We’re heading into December, and for me that means a lot of things – baking (fruitcake, don’t knock it), the holiday ham and boatloads of mandarin oranges. But there’s another supporting cast member that gets its fair share of attention: pomegranates. Who can resist? The gemlike seeds are so pretty, they make every dish a celebration. Thankfully pomegranate was a hit with the kids, so we’ll see much more of it this year.
ME: Who’s ready for this one?
EMMA: Me!
ME: What is this?
LAUREN: I forgot.
ME: Emma?
EMMA: Um, a Jessica!
ME: Silly girl. Who wants to hold one of the seeds in their hand? It’s beautiful right? It’s like a jeweled fruit. See? You can just open it like this.
LAUREN: Can I try?
ME: Yeah, I’ll give you a whole cluster to work on. What do they look like, these little seeds?
SAM: Doesn’t it look like a jewel?
ME: Yeah, what kind of jewel is red?
LAUREN: A gem?
LAUREN: A diamond?
ME: No, diamonds are usually clear. The red ones are called rubies.
ME: Does anyone want to smell it? Does it have a smell?
EMMA: Mmmm….yummy. More?
ME: It doesn’t really smell like anything, does it? But have you tasted it yet?
EMMA: Strawberries.
ME: Yeah, the color looks a bit like strawberries. Delicious little seeds.
ME: Oh, I forgot to tell you, this is called a pomegranate.
LAUREN: Oh yeah. It is SO good.
ME: What does it taste like?
LAUREN: It tastes like sweet and red and like a ruby.
ME: I think it tastes a bit like cherries. And the juice just bursts in your mouth.
LAUREN: It is SO good and sweet, Sam you don’t have to eat the white part.
SAM: It tastes like a watermelon.
ME: Should we get a pomegranate again?
LAUREN: Yeah.
