits to be cultivated after grain-farming was invented in the Fertile Crescent. References of this ancient fruit turn up as early as 2,500 B.C. in Greek and Roman art and literature where it was often seen as a symbol of fertility and fidelity. It was depicted on frescos in Pompeii, mentioned twice in Homer's Odyssey, and used in religious artwork, such as "Madonna of the Pomegranate" by Botticelli, as well as in the famous tapestry entitled "Unicorn in Captivity" housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. There is even a suggestion in one book, The Origins of Fruits and Vegetables by Jonathon Roberts (Universe Publishing, 2001) that the earliest sorbet consisted of pomegranate juice mixed with snow.

After reading about pomegranate history, I decide to make a pomegranate flan using a modified recipe from the POM Wonderful people. This recipe is practical because it can be made using fresh pomegranates or, if the fruit is out of season, pomegranate juice. This is a standard flan recipe topped with pomegranate syrup and pomegranate seeds, but I modified it slightly by reducing the sugar and adding a bit of heavy cream. The result is a pale yellow flan that has a silky, smooth texture and a fruity, yet tart flavor. It's delicious, sophisticated, and simple to make. Additionally, fresh arils can be layered into parfaits, mixed into Pavlovas, fruit napoleons, or sprinkled as a colorful garnish on plated desserts. The juice can be made into sorbet, granite, ice cream, coulis, jelly, as well as a variety of festive cocktails.

Perhaps Henry IV, a 15th-Century English king, said it best when he adopted this fruit as a symbol for his kingdom; he called the pomegranate "sour, yet sweet." These three words adeptly summarize the pomegranate's rich history, complex taste, and curious design.

POMEGRANATE FLAN

• see recipe