Pomegranates in Cooking

The pomegranate industry is poised for rapid growth by 2024. IRI/Fresh Look data indicates that fresh pomegranate retail sales volume in 2018 was 34.5 million pounds, up 16% from 2017. Industry estimates put the fresh crop (760 varieties) this year at close to 6 million boxes in 2019 (due to weather: hail & wind). In early English, the pomegranate was called the “apple of Grenada.” The French term for pomegranates is “grenade”. Ancient Egypt regarded the pomegranate as a symbol of prosperity & ambition. Native to the Middle East, pomegranates belong to the berry family & only bear fruit in hot, dry climates. The taste differs depending on the variety of pomegranate and its state of ripeness. It can be very sweet, sour or tangy. Most fruits lie somewhere in between, which is the characteristic taste, laced with notes of its tannin. Pomegranate seeds are a great addition to salads & compliment protein sources such as beef, chicken, pork or seafood. They are popular with goat cheese, spinach, beet & blood orange salad. Pomegranate molasses is a traditional ingredient in Middle Eastern cooking, but can be used in many ways to add depth or complexity. Brush on meat as a glaze, or drizzle over roasted vegetables. cooking kitchen restaurant france healthy foodservice

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