Food of the Day: Pomegranate

Before Acaí was all the rage, the pomegranate was the new antioxidant wunderkind. Hey, but just because it was five minutes ago doesn't mean it's not still good for you. And, lucky us, they are abundant during the holiday season.

Native to what is present-day Iran, the pomegranate is one of just a handful of fruits mentioned in the Old Testament. They are known both as a symbol of fertility and as the namesake of the modern-day Spanish city of Granada and of the wartime staple, the hand grenade.

So, now that we know the history, what the heck do we do with them? It's obvious to anyone who has seen this beautiful, ruby red fruit in the produce aisle that you can't cut into it like an apple. Can't peel it like an orange. So, what is a neophyte fruit-monger to do?

A How-To from the fabulous, indispensable Field Guide to Produce:

1. Cut off the crown.
2. Gently scoop out some of the center white core with a spoon.
3. Score just through the outer rind, marking the fruit into quarters.
4. Place your thumb in the center of the core and gently pull apart the sections.
5. Peel away the white pith and discard.
6. Turn the skin inside out and pop out the seeds.
7. To separate the seeds from any remaining pith, place sections of pomegranate in a bowl of cold water and gently swish around, The white pieces should float to the top while the seeds sink.

I find eating the seeds raw is a yummy treat, as is running them through a juicer with a few yummy frozen cherries or the new It-Food, Acaí.