OFF THE SHELF
The pleasure of learning to use pomegranate

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Americans tend to admire these fruits more often than they actually eat them. Advertiser library photo

Buy deeply colored, large fruits that are heavy for their size. Store them in the refrigerator for as long as two months, or on a counter for a few days.

To remove the seeds, roll the pomegranate on a cutting board, pressing down slightly. Then score the leathery skin into quarters and submerge it in a bowl of cold water. Gently break open the pomegranate and separate the seeds from the pith. The pith will float to the top of the bowl, and can be easily scooped off. Working under water prevents you from staining your clothing or counter.

Once you've freed them, the clusters of juice sacs are edible just as they are and also make an attractive garnish. Pomegranate fruits are most often consumed as juice and can be juiced is several ways. The sacs can be removed and put through a basket press or juiced by reaming the halved fruits on an ordinary orange juice squeezer. Another approach: Warm the fruit slightly, rolling it between the hands to soften the interior. Cut a hole in the stem end and place the fruit over a glass to drain, squeezing periodically.

This juice can be used to make jellies, sorbets or cold or hot sauces as well as to flavor cakes and other sweets. Pomegranate syrup is sold commercially as grenadine.