Pomegranates are the fruit that damned Persephone to wed Hades, and to live out winters in his realm for all eternity. To eat one is a long, sensual, and luxurious experience. I love their thick, rough skin, like a strange alien planet...
...slicing through the rough outer layers, spilling wine-coloured juices...
...pulling back, considering which half to proceed with, and where to begin...
...gently pulling the pomegranate apart, section by section, revealing clustered rows of seeds nestled into banks of creamy white...
...peeling back the waxy honeycomb membrane to reveal another cache of gleaming ruby seeds...
...slipping a fingernail behind each glowing, firm ruby and gently pulling it loose...
...holding some in your palm, like gemstones...
...feeling them explode in your mouth, their outer firmness bursting beneath your teeth, releasing their sweet-tart juices...
...it's even better when they're drunk*...
When it's all over, savor the satisfaction mingled with sinking disappointment as you gaze at the now-empty sockets where once there were gleaming seeds...
I've always wondered - did Persephone feel her fateful pomegranate was worth it? I would be hard pressed to judge.
*Credit to Jamie Oliver for pomegranate seed vodka shooters (which are made exactly how it sounds: pomegranate seeds + vodka).
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Nicole - does this cooking blog mean you are going to be the next 'Julie' from 'Julie and Julia'??
ReplyDeleteWell...I don't know if I quite have Julie's fortitude, but I HAVE seriously considered obtaining copies of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" ever since I saw that movie.
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