Pomegranates!

You all know what a huge lover of Fall I am. I can't wait to pick apples, and cook with pumpkin, get my soups and stews simmering, and I can't wait until the pomegranates start showing up in the stores. Out here in New England we don't have them year round. They only start to appear around mid October. I saw the big cardboard bin piled high with them in the grocery store this week and they were only 2 for $3! Bargain!

I've been eating pomegranates since I was a little kid. My Dad always ate them, so he got me eating them too. No one else in the house liked them except us, which was good in a way cause we knew when we bought them that we wouldn't have to share with my Mom or brothers. We're like that with chestnuts too. (that post will come closer to Thanksgiving).

I'm always surprised at how many people have never eaten a pomegranate, or even seen one. I've brought a bag of arils (the seeds which you eat) into work quite a few times, and I get he strangest looks. "What the heck are you eating???". I always offer them some, then they ask me what they taste like. "Well kind of tart like a cranberry, but a bit sweet too, it's hard to explain, just try some". Some people will, some won't cause it's too "strange" for them. I just can't get enough of them and I will buy them almost every week until they disappear from the stores for another year. *sniff*

For those of you haven't eaten a pomegranate before, I decided just cause they look so darn intimidating, I'd offer up few helpful tips. Here's how you tackle one of these beauties.

Fill a big bowl with water. Score the pom with a sharp knife then break open it open with your hands into sections. Drop the sections in the water and pull the seeds away from the pulp (the white papery stuff). The pulp will float and the seeds will sink.

Strain out as much of the pulp as you can.

Then run the seeds through a colander to get any remaining pulp that is left and you will have....

A big buncha beautiful pomegranate arils. Yum. I eat them like peanuts or popcorn. Just fill up a bowl and pop 'em in the pie hole. Oh and another good thing about pomegranates...don't tell the kids....there good for you too!

So if you've always wanted to try one, or you're the person who picks it up at the store only to put it back cause ya wouldn't know what to do with it when you got it home.....I hope you pick it up and take it home and try one.