Bright, ruby red seeds, 163 of them just like the Torah’s Commandments. The pomegranate is one of those perplexing fruits we find in the yards of our 1950’s ranchettes and wonder what to do with them. Little do we know these fruits came all the way from their native Persia, traversing the globe via India, China, the Mediterranean, over to Spain, and on the ships to the New World. A 1792 account from Mission San Buena Ventura mentions the pomegranate. Via the Spanish missionaries, the fruit spread throughout the state. Now California is the #1 grower in the nation due to our favorable climate.
Symbolically and spiritually loaded, it is important in the Sephardic Rosh Hashanah seder. To Hindus, the pomegranate symbolizes fertility and prosperity. In the Muslim Koran, the pomegranate grows in the Garden of Paradise. To Armenians, it is equated with the survival of a nation. In Greece and Turkey, you will find pomegranate shaped beads with the “eye” on them to ward off bad luck.
The pomegranate is loaded with antioxidant properties. Once you get the hang of de-seeding a pomegranate (a messy process due to the red seed juice – wear an apron) you can enjoy both the delicious flavor, as well as the spiritual and health values. Great to eat raw, juiced, included in salads, marinades and Sangria! Click here to learn how to de-seed and juice the pomegranate: https://toriavey.com/how-to/how-to-seed-a-pomegranate/