How can you tell when it's ready to eat? Doesn't exactly come with a
manual.

--
"The problem with the French is they have no
word for entrepreneur."

attributed to George W. Bush by Tony Blair
via Baroness Williams

Michel Boucher > writes:

>How can you tell when it's ready to eat? Doesn't exactly come with a
>manual.

Manual: http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/pomegranate.html

[excerpt]
Harvest: The fruits are ripe when they have developed a distinctive color and
make a metallic sound when tapped. The fruits must be picked before over
maturity when they tend to crack open, particularly when rained on. The
pomegranate is equal to the apple in having a long storage life. It is best
maintained at a temperature of 32° to 41° F. and can be kept for a period of 7
months within this temperature range and at 80 to 85% relative humidity without
shrinking or spoiling. The fruits improve in storage, becoming juicier and more
flavorful.
---



---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

(PENMART01) wrote in
:

> Michel Boucher > writes:
>
>>How can you tell when it's ready to eat? Doesn't exactly come
>>with a manual.
>
> Manual: http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/pomegranate.html
>
> [excerpt]
> Harvest: The fruits are ripe when they have developed a
> distinctive color and make a metallic sound when tapped. The
> fruits must be picked before over maturity when they tend to crack
> open, particularly when rained on. The pomegranate is equal to the
> apple in having a long storage life. It is best maintained at a
> temperature of 32° to 41° F. and can be kept for a period of 7
> months within this temperature range and at 80 to 85% relative
> humidity without shrinking or spoiling. The fruits improve in
> storage, becoming juicier and more flavorful.

Thanks, Shel. My wife and I both tested it and neither one of us
thinks it sounds metallic, but the long shelf life is reassuring.

--
"The problem with the French is they have no
word for entrepreneur."

attributed to George W. Bush by Tony Blair
via Baroness Williams

Michel Boucher wrote:

> How can you tell when it's ready to eat? Doesn't exactly come with a
> manual.

They'll yield slightly to gentle pressure on the side. But it's a
tough call, because a few days later, when you open them, you'll begin
to see dull-colored seeds rather than the bright ones from a perfectly
ripe fruit. Doesn't materially affect the flavor, just some beginning
dehydration and loss of juice.

Typically, by the time they hit the stores, they're ready to eat.

Pastorio

On 11 Dec 2003 00:33:43 GMT, Michel Boucher >
wrote:

>How can you tell when it's ready to eat? Doesn't exactly come with a
>manual.


I always choose ones that are an even, deep ruby color. You want it
plump looking, and round. If it is irregular and the skin looks dried
and leathery, pass it by.Come to think of it, I don't remember ever
having a bad one.

A Persian friend taught me how to enjoy them....wash the surface &
roll the pomegranate back & forth across the table, using enough
pressure to break open the seed packets inside. You'll be able to
feel them crush and you can help this along by squeezing with your
fingers on it. You must be careful not to break the skin during this
stage.

ONce the fruit has been pretty well squished inside, take a knife &
make a very small incision on the side, being careful to hold a paper
towel near by to catch any juices. Put that little baby to your lips
and suck the juice out of it, squeezing as you do so. Delightfully
tart and sweet. I had one just last night.

Boron

Michel Boucher writes:

> (PENMART01) wrote:
>
>> Michel Boucher writes:
>>
>>>How can you tell when it's ready to eat? Doesn't exactly come
>>>with a manual.
>>
>> Manual: http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/pomegranate.html
>>
>> [excerpt]
>> Harvest: The fruits are ripe when they have developed a
>> distinctive color and make a metallic sound when tapped. The
>> fruits must be picked before over maturity when they tend to crack
>> open, particularly when rained on. The pomegranate is equal to the
>> apple in having a long storage life. It is best maintained at a
>> temperature of 32° to 41° F. and can be kept for a period of 7
>> months within this temperature range and at 80 to 85% relative
>> humidity without shrinking or spoiling. The fruits improve in
>> storage, becoming juicier and more flavorful.
>
>Thanks, Shel. My wife and I both tested it and neither one of us
>thinks it sounds metallic, but the long shelf life is reassuring.

I've always called them Chinese Apples, usually appeared profusely in NYC
markets beginning just prior to Halloween... and "Chinese Apples" is how they
were labeled at the produce stands (there were no supermarkets then)... I never
knew they were pomegranates until years later when I moved to Callyfornia. If
I remember correctly they used to cost 10¢ each, which was considered very
expensive in the early '50s, a true luxury. There were bowlfuls displayed in
Chinese restaurants/laundrys, red for good luck I suppose. I haven't purchased
one since the 50s, I don't see how the monumental task of wrenching the few
dribbles of nearly non-descript juice are worth the effort... with a lot less
effort I can derive more juice, and far more pleasure, squirting my own
juice... so I ain't Superman... mine sounds like wood. Ahahaha. . . .


---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

Boron Elgar writes:
>
>being careful to hold a paper
>towel near by to catch any juices. Put that baby to your lips
>and suck the juice out of it, squeezing as you do so. Delightfully
>tart and sweet. I had one just last night.


Ohboy!



---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

In article >,
Michel Boucher > wrote:

> (PENMART01) wrote in
> :
>
> > Michel Boucher > writes:
> >
> >>How can you tell when it's ready to eat? Doesn't exactly come
> >>with a manual.
> >
> > Manual: http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/pomegranate.html
> >
> > [excerpt]
> > Harvest: The fruits are ripe when they have developed a
> > distinctive color and make a metallic sound when tapped. The
> > fruits must be picked before over maturity when they tend to crack
> > open, particularly when rained on. The pomegranate is equal to the
> > apple in having a long storage life. It is best maintained at a
> > temperature of 32° to 41° F. and can be kept for a period of 7
> > months within this temperature range and at 80 to 85% relative
> > humidity without shrinking or spoiling. The fruits improve in
> > storage, becoming juicier and more flavorful.
>
> Thanks, Shel. My wife and I both tested it and neither one of us
> thinks it sounds metallic, but the long shelf life is reassuring.

Michel,

If you decide that Bob's method of consuming pomegranate juice is too
violent for your taste, here's one way to get the seeds out without
squirting juice all over the place. Score the skin of the pomegranate
in several places from north to south end and set it in a deep bowl of
water for a few minutes. Then pull the fruit apart at the scores and
tease the seeds from the membranes. The membranes will float, while the
seeds sink.

Cindy, who's going to try a spinach-pomegranate seed salad tomorrow
night for dinner

--
C.J. Fuller

Change the sprinkle to a spring to email me

(PENMART01) wrote in
:

>>Thanks, Shel. My wife and I both tested it and neither one of us
>>thinks it sounds metallic, but the long shelf life is reassuring.
>
> I've always called them Chinese Apples, usually appeared profusely
> in NYC markets beginning just prior to Halloween... and "Chinese
> Apples" is how they were labeled at the produce stands (there were
> no supermarkets then)...

We called them "pommes de Grenade" (Granada apples). And yes I
remember when there were no supermarkets. I'm almost 60, so I have to
go back some to the early fifties here. We did shop and an A&P when I
was young but those things were rare and not that big anyway.

--
"The problem with the French is they have no
word for entrepreneur."

attributed to George W. Bush by Tony Blair
via Baroness Williams

Michel Boucher wrote:

> (PENMART01) wrote in
> :
>
>>>Thanks, Shel. My wife and I both tested it and neither one of us
>>>thinks it sounds metallic, but the long shelf life is reassuring.
>>
>>I've always called them Chinese Apples, usually appeared profusely
>>in NYC markets beginning just prior to Halloween... and "Chinese
>>Apples" is how they were labeled at the produce stands (there were
>>no supermarkets then)...
>
> We called them "pommes de Grenade" (Granada apples). And yes I
> remember when there were no supermarkets. I'm almost 60, so I have to
> go back some to the early fifties here. We did shop and an A&P when I
> was young but those things were rare and not that big anyway.

Latin name for them is Punica granatum. I have a couple as bonsai.
They're popular with bonsai folks because of the flowers and the
fruit. <http://www.bonsainl.nl/BPG/BS_A0081.HTM>

The fruits last a long time refrigerated, but they develop the most
flavor at room temperature. Downside is that they can go from picking
to full ripe within a couple weeks.

Pastorio

Michel Boucher wrote:
>
> How can you tell when it's ready to eat? Doesn't exactly come with a
> manual.
>
> --
> "The problem with the French is they have no
> word for entrepreneur."
>
> attributed to George W. Bush by Tony Blair
> via Baroness Williams

I take it you mean the ones you buy in the store
and not ones you've grown in your greenhouse.
I've never come across one that is not ripe,
but some of them are too old and have some soft
spots. A good pom. should be large (size of a
large orange or a little larger) and a nice deep
bright (semi-?) shiny red. If they are small
or have a lot of brownish areas or are dull in
appearance I would forego them, although you might
still get good fruit out of one it's not worth
the trouble. Even the nice ones will occasionally
have some small area(s) of seeds that look a little
cloudy and soft. I am just careful to not use
those seeds, but they're probably fine if you are
just going to juice the thing - as long as they're
not actually turning brown. I usually use the
whole seeds in my orange-pomegranate compote so
I want them to look perfect.
Kate

--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?