A jewel of the fruit kingdom

This summer, pomegranates are being savoured in all forms. With an acidic, sweet-sour flavour, its juice is refreshing. This is the drink to quench your thirst with when shopping at organic stores.
In Moscow, fashion victims sip pomegranate juice from small cans at exclusive parties. And American women have made it into a magic anti-age potion par excellence, taking refuge in its wealth in antioxidants.
Rich in symbolism and grains, called arils, the pomegranate is far from being a recent fruit, but this does not stop it from being a provider of youthful qualities. For 5,000 years now, pomegranate trees have been cultivated in Western Asia and North Africa, and feature prominently in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Ancient Egyptians extracted from the fruit’s salmon pink or ruby red grains and its juicy pulp, a light wine with a taste resembling raspberries. In Grenada in Andalusia – the town to which it owes its name – where it was introduced by Arabs from Morocco, gorgeous harem girls adored freshening their breath with it.
This fashionable fruit is one that crosses cultures. It is mentioned several times in the Bible. The prophet Mohammed recommends it for chasing away envy and hatred. As a symbolic promise for numerous descendants, pomegranates are offered to newlyweds according to a Chinese custom.
Within the collective unconscious, the pomegranate – grenade in French or Granatapfel in German – is renowned for having aphrodisiac effects, with the fruit’s shape being compared to a woman’s breasts. But if the pomegranate is back with a vengeance today, it is above all thanks to its virtues. In traditional medicine, it is used for increasing libido. In the past, Greeks recommended that it be used to counter fever or as a tonic. For the pomegranate contains a healthy dose of vitamin C. Recent studies have also revealed that it has anti-cancer and anti-ageing effects.
But it is in particular for the skin of grains, considered as a powerful antioxidant, that the pomegranate is back on centre-stage. Its natural polyphenols are recommended for inhibiting atherosclerosis and for encouraging good cardiovascular functioning, as well as for protecting against free radicals. So using pomegranate extracts in cosmetics is not a bad idea. Organic and natural brands use this formidable health-giving fruit. Weleda has blended it into its regenerative oil, Barbara Gould, in its moisturising and cleansing treatments, whilst Nature & Découverte uses it for its blush!
Using this fruit as a cooking ingredient offers even more potential for fun. The slightly transparent red grains adds a jewel-like touch to fruit salads. A common feature in Iranian cuisine, pomegranate juice features, for example, in fessenjan, a delicious dish accompanied by rice, duck and chopped walnuts. Finally, a simple glass of pomegranate juice is refreshing as a tasty and precious nectar, whilst pomegranate molasses is a type of syrupy, tangy reduced juice available in Eastern grocery stores.
A star ingredient in the culinary notebooks of Trish Deseine, on the menu of trendy Parisian restaurants, and found on supermarket racks, today the pomegranate is everywhere!