November's 613.

Pomegranate

Punica granatum L.

I like pomegranates. Since I was young, I've been fascinated by this fruit. This might have something to do with my obsession with listening to Greek Mythology tapes on repeat everyday- Persephone was the best. However, it probably has more to do with making Pomegranate jelly every November. My Grandma would always have me over to help her shell and seed the pomegranates, boil the seeds, and add an inappropriate amount of sugar and gelatin. This process usually took 7 hours-but the end result was amaZing. November was my new favorite month.

Just this past week while I was at home for Thanksgiving, I came across a pomegranate tree. I was a little surprised to have found one that had fruit bearing on it because I'd never seen what it looked like. The pomegranates were so, so beautiful. I wanted to pick one (or eight), but was nervous that the winery we were at might be a little upset if I started pruning back their only pomegranate tree.

...Yeah, that didn't stop me.

Pomegranates are one of the oldest known fruits. They often appear in ancient Greek mythology (yes) and ancient Egyptian mythology and art. Grown abundantly throughout the Middle East, the Mediterranean and California, pomegranates are rich in nutrients and flavor. The little seeds have an awesome texture and leave a sweet & sour aftertaste in your mouth.

Pomegranates contain high levels of vitamin C and many types of antioxidants, namely from three anthocyanidins: cyanidin, delphinidin and pelargonidin. The polyphenol content is 3X the amount that is usually found in green tea and red wine.  Polyphenols are directly related to cancer and heart disease prevention. Wicked nutrition right here.

 

And the fun pomegranate fact of the day: The number of seeds found in a pomegranate are always 613- the same number of commandments in the Torah.

P.S. A tip for when you're seeding pomegranates: place the pomegranate in a bowl of water and break apart the rinds/membranes. This way, you won't get 6 billion pomegranate stains on your cute autumnal shirt.