The Almighty Pomegranate
The Almighty Pomegranate
Including some recipes! 👩🍳🍽️
If you read my news last week, then you can imagine how, for the last couple of years I’ve been thinking a LOT about pomegranates. I’ve been a little obsessed with them, not just because they feature so prominently in my upcoming novel, In The Garden of Monsters, but also because they have impacted history and culture for millennia. Let me tell you about this amazing fruit.
The pomegranate (punica granatum) is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub that thrives in mild temperate and subtropical climates. The name "pomegranate" comes from the Latin words pomum (apple) and granatus (seeded). The pomegranate fruit is about 2-5 inches (5–12 cm wide) with a deep red, leathery skin. Inside are hundreds of edible seeds called arils that are surrounded by ruby-colored juice-filled pulp. These jewel-toned seeds and their association with fertility and abundance have given the pomegranate mystical significance across many ancient cultures.
The Origins of the Pomegranate
The pomegranate is one of the oldest known cultivated fruits. Archaeological and genetic evidence suggests it originated in Mesopotamia, in the region of modern-day Iraq, Kuwait, Türkiye, and Syria over 5,000 years ago. Over the years, pomegranates were domesticated alongside early staple crops like wheat, barley, and grapes in ancient Persia, Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and Egypt. The pomegranate then spread via trade routes to the Mediterranean and ancient China. Pomegranates are a nutritious fruit and a rich source of symbolic meaning. Images and stories of pomegranates can be found in the mythology, art, literature, and religious traditions of diverse civilizations throughout history and across the world. Their deep crimson seeds and juice have come to represent life, death, righteousness, fertility, posterity, paradise, and resurrection.
Cultural Significance of Pomegranates
In ancient Egypt, pomegranates symbolized prosperity, regeneration, and wisdom. The fruit was associated with rivers and water and was sometimes depicted overflowing with seeds or arils. Egyptians would make wine by fermenting pomegranate juice. Pomegranates were also a funerary symbol and commonly appeared in tomb paintings, temple carvings, and jewelry as a representation of life after death. Dried pomegranate seeds were found in the tomb of the young pharaoh Tutankhamun, and jars carved from single blocks of pomegranate wood have also been discovered in tombs.
Of course, one of the most famous stories—featuring the pomegranate is the Greek myth of Persephone (Proserpina in the Roman myths). According to legend, Hades (Pluto), god of the underworld, abducted Persephone and took her as his wife. While in the underworld, Persephone ate six pomegranate seeds, which forced her to return to Hades for six months each year. Her annual descent into the underworld led her mother, Demeter (Ceres), to weep, explaining the barrenness of winter, while her return symbolized Demeter’s happiness and spring renewal. The story I tell in my upcoming novel, In The Garden of Monsters, is only somewhat reminiscent of this myth.
One thing I do play with in my story is how pomegranates can sometimes split during periods of drought and then sudden heavy watering which can ruin the fruit. When they split, they can look like little monsters!
In Christian art, open pomegranates symbolize resurrection and eternal life. The pomegranate is often depicted in devotional statues and paintings of the Virgin Mary, sometimes with Jesus, representing her fertility and the hope of salvation.
The pomegranate is particularly important in Jewish culture. According to Damien Stone in Pomegranate: A Global History: “Jewish tradition teaches that the pomegranate is a symbol of righteousness, knowledge, and wisdom because it is said to have 613 seeds, each representing one of the 613 mitzvot (commandments) of the Torah.” On Rosh Hashanah, it is customary to eat pomegranates and say a blessing that the upcoming year should be fruitful, like the seeds of a pomegranate.
In the Qur’an, the pomegranate is one of the fruits that believers will find in the gardens of Paradise. Allah promises, “And it is He Who produces gardens trellised and untrellised, And date-palms, and crops of different shape and taste and olives, and pomegranates, similar in kind and different in taste.” (6:141)
The pomegranate's influence extends beyond these realms. In China, it is a symbol of fertility and abundance, its many seeds representing prosperity and growth. In India, the fruit is used in Ayurvedic medicine believed to balance the body's systems and promote healing. In Armenia, the pomegranate is a symbol of fertility, abundance, and marriage. A traditional Armenian wedding includes a ritual where the bride throws a pomegranate to ward off evil spirits and to bring good luck and fertility to the marriage.
Health Benefits
In addition to its unique flavor and deep red color, the pomegranate is packed with healthy nutrients and powerful plant compounds. Pomegranate arils contain high levels of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and potassium. They are also rich in antioxidants like anthocyanins, which give pomegranates their vibrant hue, and ellagitannins. Some research suggests that pomegranate antioxidants may help protect cells from damage and reduce inflammation in the body.
Studies have found promising links between pomegranate consumption and health benefits, though more research is needed. Drinking pomegranate juice daily may help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Pomegranates also contain compounds that could potentially slow the progression of certain cancers and Alzheimer’s disease. Some evidence also indicates that pomegranate extracts influence gut microbes in a positive way. While the health effects are not fully understood yet, adding pomegranates to the diet appears to be a nutritious strategy. Their complex mix of vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds contributes to a well-rounded nutritional package. Plus they taste freaking delicious.
Recipes
Of course, that’s what you are really here for, right? The recipes? I’m recreating a ton of them right now, but to whet your appetite for the future, here are some of my favorite pom recipes. The first one is mine!
And in case you are thinking, pomegranates are too difficult to work with, you can often buy just the arils in your pre-cut fruit section or sometimes frozen.
Turkey with Pomegranate Sauce (A Renaissance Recipe from Bartolomeo Scappi)
Pomegranate Gimlet - Jennifer Meyering
Peanut Butter Pomegranate Toast - OMG SO GOOD. From Padma Lakshmi
Spiced Pomegranate Molasses Chicken Thighs - Eating Well
Pomegranate Bulgur Salad - Martha Stewart
This week, everyone discovered that men are always thinking about Ancient Rome (I’m always thinking about it too…what does that mean?!).
What’s Bringing Me Joy This Week
This isn’t about pomegranates (although the ancient Romans certainly ate them!), but about silphium! The herb was once considered extinct, but they believe it may have been found in Turkiye. Historian Sally Grainger invited several other academics (including friend Farrell Monaco —if you want to try her ancient breads you can order on her website) to taste the difference between the herb and asafoetida, which is supposedly similar in flavor profile. It’s a long vid, but food history nerds will enjoy it.
Thanks for Joining Me
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In Greece, you smash a pomegranate (and then eat it) on New Year’s for prosperity in the coming year.