Melagrane
Persephone was, we are told, a stunning beauty. She must have been to attract the eye of Hades, Lord of the Underworld, as he rode his chariot through the sky to visit his brother Zeus; Hades inquired about her and learned she was the daughter of Demeter, Lady of the harvest, and Poseidon, Lord of the waves. When Hades said he was much smitten by her Zeus suggested he carry her off, as her mother, who spent her life among plants and growing things, was not likely to allow her to spend her time in the gray and lifeless Land of the Dead.
Hades followed his brother's advice: He appeared through a rent in the earth, riding a coal-black chariot drawn by coal-black chargers, and snatched her up.
Demeter didn't take it well. She disguised herself in old sacking, searched the underworld by torchlight, and when she finally found Persephone demanded her release. Hades refused, Demeter went into mourning, and the plants above ground began to wither and die; Zeus realized he had to do something. So he told Hades to return Persephone. Disobedience being unthinkable, Hades agreed. However, he really did love his bride, and as she was leaving offered her a pomegranate from one of the trees in his garden. She ate some seeds and his joy knew no bounds: Those who eat the fruits of Death can never leave the underworld.
And so Demeter remained in mourning, the plants continued to die, and the people to starve. Finally Zeus hammered out a compromise. Persephone would live with her husband a month for every seed she had eaten, and then return to the surface until next year. Demeter took off her sackcloth, the plants began to grow, and now we have seasons.
Pomegranates are not just associated with Death, however. Within their hard rosy brown skins they contain hundreds of seeds, and thus people also associate them with fertility and good fortune. For that matter, Persephone isn't just a Dark Lady either -- her departure each fall may bring winter, but her return in the spring brings with it a rush of new life.
The seeds of a pomegranate may make for -- and symbolize -- fertility, but they also make eating the pomegranate a rather difficult chore. Each woody seed is surrounded by a little bit of bright red pulp, rather like a free-standing berry, and therefore, unless you like the seeds, there can be quite a bit of seed spitting involved. For this reason recipes frequently say to extract the juice and set aside a number of seeds to use as a garnish.
In buying pomegranates, select larger ones because they will be juicier. Making pomegranate juice is easier than you might think: Trim away the rind from the top and bottom of the pomegranate, then cut it into sections as you would an orange. Pull away the seeds, discarding the pith, and squeeze them in a potato ricer, filtering the juice if necessary. In doing this, be careful, because the juice stains. "Like crazy," says Fran, whom I thank for the heads up.
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HAVING SAID ALL THIS, WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR POMEGRANATES?
Risotto al Limone
An unusual
risotto with lemon and pomegranate juice.
Insalata di Polpo
Octopus works
nicely with potatoes and pomegranates in this salad.
Fettine alla Melagrana
Cutlets, on
a bed of shallots, delicately flavored with pomegranates.
Roast Beef alla Melagrana
A simple
variation on roast beef, with pomegranate sauce.
Faraona alla Melagrana
Guinea hen
in a pomegranate and walnut sauce.
Anitra alla Melagrana
Duck stewed
with pomegranate sauce.
Tacchino alla Melagrana
Roast
turkey seasoned with herbs and pomegranate sauce (can also be made with
oranges)
Tacchinella alla Melagrana
Roast
turkey basted with pomegranate sauce and served with a pomegranate-and-gibblet
gravy
Buon Appetito!
Kyle Phillips
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