photo from Magnific

By Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD

Over the centuries, pomegranates seemed to have captured the imagination and the interest of many cultures. Depending on the culture, pomegranates can symbolize the life cycle, abundance, prosperity, or fertility.

Greek and Roman mythology seems to have been fascinated by the pomegranate.  In Greek mythology, the pomegranate is tied to the myth of Persephone. Eating a few pomegranate seeds trapped her in the underworld for part of the year, making the fruit a symbol of the changing seasons. Autumn and winter are the time when Persephone was in the underworld, Spring and Summer when she was back on earth. In Roman mythology, pomegranates were tied to Aphrodite (goddess of love) and Hera (goddess of marriage). Roman and Greek brides wove pomegranate leaves into their hair; the juice was thought to promote fertility.

In Judaism, pomegranates are eaten during the New Year, in the hopes of twelve months of living a righteous and abundant life. In Christian art, the many seeds of the pomegranate held together by a single rind are thought to symbolize the unity of the community of believers within the Church.

The Quran cites pomegranates as a “wonderful gift of creation and the blessings found in paradise gardens.” In Zoroastrianism, pomegranate seeds are eaten during the winter solstice, with the bright red associated with the triumph of light over darkness, and the dawn of a new sun. Armenia and Azerbaijan hold annual pomegranate festivals, with the pomegranate the symbol of prosperity and fertility. In Chinese and Hindu tradition, pomegranate seeds are linked to abundance and households with healthy children.

Pomegranates can be purchased as whole fresh fruit, just the seeds (called arils), fresh or processed juice, syrup (sometimes called “pomegranate molasses), dried (very crunchy), and frozen.

If you have the time (and a very washable kitchen) you might make your own pomegranate juice, by placing the seeds in a blender and then straining the liquid.  Pomegranate seeds can be dried (dehydrated) by removing the seeds from the rind, arranging the seeds in a single layer on parchment paper, using a dehydrator, and allowing them to dry for approximately 10-12 hours. This can also be done in the oven or an air fryer. For the oven, set the temperature as low as possible (not over 200 degrees). Place the pomegranate seeds on a parchment-lined baking sheet. This should take about two to four hours until the seeds are completely dried. For the air fryer, ensure your appliance has a “dehydrate” setting. Place seeds in a fryer basket in a single layer, set on “dehydrate (about 150-160 degree) and allow the seeds to dry, which can take four to six hours.