Re: Pomegranates
- To: ,
- Subject: Re: Pomegranates
- From: J*
- Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 21:16:57 -0800
Nan and Susan--
I'm relatively new to pomegranates, having moved to California from the
Pacific Northwest (Oregon, USA) a decade ago. I planted a "Wonderful"
pomegranate in 1990 because it seemed exotic and because I used to get a
pomegranate for my birthday as a child--they appeared in the grocery store
at the time of my birthday in the fall.
Anyway, one year a botanist friend gave me a jar of pomegranate jelly for
Christmas. It was so pretty and tasted so good that I had to try to make
some. She used a steam juicer, and I bought one but thought the resulting
juice tasted too cooked.
So, the recipe I use is as follows:
Step 1--Seed about a dozen pomegranates into a sieve set in a bowl of water.
Remove the floaties (membranes & pith) with your fingers. Dump the seeds
into a blender until filled to the top mark. Add 1/4 cup water and pulse
blender until seed and pulp are more or less separated.
Step 2--Pour the juice/seed slurry into a jelly bag set in a bowl and
vigorously squeeze out all the juice possible. I used to use cheesecloth
for this, but the sturdier synthetic jelly bag is much superior. Throw the
dry seed mass in the compost bucket or give it to the chickens. Pour the
juice into covered jars and refrigerate overnight to let the sediment
settle.
Step 3--Pour the juice off the sediment into a pot suitable for jelly
making. There should be 4 or 5 cups of juice. Use half as much sugar as
juice, and commercial reduced-sugar pectin (I use Sure-Jell). Follow the
directions in the package; for the brand I use, that means stir the pectin
mixed with 1/4 cup sugar into the juice and bring to a boil; then add the
remaining sugar and bring to a boil again, and finally boil hard for 1
minute. Turn the heat off, ladle into sterile jars, put lids on, invert
jars for 5 minutes, and then turn upright to seal as they cool.
The product is fresh and astringent and absolutely beautiful ruby red. I
give it as holiday gifts since it's just about impossible to find for sale.
My family loves it above all other jelly.
>From what I have read, "Wonderful" is the old standby variety for fruit
production. I like the bitter note to the flavor. My 9 year old bush
produced about 50 large fruits this year, enough for 4 batches of jelly.
Thank God there were no more.
-----Original Message-----
From: Nan Sterman <nsterman@mindsovermatter.com>
To: medit-plants@ucdavis.edu <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
Date: Sunday, November 21, 1999 7:43 PM
Subject: Re: Pomegranates
>There certainly are some that are better than others. And if you get a
>white-fleshed pomegranate such as the variety "fleshman" (or maybe
>"fleishman"), there is no astringency at all (and no nasty stains on teh
>sidewalk and carpets either). Look at the California rare Fruit Grower's
>website for more information www.crfg.org.
>
>I'd love a recipe for pomegranate jelly!
>
>Nan
>
>>>
>>
>>Julie
>>
>>how do you use your pomegranates? - I grew up with a tree and as a child
>>thought that the fruits were wonderful to look at - the seeds look like
>>jewels - but we never actually did anything with them - and in fact ours
>>tasted a bit bitter from memory? Are some trees better than others - are
>>there cultivars?
>>
>>Susan George
>>McCrae, Victoria, Australia
>>
>>______________________________________________________
>>Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>
>**********
>'''''''''''''''''''''''
>Nan Sterman
>San Diego County California
>Sunset zone 24, USDA hardiness zone 10b or 11
>
>
