50 | SEPTEMBER 2 • 2021 

eral cultures that pomegranates 
were present in the Garden 
of Eden and might have been 
what tempted Eve instead of 
the apple. (kew.org)
• In Sephardic homes, 
a pomegranate often is on 
the seder plate at Passover. 
(food52.com, Rebecca Firsker)
• Fertility is a popular attri-
bute of pomegranates for many 
cultures, including Chinese, 
Turkish, Armenian and Middle 
Eastern as well as for the 
ancient Greeks and Romans. 
(nocamels.com)
• In ancient Egypt, pome-
granates were thought to heal 
intestinal disorders. Today, we 

know they are full of antioxi-
dants and anti-inflammatories 
that aid many ailments. 
• Eaten whole or pressed 
into juice, pomegranates lend a 
tangy, floral flavor to a variety 
of foods. Pomegranate molas-
ses, a common ingredient in 
Iranian and Turkish cooking, 
can be purchased at grocery 
stores or online. (food52.com, 
Rebecca Firsker)
• The skin of the pomegran-
ate has been used to tan leath-
er. Its flowers produce a vibrant 
red dye for fabrics and its roots 
yield a black dye. (Pomegranate: 
A Global History by Damien 
Stone) 

Gathering the Seeds

The pomegranate, with its crown-like top, thick 
skin and pith layers, makes retrieving the arils 
nesting inside a challenge. Start with a fresh one 
with smooth, glossy skin without cracks or bruis-
es, says Damien Stone in Pomegranate: A Global 
History (2017). He offers two methods:
1. Cut off just enough of the crown to reveal the 
pith. Score the skin downward in quarters and 
place it in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes. 
Hold the fruit underwater and break it into sec-
tions, separating the seeds from the pith. Seeds 
will sink to the bottom of the bowl. Discard the 
membrane and skin; wash the seeds and dry on 
paper towels. 
2. Cut the fruit in half and use a utensil to vig-
orously whack it on the skin side to dislodge the 
seeds. This is effective, but messier. 

A mosaic with 
a basket of 
pomegranates 
was found at 
an archaeo-
logical dig in 
Israel’s west-
ern Negev 
at the site of 
the 6th-cen-
tury Maon 
synagogue.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS/ד”ראבישיטייכר

ROSH HASHANAH

continued from page 48

2021

May the coming year be filled 

with health and happiness for 

all your family and friends. 

L’Shanah Tovah!
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In/Carry 
Out/Catering

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